Section B Short Answer Questions on Chemistry

The SN2 reaction involves a one-step mechanism where the nucleophile attacks the substrate, leading to inversion of configuration.

Molecularity of a reaction is the number of molecules that participate in the rate-determining step, while the order of a reaction is the sum of the powers of the concentrations of the reactants in the rate law equation.

SN1 reaction involves a two-step process where the leaving group leaves first, forming a carbocation, then the nucleophile attacks. An example is the hydrolysis of tert-butyl chloride.

Faraday's First Law states that the amount of chemical change is proportional to the amount of electricity passed. Faraday's Second Law states that the masses of different substances deposited or liberated by the same quantity of electricity are proportional to their chemical equivalent weights.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized by the body and must be obtained from the diet, while non-essential amino acids can be synthesized by the body. An example of an essential amino acid is phenylalanine, and an example of a non-essential amino acid is alanine.

Micelles are formed when surfactant molecules aggregate in a solution. The hydrophobic tails cluster together while the hydrophilic heads face outwards towards the solvent. This reduces the surface tension of the solution. A neat sketch can illustrate this arrangement.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) can act as both an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent. An example of SO2 acting as a reducing agent is its reaction with oxygen to form sulfur trioxide (SO3). An example of SO2 acting as an oxidizing agent is its reaction with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to form sulfur and water.

The oxyacids of chlorine include hypochlorous acid (HClO), chlorous acid (HClO2), chloric acid (HClO3), and perchloric acid (HClO4).

F-centers are color centers in a crystal lattice where an anion vacancy is occupied by an electron.

Brownian movement refers to the random movement of particles suspended in a fluid due to collisions with the fluid molecules.

Enantiomers are non-superimposable mirror image isomers of a chiral compound.

Henry's law states that at a constant temperature, the amount of a gas dissolved in a liquid is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the liquid.

Zn2+ is diamagnetic because it has completely filled d-orbitals, while Mn2+ is paramagnetic due to its unpaired electrons in the d-orbitals.

Fibrous proteins are elongated, thread-like proteins that are insoluble in water. An example is collagen.

Aromatic primary amines cannot be prepared by the Gabriel-Phthalimide method because the aromatic ring destabilizes the intermediate carbocation.

Tailing of mercury is the phenomenon where mercury appears to be retained at the top of a TLC plate. It is removed by adding a small amount of iodine to the TLC eluent.