General Chemistry I — 2025C Past Questions

University of Ilorin CHM102: 92 questions.

Topics: Isolation, purification, and determination of organic compound structures, Chemistry of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, ethers, amines, alkyl halides, nitriles, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and derivatives, Fullerenes as the fourth allotrope of carbon (nanotubules, nanostructures, nanochemistry), Chemistry of selected metals and non-metals, Electronic theory in organic chemistry, Nomenclature and functional group classes of organic compounds, Historical survey of organic chemistry development, Introduction to transition metal chemistry, Stereochemistry, Introductory reaction mechanisms and kinetics, Comparative chemistry of group IA, IIA, and IVA elements

  1. A compound contains 38.4% of carbon, 4.8% of hydrogen and 56.8% chlorine. Using empirical formula, find the compound.
    1. C₂H₅Cl
    2. C₃H₅Cl
    3. C₂H₃Cl
    4. C₃H₄Cl
  2. The dehydration of ethanol is an example of what type of reaction?
    1. Elimination
    2. Addition
    3. Redox
    4. Displacement
  3. What determines the stability of a carbocation?
    1. Hyperconjugation and inductive effect from alkyl groups
    2. The number of hydrogen atoms attached
    3. The molecular weight of the compound
    4. The boiling point of the parent compound
  4. Which of the following determines the purity of an organic compound?
    1. Melting and boiling point
    2. Crystallization
    3. Boiling and crystallization
    4. Distillation
  5. Which hybridization is present in but-2-yne?
    1. sp² and sp
    2. sp³ and sp
    3. sp³ and sp²
    4. sp and sp
  6. Hydrogen bonding of alcohol in water leads to:
    1. Low melting point
    2. High boiling point
    3. Insolubility in water
    4. Low viscosity
  7. Which electronic effect increases basicity in organic compounds?
    1. Positive inductive effect (+I)
    2. Negative inductive effect (–I)
    3. Negative mesomeric effect (–M)
    4. Electromeric effect
  8. Which element has the lowest enthalpy of atomization in the 3d transition series?
    1. Zinc (Zn)
    2. Copper (Cu)
    3. Manganese (Mn)
    4. Scandium (Sc)
  9. Which group in the periodic table has the lowest ionization energy?
    1. Group 4
    2. Group 1
    3. Group 8
    4. Group 16
  10. Which of the following properties decreases in the first transition series up to manganese and then remains fairly constant?
    1. Ionization energy
    2. Atomic radius
    3. Electronegativity
    4. Melting point
  11. What is the bond angle in an sp³ hybridized atom?
    1. 109.5°
    2. 120°
    3. 180°
    4. 90°
  12. Aluminium reacts with nitrogen at what temperature?
    1. Above 800°C
    2. At room temperature
    3. At 100°C
    4. At 500°C
  13. Nitrogen reacts with hydrogen at what temperature and pressure (Haber process)?
    1. 200°C and 100 atm with Fe catalyst
    2. 450–500°C and 150–300 atm with Fe catalyst
    3. 100°C and 50 atm with Pt catalyst
    4. 700°C and 500 atm with Ni catalyst
  14. Caesium (Cs) is in which block of the periodic table?
    1. d-block
    2. s-block
    3. f-block
    4. p-block
  15. Which of the following is NOT a property of transition elements?
    1. Partially filled d orbital
    2. Fully filled d orbital
    3. Empty d orbital
    4. Half-filled d orbital
  16. Isomerization is an example of which type of reaction?
    1. Rearrangement reaction
    2. Substitution reaction
    3. Displacement reaction
    4. Redox reaction
  17. An organic compound (A) has a molecular weight of 78 and an empirical formula of CH. It is resistant to attack by oxidizing agents, but undergoes substitution and addition reactions. X-ray analysis shows carbon–carbon bond distances of 1.38 Å (intermediate between single and double bond length). Compound (A) is:
    1. Cyclohexane
    2. n-Hexane
    3. Toluene
    4. Benzene
  18. Glucose is which type of alcohol based on the number of hydroxyl groups?
