Chemistry MCQs
Chemistry Objective (Multiple Choice) General Knowledge Questions & Answers for SSC-CGL, UPPSC, UPSC, NDA, CDS and UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination.
1. What is the key element used in the batteries of electric vehicles?
[A] Magnesium
[B] Lithium
[C] Sodium
[D] Bromine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Lithium]
Notes:
The primary component for electric vehicle batteries is Lithium, used as Lithium carbonate or Lithium hydroxide. These Lithium-ion batteries have a high power-to-weight ratio, energy efficiency, and thermal stability, leading to their prevalence in electric vehicles. Notably, the boom in EVs has significantly driven the demand for Lithium globally.
2. Which of the following does not increase when we move from left to right along a period in the periodic table?
[A] Oxidising Power of elements
[B] Electronegativity
[C] Non-metallic Character
[D] Reducing power
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Reducing power]
Notes:
The oxidizing power of elements increases on moving left to right along a period in the periodic table. This is because electronegativity and the non-metallic character increases from left to right.
3. What are Sodium Alkyl Sulphate and Benzene Sulphate examples of?
[A] Explosives
[B] Insecticides
[C] Fungicides
[D] Synthetic Detergents
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Synthetic Detergents]
Notes:
Sodium Alkyl Sulphate and Benzene Sulphate are typical examples of Synthetic Detergents. Synthetic detergents are man-made cleansing agents that function similarly to soap. These compounds were developed during World War II when a shortage of natural oils led to a search of alternative substances. The advanced features of synthetic detergents include improved cleansing efficacy, resistance to water hardness, and the ability to function in acidic conditions.
4. What is the atomic number of Transuranic elements?
[A] Greater than 90
[B] Greater than 92
[C] Greater than 91
[D] Greater than 93
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Greater than 92]
Notes:
Transuranic elements are those with atomic numbers greater than 92, which is the atomic number of uranium. These elements, including plutonium (94) and americium (95), are all synthetic and typically unstable, often used in nuclear applications and research. The term “transuranic” specifically refers to elements beyond uranium in the periodic table.
5. 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.
6. Which among the following is the main constituent of malleable metal alloy Pewter ?
[A] Copper
[B] Zinc
[C] Tin
[D] Bismuth
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Tin]
Notes:
Pewter is primarily composed of tin, typically around 85-95%, with the remainder often consisting of copper, antimony, or bismuth. Historically, pewter was used for making utensils and decorative items due to its malleability and low melting point. The use of tin in pewter dates back to ancient civilizations, including the Romans and Egyptians, who valued it for its corrosion resistance and ease of casting.
7. Which among the following is the lowest atomic number element without any stable isotopes?
[A] Technetium
[B] Molybdenum
[C] Ruthenium
[D] Niobium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Technetium]
Notes:
The correct answer is Technetium. It has the atomic number 43 and is the lowest atomic number element without any stable isotopes. All of its isotopes are radioactive, with Technetium-98 being the most stable, having a half-life of about 4.2 million years. Technetium was first artificially produced in 1937 by Carlo Perrier and Emilio Segrè, making it the first element to be artificially created.
8. Which of the following are two predominant acids of acid rain?
[A] sulphuric acid and nitric acid
[B] carbonic acid and hydrochloric acid
[C] nitric acid and hydrochloric Acid
[D] hydrofluoric acid and hydrochloric Acid
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [ sulphuric acid and nitric acid ]
Notes:
Acid rain, or acid deposition, is a broad term that includes any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulphuric or nitric acid that fall to the ground from the atmosphere in wet or dry forms.
9. 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.
10. How many groups of p–block elements are there in the periodic table?
[A] 4
[B] 6
[C] 8
[D] 3
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [6]
Notes:
There are six groups of p–block elements in the periodic table numbering from 13 to 18.