Organic Chemistry
About this topic
This topic introduces the study of carbon-containing compounds, a major branch of chemistry in the Zambian Form 4 syllabus. You will learn the unique characteristics of carbon, the concept of homologous series, and the nomenclature, structure, properties, and uses of key organic families: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, carboxylic acids, and esters. This includes understanding saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, isomerism, and reactions like combustion and fermentation. Organic chemistry is a significant component of ECZ examinations, with questions on naming, drawing structures, and reaction pathways. Mastery of these fundamentals is essential for tackling exam questions and understanding the chemistry of fuels, plastics, and many everyday products.
What you'll practise (4 questions)
- True or False: Organic chemistry deals with carbon-containing compounds.
- A learner names an alkene and ends with -4-ene. If the name is correct, what must be the minimum number of carbon atoms in this alkene? A) 4 B) 5 C) 8 D) 9
- A fatty acid has the formula C₁₇H₃₁COOH. If there are only single and double bonds in the hydrocarbon portion, how many C=C are there in the acid?
- In each of the following processes, smaller molecules are produced from larger ones except in...
Answer each question above to see the correct answer and a full explanation.