Organic Chemistry

• What does organic chemistry involve the study of?

  Carbon-containing compounds, including hydrocarbons and their derivatives
• How many covalent bonds can carbon atoms form in organic compounds?

  Four covalent bonds
• What are organic groups also known as?

  Functional groups
• What is the role of functional groups in organic molecules?

  They are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules
• What is the hydroxyl group and where is it found?

  The hydroxyl group (-OH) is found in alcohols
• What is the carboxyl group and where is it found?

  The carboxyl group (-COOH) is found in carboxylic acids
• What is the amino group and where is it found?

  The amino group (-NH2) is found in amines
• What is the carbonyl group and where is it found?

  The carbonyl group (>C=O) is found in ketones and aldehydes
• What does the alkyl group (-R) represent?

  Any group of carbon and hydrogen atoms arranged in a chain
• How can the properties of a molecule be predicted?

  From its functional groups
• What greatly influences the chemical reactivity of a molecule?

  The presence of functional groups
• What does the type of organic group influence?

  The type of reaction that a compound will undergo
• What are isomers?

  Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural arrangements
• What occurs during functional group isomerism?

  The compounds contain the same atoms arranged into different functional groups
• Why is understanding isomerism important in organic chemistry?

  It helps predict and understand the behavior of organic compounds
• How do organic groups impact fuels?

  The type and arrangement of the organic groups impact the efficiency and emissions of the fuel
• Why do branched-chain alkanes burn more cleanly than straight-chain alkanes?

  Due to the different ways these structures interact with oxygen during combustion
• How can understanding organic groups aid in fuel design?

  It can aid in the design and selection of cleaner, more efficient fuels
• What does the term aliphatic mean?

  Aliphatic means it contains no benzene rings
• What happens in an exothermic reaction?

  More energy is released in making bonds than is required to break bonds