    1. Monohydric
    2. Dihydric
    3. Polyhydric
    4. Trihydric
  19. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is a/an:
    1. Amine
    2. Amide
    3. Carboxylic acid
    4. Alcohol
  20. Lucas test is used to test for:
    1. Aldehydes and ketones
    2. Alcohols (to distinguish primary, secondary, and tertiary)
    3. Carboxylic acids
    4. Alkenes
  21. C = 40.0%, H = 6.7%, and O = 53.3%. What is the compound with this composition?
    1. C₂H₄O₂ (acetic acid)
    2. CH₂O (formaldehyde/glucose)
    3. C₆H₁₂O₆ (glucose molecular)
    4. C₂H₂O (ketene)
  22. Which of the following has the highest priority according to R and S (CIP) configuration?
    1. –CHCl₂
    2. –CH₂Br
    3. –CH₂I
    4. –CH₂Cl
  23. What is the IUPAC name for diethyl methyl methanol?
    1. 2-methylbutan-2-ol
    2. 3-ethylpentan-3-ol
    3. 2-ethylbutan-1-ol
    4. Pentan-3-ol
  24. The bond angle in an sp² hybridized atom is:
    1. 109.5°
    2. 120°
    3. 180°
    4. 90°
  25. The type of bonds present in fullerene molecules is:
    1. Only single bonds
    2. Only double bonds
    3. Alternating single and double bonds
    4. Triple bonds only
  26. Which of the following is a use of boron?
    1. Making fertilizers
    2. Making bulletproof vests
    3. Cooking utensils
    4. Producing sugar
  27. Boiling occurs when:
    1. The temperature is above 100°C
    2. Internal (vapour) pressure equals atmospheric pressure
    3. External pressure is higher than internal pressure
    4. The liquid is frozen
  28. The plates used in fractional distillation are called:
    1. Plastic plates
    2. Fractionating plates
    3. Heating plates
    4. Condenser plates
  29. The number of carbon atoms in a C₆₀ fullerene molecule is:
    1. 20
    2. 40
    3. 60
    4. 80
  30. Which factor DECREASES acidity?
    1. Negative inductive effect
    2. Resonance effect
    3. Positive inductive effect
    4. Hydrogen bonding
  31. Hydration of ethene produces:
    1. 1-butanol
    2. 2-butanol
    3. Ethanol
    4. Methanol
  32. Which of the following is NOT a type of chemical formula?
    1. Molecular formula
    2. Structural formula
    3. Empirical formula
    4. Built formula
  33. The process involving arsenic and iodine as an example of purification is:
    1. Crystallization
    2. Distillation
    3. Sublimation
    4. Filtration
  34. In sublimation, an inverted funnel is used to:
    1. Speed up evaporation
    2. Prevent loss of solid and direct vapors to a cooler surface
    3. Increase pressure in the system
    4. Provide more heat
  35. CNTs is an abbreviation for:
    1. Carbon Nanotubes
    2. Copper Nitrate Tubes
    3. Chemical Neutral Tetrahedrals
    4. Calcium Nitride Tubes
  36. The melting point of nitrogen is approximately:
    1. –196°C
    2. –210°C
    3. –100°C
    4. –273°C
  37. The boiling point of nitrogen is approximately:
    1. –196°C
    2. –210°C
    3. –100°C
    4. –273°C
  38. Liquid nitrogen is used as a __________ to preserve biological materials.
    1. Coolant
    2. Solvent
    3. Catalyst
    4. Fuel
  39. The reaction of B₂O₃ with Mg would give:
    1. Boron
    2. Borax
    3. Boron nitride
    4. Magnesium boride
  40. The effects described in the electronic theory of organic chemistry are:
    1. Inductive, mesomeric, electromeric effects
    2. Ionic, covalent, polar effects
    3. Static, dynamic, thermal effects
    4. Magnetic, polarizing, neutral effects
  41. 1,1-dimethylpropan-1-ol and 2-methylbutan-1-ol exhibit which type of isomerism?
    1. Chain isomerism
    2. Position isomerism
    3. Functional group isomerism
    4. Tautomerism
  42. Which of the following contains a secondary carbon atom?
    1. (CH₃)₂CH–NH₂
    2. CH₃–NH₂
    3. CH₃CH₂NH₂
    4. NH₂–CH₂–CH₂–CH₃
  43. The hybridization of carbon atoms in fullerene (C₆₀) is:
    1. sp³
    2. sp²
    3. sp
    4. dsp²
  44. The electronic properties of fullerene are due to:
    1. Delocalized π-electrons
    2. Ionic bonds
    3. Hydrogen bonds
