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 among the following is the correct set of chemical formulae of Chile Saltpetre, Saltpetre and Quick Lime?
[A] KNO3, NaNO3, CaO
[B] NaNO3, KNO3, Ca(OH)2
[C] Na(OH)2, KOH, CaO
[D] NaNO3, KNO3, CaO
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [NaNO3, KNO3, CaO]
Notes:
Saltpetre, also spelled Saltpeter, also called Nitre, or Niter, any of three naturally occurring nitrates, distinguished as (1) ordinary saltpetre, or potassium nitrate, KNO3; (2) Chile saltpetre, cubic nitre, or sodium nitrate, NaNO3; and (3) lime saltpetre, wall saltpetre, or calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2.
Calcium oxide (CaO), commonly known as quicklime or burnt lime, is a widely used chemical compound.
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. 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.
4. Which among the following is the main constituent of vegetable oil and animal fats?
[A] Glycogen
[B] Triglyceride
[C] Galactose
[D] Diglyceride
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Triglyceride]
Notes:
The main constituent of vegetable oil and animal fats is triglyceride. Triglycerides are composed of three fatty acids linked to a glycerol molecule. They are the most common type of fat found in the body and serve as a major energy source. In fact, triglycerides account for about 95% of the fats in the human diet.
5. Mizoroki-Heck reaction is catalyzed by which of the following metals?
[A] Rhodium
[B] Sodium
[C] Palladium
[D] Osmium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Palladium]
Notes:
The Mizoroki-Heck reaction is a cross-coupling reaction that typically involves the coupling of aryl halides with alkenes. It is primarily catalyzed by palladium (Pd) complexes. Palladium is favored due to its ability to facilitate the oxidative addition and reductive elimination steps essential for the reaction. Rhodium, while also a transition metal, is less commonly used for this specific reaction. The Mizoroki-Heck reaction is important in organic synthesis for forming carbon-carbon bonds and is widely utilized in pharmaceuticals and materials science.
6. Argon is the third most common gas in the Earth’s atmosphere, at 0.93%. This gas is generated due to decay of which among the following isotopes in the Earth’s crust ?
[A] K-40
[B] Ca-40
[C] Ca-48
[D] K-41
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [K-40]
Notes:
Potassium-40 is a radioactive isotope of potassium with a long half-life of 1.251×10⁹ years. The decay of this particular isotope explains the large abundance of argon (0.93%) in the Earth’s atmosphere.
7. Which among the following impurity in drinking water causes the “Bamboo Spine” disorder?
[A] Nitrate
[B] Fluorides
[C] Arsenic
[D] Sulphides
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Fluorides]
Notes:
Ankylosing Spondylitis is a chronic, inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune disease that mainly affects joints in the spine and the sacroiliac joints in the pelvis. It tends to affect the spine and in late stages, the spine will fuse and this has given rise to the term “bamboo spine”. It is mainly caused due to impurities in drinking water associated with fluorides.
8. Which among the following compound is most commonly used in the Photochromic lenses?
[A] Potassium Dichromate
[B] Silver Chloride
[C] Potassium ferrate
[D] Ferric Chloride
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Silver Chloride]
Notes:
Silver halides and most commonly silver Chloride is used in Photochromic lens. But for plastic photochromic lenses, some organic products such as oxazines and naphthopyrans are used.
9. Which among the following is produced when we pass chlorine into slaked lime?
[A] DDT
[B] Baking Powder
[C] Bleaching Powder
[D] Gypsum
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [ Bleaching Powder]
Notes:
Bleaching powder is made by passing Cl2 into slaked lime. Though bleaching powder is often written as Ca(OCl)2 , it is really a mixture and not a compound.
10. The largest component of Coal gas is__?
[A] Methane
[B] Hydrogen
[C] Carbon Dioxide
[D] Carbon Monoxide
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Hydrogen]
Notes:
Typical composition of the Coal gas is as follows: •Hydrogen 50% •Methane 35% •Carbon monoxide 10% •Ethylene 5%