Chemistry MCQs

Notes:
Tetra Ethyl Lead (TEL) is one such component that is added to petrol to reduce its tendency to `ping’ under compression. TEL breaks down to lead at upper cylinder temperatures. Lead atoms spread around and combining with the free radicals and slowing down the reaction.
However, `Leaded’ petrol was a grave danger to the environment, as lead is a poison when it is absorbed into the body.

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.

Notes:
The most important form of elemental phosphorus from the perspective of applications and chemical literature is white phosphorus. It consists of tetrahedral P4 molecules, in which each atom is bound to the other three atoms by a single bond. This P4 tetrahedron is also present in liquid and gaseous phosphorus up to the temperature of 800 °C when it starts decomposing to P2 molecules

Notes:
Adsorption, the binding of gas or liquid particles to a solid surface, is often used in chromatography – a laboratory technique for the separation of a mixture. This process is critical as it allows the separation of the compounds in the mixture, thereby enabling further analysis or purification. Apart from chromatography, adsorption is also used in scrubbers and purification of solids and liquids.

Notes:
Andesite is an igneous volcanic rock with intermediate composition and is not used as an ore. Chalcopyrite is a major copper ore, sphalerite is the primary ore of zinc, and cinnabar is the main ore of mercury. Andesite mainly consists of plagioclase, pyroxene, and amphibole minerals and forms in volcanic arcs associated with subduction zones.

Notes:
Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is used in baking due to its ability to decompose above 70 degrees Celsius and release carbon dioxide. This chemical reaction is given by the equation 2 NaHCO3 – Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2. In baking, it reacts with other ingredients or decomposes at high temperatures to produce carbon dioxide, which causes the dough to rise, creating the fluffy texture in baked goods.

Notes:
The atomic and ionic radii of the alkaline earth metals are smaller than corresponding alkali metals in the same periods due to the increased nuclear charge in these elements.

Notes:
Phosphine is PH₃. The electronic structure of Phosphine (pyramidal structure) is like Ammonia. It is a colourless gas and has a spoiled fish smell. It is used as a dopant in semiconductor industries.

Notes:
Caustic soda is a compound of sodium where as Acetic acid, Chloroform and Methane are the compounds of carbon.

Notes:
In alpha decay, Helium nucleus is emitted. Alpha decay or α-decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus transforms or ‘decays’ into a different atomic nucleus, with a mass number that is reduced by four and an atomic number that is reduced by two.