    4. Presence of triple bonds
  45. Hydrolysis of butyl acetate produces:
    1. Butanol and ethanoic acid
    2. Butyric acid and acetic acid
    3. Butanol and propanoic acid
    4. Butyric acid and methanoic acid
  46. Ozonolysis of 2-methylhept-2-ene yields:
    1. Propanal and pentan-2-one
    2. Ethanal and hexan-2-one
    3. Butanal and butan-2-one
    4. Pentanal and propanone
  47. In a distillation setup, the condensed vapour is collected in the:
    1. Fractionating column
    2. Receiving flask
    3. Condenser jacket
    4. Separating funnel
  48. Fullerene is used as a drug carrier because:
    1. It has a hollow cage structure that can encapsulate molecules
    2. It is toxic to cells
    3. It is soluble in acids
    4. It reacts with water to release drugs
  49. What is the product obtained from Lassaigne's test for nitrogen?
    1. Sodium sulphide
    2. Sodium cyanide
    3. Sodium nitrate
    4. Sodium hydroxide
  50. Which product shows a violet colouration with sodium nitroprusside solution?
    1. Sulphide ion
    2. Thiol group
    3. Cyanide ion
    4. Halide ion
  51. In the detection of nitrogen by Lassaigne's test, what is the intermediate product formed before the Prussian blue test?
    1. Sodium hydroxide
    2. Sodium cyanide
    3. Sodium sulphate
    4. Sodium chloride
  52. When boron reacts with chlorine, the product formed is:
    1. BCl₂
    2. BCl₃
    3. B₂Cl₄
    4. B₂Cl₂
  53. One importance of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is:
    1. Production of plastics
    2. High tensile strength for reinforcing materials
    3. Increasing boiling point of liquids
    4. Water purification by chlorination
  54. The shape of fullerene (C₆₀) is:
    1. Spherical
    2. Cubic
    3. Pyramidal
    4. Cylindrical
  55. Which factor can affect the electrical properties of CNTs?
    1. Their chirality and diameter
    2. Colour of CNTs
    3. Temperature of surrounding air only
    4. Shape of the reaction flask
  56. An application of CNTs in nanotechnology is:
    1. Making rubber tyres
    2. Drug delivery systems
    3. Distilling alcohol
    4. Manufacturing glass bottles
  57. The empirical formula of a compound is the formula that shows:
    1. The exact number of each atom
    2. The simplest whole-number ratio of atoms
    3. The molecular mass of the compound
    4. The structure of the molecule
  58. A compound that forms ONE spot during a chromatography test is said to be:
    1. Impure
    2. Pure
    3. Saturated
    4. Crystalline
  59. The formula for ferric ferrocyanide (Prussian blue) is:
    1. Fe₃[Fe(CN)₆]₂
    2. Fe[Fe(CN)₆]₃
    3. Fe₂[Fe(CN)₆]₃
    4. Fe₄[Fe(CN)₆]₃
  60. Sodium nitroprusside imparts a violet colour due to the formation of:
    1. [Fe(CN)₅NOS]⁴⁻
    2. [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻
    3. [Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻
    4. [FeNO]²⁺
  61. Alkyl cyanides and alkyl isocyanides are examples of which type of isomerism?
    1. Structural isomers
    2. Geometrical isomers
    3. Optical isomers
    4. Chain isomers
  62. Which of the following is NOT a type of spectroscopy?
    1. Infrared spectroscopy
    2. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy
    3. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy
    4. Chromatography
  63. The second name given to fullerene is:
    1. Buckminsterfullerene
    2. Carbon nanorod
    3. Graphene sphere
    4. Nano diamond
  64. The strength of organic acids and bases is affected by:
    1. Inductive effect and resonance effect
    2. Melting point
    3. Colour of the compound
    4. Density
  65. Which of the following is a separation technique?
    1. Filtration
    2. Neutralization
    3. Oxidation
    4. Sublimation reaction
  66. Who is regarded as the father of organic chemistry?
    1. Friedrich Wöhler
    2. Antoine Lavoisier
    3. Friedrich August Kekulé
    4. Jöns Jacob Berzelius
  67. Who is regarded as the father of chemistry?
