Explain the term 'homologous series'

A homologous series refers to a group of chemical compounds which share the same functional group, but vary in another sense, such as by the length of the alkyl chain to which the functionality is attached (e.g. the primary alcohols methanol, ethanol and propanol all share a hydroxyl functionality, but vary by increasing CH2 units).

TO

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

2-chloropropanoic acid has a Ka of 1.48E-3. Write an expression for Ka and hence or otherwise, calculate the pH of a 0.35M solution of 2-chloropropanoic acid


0.250 g of a hydrocarbon known to contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen was subject to complete combustion and produced 0.3664 g of CO2 and 0.1500 g of H2O. What is the empirical formula of this hydrocarbon?


How does a catalyst and increasing temperature affect the rate of reaction?


Why do ionisation energies typically increase upon going across a period yet decrease upon going down a group?