Chemistry MCQs
Chemistry Objective (Multiple Choice) General Knowledge Questions & Answers for SSC-CGL, UPPSC, UPSC, NDA, CDS and UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination.
1. Which iron ore contains the highest percentage of iron content?
[A] Hematite
[B] Siderite
[C] Magnetite
[D] Limonite
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Magnetite]
Notes:
Magnetite (Fe3O4) typically contains about 70% iron by weight. It is black in color and strongly magnetic. Hematite (Fe2O3) contains about 60–70% iron. Limonite contains 35–50% iron. Siderite (FeCO3) contains about 48% iron. Magnetite is widely mined due to its high iron concentration compared to other ores.
2. Which among the following oxides cause the Acid rain?
[A] Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide
[B] Nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide
[C] Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide
[D] Sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide ]
Notes:
Acid rain is caused by nitrous oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, which react with water molecules in the atmosphere to form nitric and sulfuric acids. These acids then fall to the ground in rain, snow, fog, or dust particles.
3. What is commonly referred to as “Laughing Gas”?
[A] Nitric oxide
[B] Nitrous oxide
[C] Nitrogen penta oxide
[D] Nitrogen
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Nitrous oxide]
Notes:
Nitrous oxide is often referred to as “Laughing Gas” due to the euphoric effect it produces when inhaled. Its chemical formula is N2O and it is an oxide of nitrogen. At room temperature, it is a colorless, non-flammable gas with a relatively sweet odor and taste. It is primarily used in dentistry and surgery for its analgesic and anesthetic properties. It is also noted for its role as a major greenhouse gas and air pollutant, as well as a natural regulator of stratospheric ozone.
4. What is the electrical state of a molecule, considered the smallest part of matter retaining the properties of the original matter?
[A] Positive
[B] Negative
[C] Either positive or negative
[D] Neutral
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Neutral]
Notes:
A molecule represents the smallest portion of a substance that retains the characteristics of the substance. It’s electrically neutral because it’s made up of atoms that bond together, sharing or exchanging electrons to achieve stability. This process balances out the electrical charges of the protons and electrons, rendering the molecule as a whole electrically neutral.
5. Which of the following is the correct term used to describe Graphite, Carbon and Diamonds?
[A] Isotopes
[B] Isomers
[C] Isotones
[D] Allotropes
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Allotropes]
Notes:
Allotropes refer to two or more different physical forms in which an element can exist. The property is due to different ways atoms bond together. The most common instance is the element carbon, which exists in several different forms, including diamond, graphite, and fullerenes, making it an allotropic element. It’s crucial to note that allotropy applies to elements, not compounds.
6. An Jewellery was left exposed to the atmosphere for some time and it becomes coated with green carbonate. The Jewellery is made up of which of the following?
[A] Copper
[B] Silver
[C] Zinc
[D] Gold
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Copper]
Notes:
The correct answer is Copper. When copper jewelry is exposed to air and moisture, it reacts with carbon dioxide and water, forming copper carbonate, which appears as a green patina (often called verdigris). This process is known as oxidation. Unlike copper, silver and gold do not typically form green coatings. silver may tarnish to a black color due to silver sulfide formation, while gold is highly resistant to corrosion and tarnishing.
7. Which among the following allotropes of Oxygen is found in 6 phases under various pressures and temperatures?
[A] Ozone
[B] Tetra oxygen
[C] Octaoxygen
[D] None of them
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Octaoxygen]
Notes:
The correct answer is Octaoxygen. Octaoxygen (O8) is an allotrope of oxygen that can exist in multiple phases under varying pressures and temperatures. It was first synthesized in 2001 and is notable for its unique molecular structure, which consists of eight oxygen atoms. Ozone (O3) is well-known but does not exhibit multiple phases like octaoxygen. Tetraoxygen (O4) is less stable and not commonly referenced in the same context.
8. Argon is the third most common gas in the Earth’s atmosphere, at 0.93%. This gas is generated due to decay of which among the following isotopes in the Earth’s crust ?
[A] K-40
[B] Ca-40
[C] Ca-48
[D] K-41
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [K-40]
Notes:
Potassium-40 is a radioactive isotope of potassium with a long half-life of 1.251×10⁹ years. The decay of this particular isotope explains the large abundance of argon (0.93%) in the Earth’s atmosphere.
9. How does vulcanization make natural rubber more durable?
[A] The long polymer chains are shortened
[B] The rubber loses water and sticky substances
[C] The short polymer chains are lengthened
[D] Cross links form between the polymer chains
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Cross links form between the polymer chains]
Notes:
Vulcanization introduces sulfur cross-links between poly-isoprene chains in natural rubber, restricting movement, which increases stiffness, elasticity, and durability. This chemical modification prevents rubber from becoming sticky or brittle, significantly improving its mechanical properties for industrial and commercial use.
10. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the most common type of fatal air poisoning in many parts of the world. What makes it such a fatal gas?
[A] CO dissolves in cytoplasm and functions as an inhibitor of the crucial enzymes for metabolism
[B] CO competes with Haemoglobin for Oxygen intake
[C] CO dissolves in blood Plasma and spreads toxicity
[D] CO converts into Carbon Dioxide in presence of water in Blood
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ CO competes with Haemoglobin for Oxygen intake]
Notes:
Carbon monoxide is colourless, odourless, and tasteless, but highly toxic because it combines with haemoglobin to produce carboxyhemoglobin, which usurps the space in haemoglobin that normally carries oxygen, but is ineffective for delivering oxygen to bodily tissues. Concentrations as low as 667 ppm may cause up to 50% of the body’s hemoglobin to convert to carboxyhemoglobin. The impact is irreversible and that is why that even after available of oxygen, the carboxyhemoglobin does not allow the Oxygen to be taken up.