Chemistry MCQs
Chemistry Objective (Multiple Choice) General Knowledge Questions & Answers for SSC-CGL, UPPSC, UPSC, NDA, CDS and UPSC Civil Services Prelims Examination.
1. Which of the following is an alkaline earth metal?
[A] Pottasium
[B] Lead
[C] Copper
[D] Calcium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Calcium ]
Notes:
The six elements in column 2 of the Periodic table are called Alkaline Earth Metals. These include Beryllium (Be), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca), Strontium (Sr), Barium (Ba), and Radium (Ra).
2. Which of the following is a thermosetting plastic?
[A] Polythene
[B] Bakelite
[C] Polyvinyl chloride
[D] Casseine
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Bakelite]
Notes:
Bakelite is a thermosetting plastic formed from phenol and formaldehyde, used in electrical insulators and cookware handles. Unlike thermoplastics, it hardens irreversibly when heated and cannot be remolded. It was the first synthetic plastic, invented by Leo Baekeland in 1907.
3. 2,4-D, which is sold as a weed killer of the broad-leaved weeds is a synthetic version of __:
[A] Auxin Hormone
[B] Cytokinin Hormone
[C] Xylitol
[D] None of them
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Auxin Hormone ]
Notes:
2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-dichlorophenoxyethanoic acid) is a synthetic auxin frequently used as a weed killer of broad-leaved weeds. When two herbicides 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D and mixed in equal parts, it is called Agent Orange, which was used by US in Vietnam war.
4. Which element is responsible for the bright red color observed during the bursting of firecrackers?
[A] Strontium
[B] Sodium
[C] Sulfur
[D] Magnesium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Strontium]
Notes:
The bright red color in fireworks is due to the presence of Strontium salts. The Strontium atom, upon yielding its energy in a quick burst upon heating, emits a brilliant red light. In fact, such properties of elements are used to identify them in a flame test, a classic method in chemistry labs across the globe.
5. Which of the following processes commonly use the method of adsorption?
[A] Scrubbers manufacturing
[B] Purification of solid substances
[C] Chromatography
[D] Purification of liquid substances
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Chromatography]
Notes:
Adsorption, the binding of gas or liquid particles to a solid surface, is often used in chromatography – a laboratory technique for the separation of a mixture. This process is critical as it allows the separation of the compounds in the mixture, thereby enabling further analysis or purification. Apart from chromatography, adsorption is also used in scrubbers and purification of solids and liquids.
6. F block elements in the periodic table which are commonly called Lanthanides have the following atomic numbers:
[A] 57-70
[B] 57-71
[C] 58-71
[D] 58-70
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [57-71]
Notes:
The correct answer is 2. The lanthanides are a series of 15 elements in the periodic table, from atomic numbers 57 (Lanthanum) to 71 (Lutetium). They are known for their similar properties and are often found together in nature. The range of atomic numbers for lanthanides is 57 to 71, not 57-70 or 58-70.
7. Which among the following compound of barium is used as radio contrast agent for X-ray imaging and other diagnostic procedures and also commonly called as Barium Food?
[A] Barium Carbonate
[B] Barium Sulphate
[C] Barium Bromide
[D] Barium hydroxide
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Barium Sulphate]
Notes:
Barium Sulphate is the correct answer. It is used as a radiopaque contrast agent in X-ray imaging because it absorbs X-rays, making it visible on the images. Commonly referred to as “Barium Meal” when ingested for gastrointestinal studies, it helps diagnose conditions like ulcers and tumors. Barium Sulphate is insoluble in water, ensuring it remains in the digestive tract without being absorbed.
8. Which among the following makes Chile saltpetre different from saltpetre?
[A] Nitrate
[B] Sodium
[C] Magnesium
[D] Calcium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Sodium]
Notes:
Chile saltpetre, or sodium nitrate (NaNO3), differs from regular saltpetre, which typically refers to potassium nitrate (KNO3). Chile saltpetre is primarily composed of sodium, while traditional saltpetre contains potassium. Historically, Chile saltpetre was extensively mined in the Atacama Desert and was crucial for fertilizer and explosives in the 19th century.
9. Which of the following is not an isotope of Hydrogen?
[A] Protium
[B] Para hydrogen
[C] Deuterium
[D] Tritium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Para hydrogen]
Notes:
The three most stable isotopes of hydrogen: Protium, Deuterium and Tritium. Para hydrogen is not an isotope of hydrogen. Molecules of hydrogen in which the spins of both the nuclei are in the opposite direction are called Para hydrogen.
10. Which of the following element has the highest first ionization enthalpy?
[A] Magnesium
[B] Strontium
[C] Beryllium
[D] Barium
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Beryllium]
Notes:
The alkaline earth metals have low ionization enthalpies due to fairly large size of the atoms. Since the atomic size increases down the group, their ionization enthalpy decreases.