Lesson 6E.1

6E.1 Alcohol classification, reactions and preparation Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Chemistry, Unit 6

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 6E.1, Alcohol classification, reactions and preparation: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Chemistry (9CH0), Unit 6: Organic Chemistry I, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. How is a primary alcohol defined?

    • The carbon bonded to the OH group is attached to two other carbon atoms
    • The carbon bonded to the OH group is attached to one other carbon atom
    • The carbon bonded to the OH group is attached to three other carbon atoms
    • The alcohol has two OH groups on adjacent carbons

  2. Which product forms when a primary alcohol is oxidised by warm acidified potassium dichromate(VI) and the aldehyde is distilled off immediately?

    • An aldehyde
    • A carboxylic acid
    • A ketone
    • An alkene

  3. Which product forms when a secondary alcohol is oxidised by acidified potassium dichromate(VI)?

    • A ketone
    • A carboxylic acid
    • An ester
    • An aldehyde

  4. Why is a tertiary alcohol resistant to oxidation by acidified potassium dichromate(VI)?

    • It is too volatile to react
    • It contains no OH group at all
    • It has a double bond that protects the OH group
    • It has no hydrogen atom on the carbon bearing the OH group

  5. What is the product when ethanol is heated with phosphorus pentachloride, PCl5?

    • Chloroethane
    • Ethyl ethanoate
    • Ethanal
    • Ethene

  6. Which reagent converts an alcohol into an alkene by elimination?

    • Phosphorus pentachloride
    • Silver nitrate in ethanol
    • Acidified potassium dichromate(VI)
    • Concentrated phosphoric acid

  7. A positive Benedict's test is obtained from the product of a primary alcohol oxidation. What is observed?

    • A white precipitate forms in the cold
    • A brick-red precipitate forms on heating
    • The solution turns a deep purple colour
    • A yellow precipitate forms that dissolves in ammonia

  8. What is the main purpose of heating a reaction under reflux?

    • To distil off the product as it forms so that the aldehyde is removed from the oxidising conditions
    • To cool the mixture rapidly after reaction so that the product crystallises out of solution quickly
    • To remove water from an alcohol by evaporation so that the alkene can be collected in a gas syringe
    • To heat the mixture for a long time without losing volatile reactants or products

  9. Which technique is used to separate a dissolved organic product from an aqueous layer in a separating funnel?

    • Electrolysis
    • Filtration through paper
    • Fractional crystallisation
    • Solvent extraction

  10. Which drying agent is commonly used to remove water from an organic liquid?

    • Anhydrous magnesium sulfate
    • Sodium chloride crystals added in excess
    • Concentrated sulfuric acid poured into the liquid
    • Hydrated copper(II) sulfate used as a solid

  11. Why is the boiling temperature of a liquid organic product measured during distillation?

    • To determine the molar mass directly
    • To measure the heat of combustion
    • To find the concentration of the alcohol
    • To check the identity and purity of the product

  12. What mass of ethanoic acid (Mr = 60.0) is theoretically formed by complete oxidation of 0.100 mol of ethanol?

    • 6.00 g
    • 12.0 g
    • 4.60 g
    • 3.00 g

  13. What is the product of 2-methylpropan-2-ol with concentrated hydrochloric acid, the chlorination in core practical 6?

    • 2-methylpropan-1-ol
    • 2-methylpropene only
    • 1-chloro-2-methylpropane
    • 2-chloro-2-methylpropane

  14. What is the balanced equation for the partial oxidation of ethanol to ethanal, using [O] for the oxidising agent?

    • CH3CH2OH + [O] -> CH3CHO + H2O
    • CH3CH2OH + [O] -> CH3COOH
    • CH3CH2OH + [O] -> CH3CH2Cl + H2O
    • CH3CH2OH + [O] -> CH2=CH2 + H2O

  15. Which alcohol gives a ketone on oxidation?

    • Propan-2-ol
    • 2-methylpropan-2-ol
    • Propan-1-ol
    • Methanol

  16. Why is the aldehyde distilled off during the oxidation of a primary alcohol?

    • To cool the mixture and stop the reaction
    • To increase the pH of the reaction mixture
    • To prevent it being oxidised further to a carboxylic acid
    • To make the aldehyde react with the oxidising agent

  17. Which reagents are used to make bromoethane from ethanol in a laboratory preparation?

    • Phosphorus pentachloride and water, which convert the alcohol into a chloroalkane with water as a by-product
    • Potassium bromide and 50% concentrated sulfuric acid
    • Red phosphorus and iodine only, which react with the alcohol directly to form an iodoalkane in one step
    • Ethanolic potassium hydroxide and bromine, which add across the double bond of an alkene to give a dibromide

  18. Which reagents are used to prepare an iodoalkane from an alcohol?

    • Silver nitrate in ethanol
    • Potassium dichromate(VI) and dilute sulfuric acid
    • Concentrated phosphoric acid
    • Red phosphorus and iodine

  19. What is the product from the dehydration of butan-2-ol by concentrated phosphoric acid?

    • Butan-2-one, a ketone formed by oxidation of the secondary alcohol with acidified dichromate(VI)
    • But-2-ene, with but-1-ene as a minor product
    • Butyl ethanoate, an ester formed by heating the alcohol with ethanoic acid and a sulfuric acid catalyst
    • Butanal, an aldehyde formed by oxidation of the alcohol with excess oxidising agent under distillation

  20. Why is potassium dichromate(VI) in dilute sulfuric acid described as an oxidising agent in alcohol oxidation?

    • It donates electrons to the alcohol, so the alcohol is reduced
    • It acts as an acid that neutralises the alcohol
    • It accepts electrons from the alcohol, so the alcohol is oxidised
    • It removes oxygen from the alcohol

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