Introduction to Organic Chemistry | AQA A-Level Chemistry (7405)
Introduction to Organic Chemistry
- 106 questions
- 8 subtopics
- Organic chemistry, examined on Paper 2
- Paper 2 and Paper 3
Introduction to organic chemistry is examined on Papers 2 and 3, and every organic topic after it depends on it.
It covers naming and drawing organic compounds, the mechanisms notation used throughout, and the three kinds of isomerism.
Sample questions from Introduction to Organic Chemistry
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Nomenclature and Formula Representations
What is the purpose of a structural formula?
Show the answer
To show how atoms are arranged and connected in a molecule. -
Homologous Series and General Formulae
What is the general formula for alcohols?
Show the answer
CₙH₂ₙ₊₁OH or CₙH₂ₙ₊₂O -
IUPAC Naming: Stems, Prefixes and Suffixes
What suffix is used to name an alkene?
Show the answer
-ene -
Free Radical and Curly Arrow Mechanisms
What does a double-headed curly arrow represent in a mechanism?
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The movement of a pair of electrons -
Structural Isomerism
What is functional group isomerism?
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Isomerism where compounds have the same molecular formula but contain different functional groups -
E-Z Stereoisomerism and CIP Priority Rules
How are priorities assigned to atoms directly attached to a double bond carbon in the CIP system?
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By atomic number, with higher atomic number giving higher priority. -
Chirality and Enantiomers
How are enantiomers related to each other spatially?
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They are mirror images of each other that cannot be superimposed. -
Racemic Mixtures and Optical Activity
Why does a racemic mixture show no overall optical rotation?
Show the answer
The equal and opposite rotations of the two enantiomers cancel each other out
The 8 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Nomenclature and Formula Representations | Molecular, empirical, general, structural, displayed and skeletal formulae, and when each is used. | 15 |
| Homologous Series and General Formulae | What makes a homologous series, and the general formula of each of the main families. | 15 |
| IUPAC Naming: Stems, Prefixes and Suffixes | Choosing the longest chain, numbering it, and naming substituents and functional groups systematically. | 18 |
| Free Radical and Curly Arrow Mechanisms | Homolytic and heterolytic fission, free radicals, and what a curly arrow represents. | 14 |
| Structural Isomerism | Chain, position and functional group isomerism, and drawing the isomers of a formula. | 13 |
| E-Z Stereoisomerism and CIP Priority Rules | Why restricted rotation causes E-Z isomerism, and assigning priority by the CIP rules. | 12 |
| Chirality and Enantiomers | Chiral centres, enantiomers as non-superimposable mirror images, and spotting them in a structure. | 9 |
| Racemic Mixtures and Optical Activity | Racemic mixtures, why they are not optically active, and why they form in some reactions. | 10 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Chemistry Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,442 questions with their answers.