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 of the following is not a non-metallic mineral?
[A] Mica
[B] Bauxite
[C] Granite
[D] Silica
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bauxite]
Notes:
Non-metallic minerals are those minerals which do not contain metals. Examples of Non-Metallic minerals include limestone, mica, coal, gypsum, dolomite, phosphate, salt, granite etc.
2. Which among the following is known as White Vitriol?
[A] Zinc Sulphate
[B] Zinc Chloride
[C] Zinc Phosphate
[D] Zinc oxide
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Zinc Sulphate]
Notes:
Zinc sulfate is the inorganic compound with the formula ZnSO4 and historically known as “white vitriol” Zinc sulfate is an inorganic compound and dietary supplement.
3. Calamine is an ore of which among the following?
[A] Zinc
[B] Copper
[C] Mercury
[D] Iron
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Correct Answer: A [Zinc]
Notes:
Calamine is an ore that contains zinc carbonate along with impurities like iron oxide. Through smelting, the zinc carbonate in calamine can be reduced to extract pure zinc metal. Other common zinc ores are sphalerite (zinc sulfide) and smithsonite (zinc carbonate). So calamine is considered a zinc ore due to its zinc carbonate content.
4. When Sulphur is heated with rubber, the process is commonly known as ?
[A] Galvanization
[B] Sulphonation
[C] Vulcanization
[D] Hydrodesulfurization
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Vulcanization]
Notes:
Natural rubber becomes soft at high temperature (>335 K) and brittle at low temperatures (<283 k) and shows high water absorption capacity. It is soluble in non-polar solvents and is non-resistant to attack by oxidising agents. To improve upon these physical properties, a process of vulcanisation is carried out. This process consists of heating a mixture of raw rubber with sulphur and an appropriate additive at a temperature range between 373 K to 415 K. On vulcanisation, sulphur forms cross links at the reactive sites of double bonds and thus the rubber gets stiffened.
In the manufacture of tyre rubber, 5% of sulphur is used as a crosslinking agent
5. Who among the following scientists had discovered Radium?
[A] Marie Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie
[B] André-Louis Debierne
[C] Kasimir Fajans
[D] Oswald Helmuth Göhring
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Marie Sklodowska-Curie and Pierre Curie ]
Notes:
Radium is a chemical element with the symbol Ra and atomic number 88. Radium was discovered by Marie Sklodowska Curie, a Polish chemist, and Pierre Curie, a French chemist, in 1898.
6. Consider the following:
- Cinnabar is also known as mercurblende
- The color of Cinnabar varies from dull grey to bright green
- Cinnabar is the most common source ore for refining elemental mercury
- Cinnabar is the historic source for the brilliant blue pigment termed azure
Which of the statements given above are correct?
[A] Only 1 and 3
[B] Only 2 and 4
[C] 1, 3 and 4
[D] All Four
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Only 1 and 3]
Notes:
Cinnabar, also known as mercurblende, is indeed the most common ore source for refining elemental mercury. However, its color range runs from scarlet to brick-red, not grey to green. It is known for providing the brilliant red or scarlet pigment known as vermilion, not a blue pigment.
7. Which of the following elements is not a member of the Carbon Group in the periodic table?
[A] Silicon
[B] Germanium
[C] Tin
[D] Selenium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Selenium]
Notes:
The Carbon Group of the periodic table includes the elements carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, and flerovium. These elements have four electrons in the outermost shell. Selenium, however, is not a part of this group. It is a member of the Chalcogens and sits beneath Oxygen in the periodic table. The element number for Selenium is 34. It is known for its photovoltaic and photocatalytic properties.
8. Normal” rainfall is slightly acidic (and a pH of 5.6 has been assigned which might be somewhere near 5 ) because of the presence of _______?
[A] Nitric Oxide
[B] Sulphuric Acid
[C] Nitric Acid
[D] Carbonic Acid
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Carbonic Acid]
Notes:
Normal rainfall is slightly acidic due to the presence of carbonic acid, which forms when carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves in water. The pH of normal rainwater is typically around 5.6, making it mildly acidic. This natural acidity is a result of the CO2 in the atmosphere, which is produced by respiration, combustion, and other natural processes.
9. What is the nature of an aqueous solution of Sodium Acetate?
[A] Acidic
[B] Basic
[C] Neutral
[D] Either acidic or basic, depending on the temperature of the solution
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Basic]
Notes:
An aqueous solution of sodium acetate is basic in nature. This is because sodium acetate is a salt derived from a strong base (sodium hydroxide) and a weak acid (acetic acid). When dissolved in water, it undergoes hydrolysis to form sodium ions and acetate ions. The acetate ions react with water to form acetic acid and hydroxide ions, thus creating a basic solution.
10. The Potassium graphite and Calcium Graphite can be mostly used as which among the following?
[A] Moderators
[B] Semiconductors
[C] Superconductors
[D] Lubricants
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Superconductors]
Notes:
Potassium graphite and calcium graphite are primarily used as superconductors. Superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity without resistance when cooled below a certain temperature. Graphite, particularly when doped with potassium or calcium, exhibits enhanced superconducting properties. Notably, the discovery of high-temperature superconductors in the 1980s revolutionized the field, leading to applications in magnetic levitation and advanced electronic devices.