Chemistry MCQs
Chemistry Objective (Multiple Choice) General Knowledge Questions & Answers for SSC-CGL, UPPSC, UPSC, NDA, CDS and UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination.
1. The term “white coal” sometimes referred to which of the following?
[A] Geothermal Electricity
[B] Wind Energy
[C] Hydroelectricity
[D] Biomass Energy
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Hydroelectricity]
Notes:
The term white coal was used for Hydroelectricity, particularly in Europe, because of its capability to produce more energy than any other source except coal. The term was coined by a French Engineer Aristide Bèrges.
2. Which of the following is also known as wood alcohol?
[A] Methanol
[B] Ethanol
[C] Propanal
[D] Butanol
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Methanol]
Notes:
Methanol (CH3OH) is also known as Wood Alcohol. It’s a solvent in many chemical processes and is a component of automobile antifreeze.
3. The aqueous solution of which among the following acids is called Vinegar?
[A] Oxalic acid
[B] Citric acid
[C] Acetic acid
[D] Hydrochloric acid
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Acetic acid ]
Notes:
Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a weak organic acid that gives vinegar its sour taste. At household concentrations (5-8% acetic acid), it is a mild acid. Vinegar can be made from a variety of base ingredients including wine, apple cider, rice, or malt. The acetic acid is produced by fermentation of the sugars in these ingredients. The most common type of vinegar in households is white distilled vinegar which is typically 4-7% acetic acid. It has a strong, pungent smell and flavor.
4. Which among the following is major component of Gobar Gas?
[A] Butane
[B] Ethane
[C] Propane
[D] Metahne
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Metahne]
Notes:
Gobar Gas or Biogas is mostly methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) and may have small amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), moisture and siloxanes.
5. Which element is responsible for the bright red color observed during the bursting of firecrackers?
[A] Strontium
[B] Sodium
[C] Sulfur
[D] Magnesium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Strontium]
Notes:
The bright red color in fireworks is due to the presence of Strontium salts. The Strontium atom, upon yielding its energy in a quick burst upon heating, emits a brilliant red light. In fact, such properties of elements are used to identify them in a flame test, a classic method in chemistry labs across the globe.
6. What is the primary use of Phenolphthalein in chemistry?
[A] A Solvent
[B] A Dye
[C] A Catalyst
[D] A Detergent
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [A Dye]
Notes:
Phenolphthalein is commonly employed as a pH indicator in titrations due to its distinct color change in varying pH levels. At pH 8.2, it appears colorless but turns pink as the pH increases to 10. It is not used as a solvent, catalyst or detergent. It also finds applications in forensic science for detecting latent blood stains.
7. 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.
8. Which among the following is correct regarding the alkaline battery ?
[A] Negative terminal made of Zinc Powder and Positive terminal made of Manganese dioxide & electrolyte is KOH
[B] Negative terminal made of Manganese dioxide and Positive terminal made of Zinc powder & electrolyte KOH
[C] Negative terminal made of Zinc Powder and Positive terminal made of Manganese dioxide & Electrolyte is Ammonium Chloride
[D] Negative terminal made of Manganese dioxide and Positive terminal made of Zinc powder & electrolyte Ammonium Chloride
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Negative terminal made of Zinc Powder and Positive terminal made of Manganese dioxide & electrolyte is KOH]
Notes:
The correct statement is that in an alkaline battery, the negative terminal is made of zinc powder, the positive terminal is made of manganese dioxide, and the electrolyte is potassium hydroxide (KOH). Alkaline batteries are known for their long shelf life and higher energy density compared to zinc-carbon batteries. They were invented in the 1950s and are widely used in household devices.
9. Under standard conditions, which of the following is the most stable form of carbon?
[A] Charcoal
[B] Graphite
[C] Diamond
[D] Amorphous Carbon
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Graphite]
Notes:
Under standard conditions, Graphite is the most stable form of carbon. It is commonly used in pencils and lubricants due to its layered structure. These layers can move over each other, making graphite soft and slippery. Besides Graphite, other forms of carbon are diamond, charcoal, and amorphous carbon, each with unique properties and applications.
10. With reference to the Radioactivity, which among the following is called an isomeric transition?
[A] Alpha emission
[B] Gamma emission
[C] Beta emission
[D] X-Ray emission
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Gamma emission]
Notes:
An isomeric transition is a radioactive decay process that involves emission of a gamma ray from an atom where the nucleus is in an excited metastable state, referred to in its excited state, as a nuclear isomer. The emission of a gamma ray from an excited nuclear state allows the nucleus to lose energy and reach either a lower energy state, sometimes its ground state. In certain cases, the excited nuclear state following a nuclear reaction or other type of radioactive decay, has a half live that is more than 100 to 1000 times longer than the average 10-12 seconds, and this excited state is referred to as a metastable nuclear excited state. Some nuclei are able to stay in this metastable excited state for minutes, hours, days, or occasionally far longer, before undergoing gamma decay, in which they undergo radioactive decay with primary emission of a gamma ray.