Exit to Organic chemistry

Organic chemistry topic check

Practise G3 Science Chemistry hydrocarbons, ethanol, ethanoic acid, fuels and polymers, then check your structures, reactions and explanations.

  • SEC G3 Combined Science Chemistry component 2027
Learning goals
  • Name natural gas, mainly methane, and crude oil as non-renewable energy sources
  • Describe crude oil as a mixture of hydrocarbons separated by fractional distillation into fractions used as fuels and as a source of chemicals
  • Describe biofuels, such as bioethanol from sugarcane, as a renewable alternative to natural gas and crude oil
  • Describe how biofuels are more sustainable than fossil fuels because plants take in carbon dioxide as they grow, offsetting what burning releases
  • Describe a homologous series as compounds with a general formula, similar chemical properties and physical properties that change gradually as the molecules get bigger
  • Describe the alkanes as a homologous series of saturated hydrocarbons with general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂
  • Draw and name the unbranched alkanes methane to propane
  • Describe alkanes, such as methane, as generally unreactive apart from combustion and substitution by chlorine
  • Describe the alkenes as a homologous series of unsaturated hydrocarbons with general formula CₙH₂ₙ
  • Draw and name the unbranched alkenes ethene and propene
  • Describe how cracking makes alkenes and hydrogen, and why cracking is needed to meet demand for fractions of smaller molecules
  • Distinguish saturated from unsaturated hydrocarbons by their structures and with aqueous bromine
  • Describe the combustion, polymerisation and addition reactions with bromine and hydrogen of alkenes such as ethene
  • State what polyunsaturated means on food products
  • Describe how margarine is made by adding hydrogen to unsaturated vegetable oils to form a solid
  • Describe alcohols as a homologous series with the –OH functional group
  • Draw and name the unbranched alcohols methanol to propanol
  • Describe the combustion of alcohols and their oxidation to carboxylic acids
  • Describe how ethanol is made by fermenting glucose
  • Describe the carboxylic acids as a homologous series containing the –CO₂H group
  • Describe how ethanol is oxidised to ethanoic acid by oxygen in air or acidified potassium manganate(VII)
  • Describe polymers as large molecules built from small monomer units, with different polymers having different units
  • Describe how ethene monomers form poly(ethene) by addition polymerisation
  • State uses of poly(ethene) as a typical plastic, such as plastic bags and cling film
  • Deduce an addition polymer's structure from its monomer, and the reverse
  • Describe the pollution caused by disposing of non-biodegradable plastics
  • Describe physical recycling of plastics, such as melting poly(ethene) waste into pellets
  • Describe chemical recycling of plastics, such as cracking plastic waste into fuel
  • Discuss the social, economic and environmental issues of recycling plastics

Your next step

Check what you know

Answer each question and say how sure you are to find what to practise next.

About 8 minutes

Choose multiple-choice questions, written answers, or a mix. Questions can repeat when you switch formats.

Finding your next step…

Check what you know

Start here to see which parts you already know.

About 8 minutes

Checking question availability…

This shows what to work on next and doesn’t count towards your course progress.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you finish and submit.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000

Practise

Practise questions on the skills you are learning.

About 10 minutes

Checking question availability…

This is for practice only and doesn’t count towards your course progress.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you check each answer.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000

Practise after feedback

After a check, practise the skills it showed you need to work on.

About 10 minutes

Checking question availability…

This is for practice only and doesn’t count towards your course progress.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you check each answer.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000

Check your progress

When you feel ready, answer on your own to show what you can do.

About 10 minutes

Checking question availability…

Your result can count towards your course progress.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you finish and submit.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000

Check again

After practising what your progress check showed, check those skills again.

About 10 minutes

Checking question availability…

Your result can count towards your course progress.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you finish and submit.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000

Review

Come back later to see whether your learning has lasted.

About 10 minutes

Checking question availability…

A scheduled review counts towards your course progress only when it is due.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you finish and submit.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000

Practise: multiple-choice

Practise questions on the skills you are learning.

About 10 minutes

Checking question availability…

This is for practice only and doesn’t count towards your course progress.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you check each answer.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Practice settings
Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000

Practise: written

Practise questions on the skills you are learning.

About 10 minutes

Checking question availability…

This is for practice only and doesn’t count towards your course progress.

  • Question count is checked before you start.
  • Feedback appears after you check each answer.
Your work

Without an account, unfinished answers stay in this tab. Signed in, they are saved on this device until the deadline shown when you start.

Practice settings
Recent attempts

History is stored only in this browser.

No completed attempts are saved yet.

Report a problem with this question

What's wrong? Tick all that apply.

0 / 1000