    1. Dmitri Mendeleev
    2. Antoine Lavoisier
    3. Robert Boyle
    4. John Dalton
  68. Which of the following factors favour the stability of benzene?
    1. Positive inductive effect
    2. Negative inductive effect
    3. Resonance
    4. Hydrogen bonding
  69. The factor responsible for the stability of alkanoic acids is:
    1. Hydrogen bonding
    2. Resonance in benzene
    3. Positive inductive effect
    4. Dipole–dipole attraction only
  70. Which is the most reactive among the following hydrocarbons?
    1. Ethane
    2. Propane
    3. Butane
    4. Ethene
  71. The scientist who first derived phosphorus from bone ash was:
    1. Antoine Lavoisier
    2. Hennig Brand
    3. Robert Boyle
    4. Joseph Priestley
  72. The hybridization of the carbon atom does NOT change in which of the following?
    1. Single to double bond formation
    2. Rotation around a sigma bond
    3. Formation of a triple bond
    4. Conversion of alkane to alkene
  73. The general formula of alkanes is:
    1. CₙH₂ₙ
    2. CₙH₂ₙ₊₂
    3. CₙH₂ₙ₋₂
    4. CₙH₂ₙO₂
  74. The bond angle in a linear molecule such as CO₂ is:
    1. 109.5°
    2. 120°
    3. 180°
    4. 90°
  75. Which hybridization corresponds to a trigonal planar shape?
    1. sp³
    2. sp²
    3. sp
    4. dsp²
  76. The functional group present in carboxylic acids is:
    1. –CHO
    2. –COOH
    3. –OH
    4. –C≡N
  77. Which of the following is a physical property of alkanes?
    1. High reactivity towards acids
    2. Insolubility in water
    3. Presence of polar functional groups
    4. Formation of coloured compounds
  78. The process used to separate an insoluble solid from a liquid is:
    1. Distillation
    2. Filtration
    3. Chromatography
    4. Crystallization
  79. Which of the following is an aromatic hydrocarbon?
    1. Cyclohexane
    2. Benzene
    3. Ethene
    4. Propane
  80. Which of the following is a use of boron compounds?
    1. Water softening
    2. Making borosilicate glass
    3. Neutralizing acids
    4. Colouring fabrics
  81. Which type of spectroscopy is used to determine functional groups in organic compounds?
    1. UV-visible spectroscopy
    2. Infrared spectroscopy
    3. Mass spectroscopy
    4. Atomic absorption spectroscopy
  82. The first step in Lassaigne's test is to:
    1. Add silver nitrate solution
    2. Fuse the organic compound with sodium
    3. Add lead acetate solution
    4. Filter the mixture
  83. In chromatography, the stationary phase can be:
    1. Water
    2. Silica gel
    3. Oxygen gas
    4. Ethanol
  84. The colour of nitrogen dioxide gas (NO₂) is:
    1. Colourless
    2. Brown
    3. Yellow
    4. Green
  85. Which gas is released when an acid reacts with a carbonate?
    1. Oxygen
    2. Carbon dioxide
    3. Nitrogen
    4. Hydrogen
  86. Which of the following is a property of carbon nanotubes?
    1. Low electrical conductivity
    2. High tensile strength
    3. Low thermal conductivity
    4. Brittle nature
  87. The hollow cage structure of fullerene makes it suitable for:
    1. Drug delivery
    2. Water purification
    3. Explosives
    4. Fertilizer production
  88. Which separation technique is based on differences in boiling points?
    1. Filtration
    2. Distillation
    3. Chromatography
    4. Precipitation
  89. The hybridization of carbon in ethyne (acetylene) is:
    1. sp³
    2. sp²
    3. sp
    4. dsp²
  90. Which of the following scientists proposed the structure of benzene?
    1. Kekulé
    2. Lavoisier
    3. Boyle
    4. Dalton
  91. The percentage composition method is used to determine:
    1. Empirical formula
    2. Molar mass
    3. Molecular geometry
    4. Melting point
  92. Which of the following is a primary alcohol?
    1. 1-propanol
    2. 2-propanol
    3. 2-methylpropan-2-ol
    4. tert-butanol

Register free to unlock all 92 questions with answers and explanations

SmartDriller logo

SmartDriller

Loading your past questions, mock exams, notes, and video tutorials...

Starting up…