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 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.
2. Which among the following is a common salt in Detergents?
[A] Sulphate
[B] Nitrate
[C] Sulphonate
[D] Carbonate
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Sulphate]
Notes:
Sodium sulfate, used as a filler in detergent powder, enables the adjustment of the concentration of the active matter in the detergent, as required.
3. Which among the following is the objective of the Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) mixing with Petroleum?
[A] Raise Octane Number
[B] Antioxidant Stabilizer
[C] Lead Scavanger
[D] Fuel Dye
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Raise Octane Number ]
Notes:
MTBE is a gasoline additive, used as an oxygenate to raise the octane number. Its use is controversial in the US and declining in that country in part because of its occurrence in groundwater and legislation favoring ethanol.
4. What is the primary event that occurs during an oxidation reaction?
[A] Electrons are gained
[B] Electrons are lost
[C] Protons are gained
[D] Protons are lost
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Electrons are lost]
Notes:
Oxidation is a chemical reaction in which an atom, ion, or molecule loses an electron to another substance. So, the correct answer is “Electrons are lost”. This phenomenon is often observed in various chemical and biological systems. Understanding this important process can allow us to gain insights in fields ranging from biology to materials science.
5. Which of the following elements is the most electronegative?
[A] Chlorine
[B] Fluorine
[C] Bromine
[D] All of them have the same electronegativity
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Fluorine]
Notes:
Electronegativity is defined as an atom’s ability to attract an electron pair when forming a covalent bond. This property increases as you move left to right across the periodic table due to an increase in the nuclear charge’s attractive forces. It decreases as you move top to bottom, owing to the shielding effect of sub-levels and increased atomic radius, which makes electrons easier to remove. This culminates in Fluorine, being the highest and furthest to the right on the periodic table, hence it is the most electronegative.
6. Which among the following compound of barium is used as radio contrast agent for X-ray imaging and other diagnostic procedures and also commonly called as Barium Food?
[A] Barium Carbonate
[B] Barium Sulphate
[C] Barium Bromide
[D] Barium hydroxide
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Barium Sulphate]
Notes:
Barium Sulphate is the correct answer. It is used as a radiopaque contrast agent in X-ray imaging because it absorbs X-rays, making it visible on the images. Commonly referred to as “Barium Meal” when ingested for gastrointestinal studies, it helps diagnose conditions like ulcers and tumors. Barium Sulphate is insoluble in water, ensuring it remains in the digestive tract without being absorbed.
7. If a Hydrogen atom is removed from a hydrocarbon of Benzene group, the remaining residue is called _________?
[A] Alkyl
[B] Aryl
[C] Arene
[D] Azene
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Aryl]
Notes:
The correct answer is Aryl. In organic chemistry, when a hydrogen atom is removed from a benzene ring (a hydrocarbon), the remaining structure is referred to as an aryl group. Aryl groups are derived from aromatic compounds, specifically those containing a benzene ring. For example, when a hydrogen is removed from toluene (methylbenzene), the resulting aryl group is called a tolyl group. Aryl groups are important in various chemical reactions and are foundational in the synthesis of many organic compounds.
8. If a baby diaper is subjected to different solutions, which of the following will it absorb the maximum quantity of?
[A] Distilled Water
[B] Drinking Water
[C] Hard Water
[D] Urine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Distilled Water]
Notes:
A baby diaper can absorb the maximum quantity of distilled water as it lacks impurities such as minerals and ions that are present in other type of water. The absorbent materials in diapers, often polymers called sodium polyacrylate, can hold up to 30 times their weight in distilled water, making them highly efficient.
9. Which among the following is the correct impact of the London Forces in the Cycloalkanes?
[A] The melting and boiling points get increased
[B] The Melting and boiling points get decreased
[C] There is not impact on the melting and boiling points
[D] The melting point increases but boiling point decreases
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [The melting and boiling points get increased]
Notes:
Please note that the Cycloalkanes with more than 20 carbon atoms are called Cycloparaffins. The cycloalkanes have the same properties as the alkanes but they have `Higher Boiling & Melting points`. This is because of the stronger dispersion forces between the atoms known as London Forces.
10. What is the reason that despite being third most abundant element on the Earth’s surface and most abundant chemical substance in the universe, Hydrogen is not found as a gas in Earth’s atmosphere?
[A] It is very reactive and unstable gas
[B] It is so light that readily escapes earth’s gravity
[C] It is not found in free state in nature
[D] None of the above reasons
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ It is so light that readily escapes earth’s gravity]
Notes:
Under ordinary conditions on Earth, elemental hydrogen exists as the diatomic gas, H2. However, hydrogen gas is very rare in the Earth’s atmosphere (1 ppm by volume) because of its light weight, which enables it to escape from Earth’s gravity more easily than heavier gases. However, hydrogen is the third most abundant element on the Earth’s surface, mostly in the form of chemical compounds such as hydrocarbons and water. Hydrogen gas is produced by some bacteria and algae and is a natural component of flatus, as is methane, itself a hydrogen source of increasing importance.