Nuclear Energy — Cumulative exam

Question 8 • S1S: Chemistry B (E4912 - AG)

Which best describes why acetic acid (CH3COOH) is an organic compound, but sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is not?

Answer

Acetic acid is an acid, but sodium hydroxide is a base.

An acetic acid molecule is relatively large, but a sodium hydroxide molecule is relatively small.

Acetic acid contains a significant amount of carbon, but sodium hydroxide contains no carbon.

An acetic acid molecule contains a double bond, but a sodium hydroxide molecule contains only single bonds.

Explanation

Organic compounds generally contain carbon, often bonded to hydrogen. Acetic acid (CH3COOH) contains carbon, while sodium hydroxide (NaOH) contains no carbon. Being an acid or base, molecule size, or having a double bond does not determine whether a compound is organic, so the best choice is “Acetic acid contains a significant amount of carbon, but sodium hydroxide contains no carbon.”

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

More from this Course

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Energy

Nuclear Energy