Questions about Alcohols (Organic Chemistry)
20 multiple-choice questions about Alcohols in Organic Chemistry, each with five alternatives (A–E). The correct answers with extended explanations follow at the end.
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Multiple Choice Questions: Alcohols (Organic Chemistry)
1. What is the functional group of alcohols?
A) –CHO
B) –COOH
C) –OH
D) –NH₂
E) –O–
2. Which of the following is a primary alcohol?
A) 2-propanol
B) Methanol
C) 2-methyl-2-propanol
D) 3-pentanol
E) Cyclohexanol
3. What is the IUPAC name for CH₃CH₂OH?
A) Methanol
B) Propanol
C) Ethanol
D) Butanol
E) Methanoic acid
4. What is the main difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols?
A) Number of hydroxyl groups
B) Position of the carbon in the chain
C) Number of alkyl groups attached to the carbon with the –OH group
D) Number of carbon atoms in the molecule
E) Presence of oxygen
5. Which of the following alcohols is tertiary?
A) 1-butanol
B) 2-propanol
C) 2-methyl-2-propanol
D) Methanol
E) Ethanol
6. What is the product of oxidation of a primary alcohol?
A) Ketone
B) Carboxylic acid
C) Ether
D) Ester
E) Alkene
7. Which alcohol is commonly known as rubbing alcohol?
A) Methanol
B) Ethanol
C) 2-propanol
D) 1-butanol
E) Benzyl alcohol
8. What is the common name of CH₃OH?
A) Ethanol
B) Methanol
C) Isopropanol
D) Butanol
E) Ethylene glycol
9. What type of bonding gives alcohols relatively high boiling points?
A) Ionic bonding
B) Metallic bonding
C) Covalent bonding
D) Hydrogen bonding
E) Dipole-dipole only
10. Which alcohol has the highest boiling point?
A) Methanol
B) Ethanol
C) 1-propanol
D) 1-butanol
E) 2-methyl-2-propanol
11. Which alcohol is used in antifreeze solutions?
A) Methanol
B) Ethanol
C) Propanol
D) Ethylene glycol
E) Glycerol
12. What is a diol?
A) A compound with two double bonds
B) A compound with two –OH groups
C) A compound with two oxygen atoms
D) A compound with two alkyl groups
E) A compound with two carboxylic acids
13. Which compound is a triol?
A) Methanol
B) Propylene glycol
C) Glycerol
D) Ethylene glycol
E) Phenol
14. Which reagent is commonly used to oxidize a secondary alcohol to a ketone?
A) NaCl
B) HCl
C) K₂Cr₂O₇
D) H₂O
E) NaOH
15. What is the product of dehydration of an alcohol?
A) Alkene
B) Alkane
C) Ketone
D) Carboxylic acid
E) Ester
16. What is the IUPAC name for isopropyl alcohol?
A) 1-propanol
B) 2-propanol
C) 2-butanol
D) 1-butanol
E) 3-propanol
17. What is formed when ethanol reacts with acetic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst?
A) Acetone
B) Ethene
C) Ethyl acetate
D) Methanol
E) Propanoic acid
18. Which alcohol is toxic and can cause blindness when ingested?
A) Ethanol
B) Methanol
C) Propanol
D) Glycerol
E) Phenol
19. Which class of alcohols cannot be oxidized to form a carbonyl compound?
A) Primary alcohols
B) Secondary alcohols
C) Tertiary alcohols
D) Diols
E) Aromatic alcohols
20. What is the solubility trend of alcohols in water as the carbon chain length increases?
A) Solubility increases
B) Solubility remains constant
C) Solubility decreases
D) Alcohols become ionic
E) Solubility fluctuates randomly
- Questions about Structural Isomers and Stereoisomers (Organic Chemistry)
- Questions about Cyclic Hydrocarbons (Organic Chemistry)
- Questions about Aromatic Hydrocarbons (Organic Chemistry)
✅ Answer Key with Extended Explanations
1. C – The functional group of alcohols is the hydroxyl group (–OH).
2. B – Methanol has the –OH group attached to a carbon bonded to only one other carbon (or hydrogen).
3. C – CH₃CH₂OH is ethanol, a common alcohol.
4. C – Alcohols are classified by the number of alkyl groups attached to the –OH-bearing carbon.
5. C – 2-methyl-2-propanol is a tertiary alcohol (OH on a carbon with 3 alkyl groups).
6. B – Primary alcohols oxidize to carboxylic acids (via aldehydes).
7. C – 2-propanol is known as rubbing alcohol.
8. B – CH₃OH is methanol, also called wood alcohol.
9. D – Alcohols have high boiling points due to hydrogen bonding.
10. D – Boiling point increases with molecular size: 1-butanol > others.
11. D – Ethylene glycol is commonly used in antifreeze.
12. B – A diol contains two hydroxyl (–OH) groups.
13. C – Glycerol has three –OH groups (a triol).
14. C – Potassium dichromate (K₂Cr₂O₇) oxidizes secondary alcohols to ketones.
15. A – Dehydration of alcohols produces alkenes.
16. B – Isopropyl alcohol is 2-propanol.
17. C – Ethanol + acetic acid → ethyl acetate, an ester.
18. B – Methanol is toxic and can cause blindness or death if ingested.
19. C – Tertiary alcohols cannot be oxidized to carbonyl compounds because there is no hydrogen on the –OH-bearing carbon.
20. C – As the carbon chain length increases, solubility decreases due to increasing hydrophobic character.
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