Science · X-Factor Notes
Organic Chemistry revision notes for UPPCS Prelims.
46 revision facts
| 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). | IAS 2001 |
| 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). | IAS 1998 |
| 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. | IAS 2008, UPPCS 2007 |
| Bhopal Gas Tragedy | Caused by the leakage of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas. The tragedy happened on December 2-3, 1984. | IAS 2005, UPPCS 1991, UPPCS 2017 |
| Concept | What to remember | Asked in UPPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Spirit | Methyl alcohol ($CH_3OH$) is also known as "wood spirit." It is obtained by the destructive distillation of wood. | UPPCS 2015 |
| Ethyl Alcohol Production | 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 |
| 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 |
| Cellulose/Starch | Both are made up of (+) – glucose molecules. Cellulose belongs to the Carbohydrates chemical group. | - |
| Polythene | Polymer produced by the polymerization of ethylene. | - |
| Non-Cellulosic Fibre | Nylon is an example of a non-cellulosic fibre. | - |
| Non-Biodegradable | PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) is a synthetic, non-biodegradable polymer. | UPPCS 2017 |
| Bulletproof Materials | Kevlar (polyamide) and Lexan (polycarbonate) are used for making bulletproof materials. | UPPCS 2017 |
| Teflon (PTFE) | Common name is Polytetrafluoroethylene. It is a Fluorocarbon polymer of the monomer Tetrafluoroethylene. | UPPCS 2016 |
| Caprolactam | An organic compound used as a raw material for nylon; it is not a polymer. | UPPCS 2012 |
| Bakelite | Formed by the condensation of Phenol and Formaldehyde. | - |
| 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. | - |
| Vinegar Composition | Vinegar is a solution of Acetic acid ($CH_3COOH$)/ethanoic acid. Acetic acid is responsible for the sour taste and pungent smell of vinegar. Vinegar is also used as a preservative. | IAS 1993, UPPCS 1997, UPPCS 2009, UPPCS 2017, UPPCS 2016 |
| Grapes Acid | The predominant organic acid in grapes is Tartaric acid. | UPPCS 2008 |
| Aspartame | An artificial sweetener. | - |
| Invert Sugar | Sweeter than sucrose due to free fructose crystals. Obtained by the hydrolysis of sucrose. | UPPCS 2020 |
| Sweetest Artificial Sweetener | Alitame (approx. 2000 times sweeter than sucrose). | - |
| Acetic Acid Source Match | Acetic acid is found in Vinegar. | UPPCS 1997, UPPCS 2013, UPPCS 2016, UP R.O./A.R.O. (Mains) 2016 |
| Glycine | A non-essential, non-optical amino acid. | - |
| 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 Cyclonite. | IAS 2007, UPPCS 2007, UPPCS 2016 |
| 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 ($SO_2$) and nitrogen oxides ($NO_x$). Coal ash contains heavy metals including arsenic, lead, and mercury. | IAS 2020 |
| Kerosene Composition | Kerosene is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid derived from petroleum and Oxygen is absent in its composition. | - |
| Octane Number | A measure of the quality (anti-knock capacity) of Petrol. Higher octane number means better anti-knocking capacity. | UPLower Sub 2009 |
| Cooking Gas/Biogas/Gobar Gas | The main component is Methane ($CH_4$). Biogas is formed by the process of fermentation. | UPPCS 2016, UPPCS 2010, UPPCS 2009 |
| Natural Gas | Mainly composed of Methane ($CH_4$) (approx. 80% to 90%). | UPPCS 2022, UPPCS 2016 |
| CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) | Mainly composed of Methane ($CH_4$). It is an eco-friendly fuel. | UPPCS 2015, UPPCS 2005, UPPCS 2022 |
| 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. | IAS 2005, UPPCS 2011, UPPCS 2010, UPPCS 2021 |
| Fuel Gases Constituents | CNG contains Methane and Ethane; LPG contains Butane and Propane; Water gas contains Carbon monoxide and Hydrogen. | - |
| Gasohol | A mixture of Ethyl alcohol (Ethanol) + Petrol (Gasoline). | UPPCS 2016 |
| 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 |
| LNG Terminal (First in India) | The first LNG terminal was established at Dahej, Gujarat. | IAS 2005 |
