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Alkanes
AQA A Level Chemistry
Question | Answer |
---|---|
What is a hydrocarbon? | A compound made of atoms of hydrogen and carbon only |
What is an alkane? | A hydrocarbon with only single bonds. |
What is chemical nomenclature? | The process of naming different organic compounds |
Name a given branched alkane | Assign parent chain, assign branches a number and add as prefixes |
What is isomerism? | When molecules have the same atoms but they are arranged differently in space |
What is a saturated hydrocarbon? | A hydrocarbon with only single bonds |
What is crude oil? | A mixture of mainly alkanes that can be separated by fractional distillation |
What is fractional distillation? | The process of separating the alkanes in crude oil by use of their different melting points |
What is cracking? | The process of breaking C-C bonds in alkanes to make shorter molecules |
What are the two types of cracking? | Thermal cracking and catalytic cracking |
How is thermal cracking carried out? | At high pressure and temperature |
What is thermal cracking used for? | Producing a high percentage of alkenes |
How is catalytic cracking carried out? | Slight pressure, high temperature, zeolite catalyst |
What is catalytic cracking used for? | Production of motor fuels and aromatic hydrocarbons |
Why is cracking carried out? | The products of cracking are in greater demand than the long chain alkanes |
What is combustion? | The exothermic reaction of a fuel with oxygen |
What is complete combustion? | A combustion reaction where there is enough oxygen to ensure products are purely carbon dioxide and water |
What is incomplete combustion? | A combustion reaction where the lack of oxygen results in products other than carbon dioxide and water |
What can the products of incomplete combustion be? | Carbon monoxide, carbon |
Which pollutants are produced by the internal combustion engine? | Nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon, unburned hydrocarbons |
What is the purpose of a catalytic convertor? | To remove gaseous pollutants produced by internal combustion engines |
How is sulphur dioxide released from combustion engines? | Through the combustion of hydrocarbons containing sulphur impurities |
What is a flue gas? | The gas released from large industrial plants and power plants |
How can sulphur dioxide be removed from flue gases? | By using calcium oxide or calcium carbonate to neutralise it |
What is a free radical? | A reactive species containing an unpaired electron |
How are free radicals signaled? | By use of a ∙ e.g.. Cl∙ |
How are chlorine free radicals produced? | Exposure to UV light |
What is free radical substitution? | Where an atom bonded to a carbon is substituted for a free radical atom |
Which steps are involved in a free radical substitution? | Initiation, propagation, termination |
What is an initiation step? | The generation of a free radical |
Give an example of an initiation step | Cl₂ → 2Cl∙ |
What is a propagation? | Intermediate steps in a free radical reaction which cause the regeneration of the original free radical |
Give an example of a propagation | CH₄ + Cl∙ → CH₃∙ + HCl, CH₃∙ + Cl₂ → CH₃Cl + Cl∙ |
What is a termination? | A reaction involving two free radicals and resulting in no free radicals |
Give an example of a termination | CH₃∙ + Cl∙ → CH₃Cl |
Why do free radical substitutions result in impure products | Because there are many possible side reactions e.g. further substitution with chlorine or alkyl radical-radical reactions |