Science · X-Factor Notes
Organic Chemistry revision notes for UPPCS Prelims.
High-Yield Revision| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamental Element | Carbon is the fundamental element of all organic compounds and bio-compounds. | UPPCS 2015, UPPCS 2001, UPPCS 2015 |
| Hydrocarbons | Organic compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. | |
| Molecular Weight Order | The increasing order of molecular weights of hydrocarbons is: Methane (CH4), Ethane (C2H6), Propane (C3H8), and Butane (C4H10). | |
| Alkene | A hydrocarbon where two carbon atoms are joined by a double bond (general formula CnH2n). | |
| Benzene Structure | Benzene (C6H6) has 12 sigma (sigma) bonds (6 C-C and 6 C-H) and 3 pi (pi) bonds. | |
| Acetylene (Ethyne) | Used in the welding industry. It is a raw material for preparing plastics (via Chloroethene/Vinyl Chloride). It is produced from calcium carbide and water (not silicon carbide and water). | |
| Welding Gases | Gases used in welding are typically Oxygen and Acetylene. The resultant flame (oxyacetylene) is also used for cutting metals. | UPPCS 2005 |
| Mines Explosions | Most explosions in mines are caused by a mixture of Methane and Air. | |
| Bhopal Gas Tragedy | Caused by the leakage of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas. The tragedy happened on December 2-3, 1984. |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Spirit | Methyl alcohol () is also known as "wood spirit." It is obtained by the destructive distillation of wood. | UPPCS 2015 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Formic vs. Acetic Acid | Formic Acid is a stronger acid than acetic acid. | UPPCS 1992 |
| Lactic Acid | Accumulates in muscles to cause fatigue. Also found in sour milk (curd). | |
| Citric Acid | Mainly found in lemons/citrus fruits. | |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Explosive | Nitrochloroform is not an explosive. | UPPCS 2002, UPPCS 2006 |
| Nobel Oil | Trinitroglycerin (TNG) is also known as Nobel oil. | UPLower Sub 2015 |
| RDX | RDX was invented by Henning. It is also known as |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Fuel | Petroleum is considered a natural fuel. | UPPCS 1990 |
| Indian Coal | Indian coal has high ash content (25% to 45%) and its combustion releases sulfur dioxide ( |
| Ethyl Alcohol Production |
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| Formed by the fermentation of sugar (glucose and fructose). Molasses is an excellent raw material for alcohol production. |
| Natural Rubber | A natural polymer of the monomer Isoprene. | UPPCS 1992 |
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| Natural Polymers | Wool, silk, leather, starch, protein, and cellulose are examples of natural polymers. Nylon is not a natural polymer. Ghee is not a polymer. | UPPCS 2015, UPPCS 2009 |
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| Cellulose/Starch | Both are made up of (+) – glucose molecules. Cellulose belongs to the Carbohydrates chemical group. |
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| Polythene | Polymer produced by the polymerization of ethylene. |
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| Non-Cellulosic Fibre | Nylon is an example of a non-cellulosic fibre. |
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| Non-Biodegradable | PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) is a synthetic, non-biodegradable polymer. | UPPCS 2017 |
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| Bulletproof Materials | Kevlar (polyamide) and Lexan (polycarbonate) are used for making bulletproof materials. | UPPCS 2017 |
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| Teflon (PTFE) | Common name is Polytetrafluoroethylene. It is a Fluorocarbon polymer of the monomer Tetrafluoroethylene. | UPPCS 2016 |
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| Caprolactam | An organic compound used as a raw material for nylon; it is not a polymer. | UPPCS 2012 |
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| Bakelite | Formed by the condensation of Phenol and Formaldehyde. |
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| Vinegar Composition |
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| Vinegar is a solution of Acetic acid ()/ethanoic acid. Acetic acid is responsible for the sour taste and pungent smell of vinegar. Vinegar is also used as a preservative. |
| Grapes Acid | The predominant organic acid in grapes is Tartaric acid. | UPPCS 2008 |
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| Aspartame | An artificial sweetener. |
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| Invert Sugar | Sweeter than sucrose due to free fructose crystals. Obtained by the hydrolysis of sucrose. | UPPCS 2020 |
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| Sweetest Artificial Sweetener | Alitame (approx. 2000 times sweeter than sucrose). |
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| Acetic Acid Source Match | Acetic acid is found in Vinegar. | UPPCS 1997, UPPCS 2013, UPPCS 2016, UP R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2016 |
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| Glycine | A non-essential, non-optical amino acid. |
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| Kerosene Composition | Kerosene is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid derived from petroleum and Oxygen is absent in its composition. |
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| Octane Number | A measure of the quality (anti-knock capacity) of Petrol. Higher octane number means better anti-knocking capacity. | UPLower Sub 2009 |
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| Cooking Gas/Biogas/Gobar Gas | The main component is Methane (). Biogas is formed by the process of fermentation. | UPPCS 2016, UPPCS 2010, UPPCS 2009 |
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| Natural Gas | Mainly composed of Methane () (approx. 80% to 90%). | UPPCS 2022, UPPCS 2016 |
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| CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) | Mainly composed of Methane (). It is an eco-friendly fuel. | UPPCS 2015, UPPCS 2005, UPPCS 2022 |
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| LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) | The main components are Propane and Butane. It is supplied in cylinders in Liquid form. Indane gas is a mixture of Butane and Propane. |
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| Fuel Gases Constituents | CNG contains Methane and Ethane; LPG contains Butane and Propane; Water gas contains Carbon monoxide and Hydrogen. |
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| Gasohol | A mixture of Ethyl alcohol (Ethanol) + Petrol (Gasoline). | UPPCS 2016 |
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| Hydrogen Fuel Storage | Hydrogen gas can be absorbed by Hydride (specifically Palladium Hydride) at low temperatures and released by the exhaust temperature for vehicle use. | UPPCS 2008 |
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| LNG Terminal (First in India) | The first LNG terminal was established at Dahej, Gujarat. |
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