Chemistry trivia turns the science of matter into an approachable activity for classrooms, STEM clubs, quiz nights, and team events. Players can review familiar ideas, discover surprising element facts, and compare their knowledge without needing laboratory equipment.
This collection moves from foundational concepts to the periodic table, chemical reactions, organic chemistry, laboratory safety, and nuclear chemistry. The mix of straightforward and technical questions makes it easy to build rounds for students, science fans, or groups with different experience levels.
Test your knowledge with 200 chemistry questions
Use all six categories for a complete chemistry challenge or select the rounds that best match your audience. Each category starts at number one so hosts can rearrange the sections without having to renumber the questions.
Basic chemistry trivia questions
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What is the smallest unit of an element that retains that element’s properties?
Answer: An atom
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Which part of an atom contains protons and neutrons?
Answer: The nucleus
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What electrical charge does a proton carry?
Answer: A positive charge
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What electrical charge does an electron carry?
Answer: A negative charge
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Which subatomic particle has no electrical charge?
Answer: The neutron
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What does an element’s atomic number represent?
Answer: Its number of protons
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What are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons called?
Answer: Isotopes
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What is a group of two or more atoms chemically bonded together called?
Answer: A molecule
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What is a substance made from two or more elements chemically combined in fixed proportions?
Answer: A compound
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What type of pure substance contains only one kind of atom?
Answer: An element
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What is a physical combination of substances that are not chemically bonded?
Answer: A mixture
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Which state of matter has a definite shape and a definite volume?
Answer: A solid
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Which state of matter has a definite volume but takes the shape of its container?
Answer: A liquid
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Which common state of matter has neither a definite shape nor a definite volume?
Answer: A gas
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What phase change turns a solid into a liquid?
Answer: Melting
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What phase change turns a liquid into a solid?
Answer: Freezing
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What is the general term for a liquid changing into a gas?
Answer: Vaporization
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What phase change turns a gas into a liquid?
Answer: Condensation
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What process changes a solid directly into a gas?
Answer: Sublimation
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What property equals mass divided by volume?
Answer: Density
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What pH value is neutral at about room temperature?
Answer: 7
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Does an acidic solution generally have a pH below or above 7?
Answer: Below 7
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Does a basic solution generally have a pH below or above 7?
Answer: Above 7
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What is the substance that does the dissolving in a solution called?
Answer: The solvent
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What is the substance dissolved in a solution called?
Answer: The solute
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What type of mixture has a uniform composition throughout?
Answer: A homogeneous mixture
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What substance speeds up a reaction without being consumed overall?
Answer: A catalyst
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Which law states that matter is not created or destroyed in an ordinary chemical reaction?
Answer: The law of conservation of mass
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What SI unit measures the amount of substance?
Answer: The mole
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Approximately how many particles are in one mole?
Answer: 6.022 × 10²³
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What is the SI base unit of temperature?
Answer: The kelvin
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At standard atmospheric pressure, at what Celsius temperature does water freeze?
Answer: 0 degrees Celsius
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At standard atmospheric pressure, at what Celsius temperature does water boil?
Answer: 100 degrees Celsius
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What is the chemical formula for water?
Answer: H₂O
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What is the chemical formula for carbon dioxide?
Answer: CO₂
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What familiar compound has the formula NaCl?
Answer: Sodium chloride
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What familiar gas has the formula O₂?
Answer: Oxygen
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Which compound has the formula NH₃?
Answer: Ammonia
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Which compound has the formula CH₄?
Answer: Methane
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What is chemistry primarily the study of?
Answer: Matter and its changes
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Periodic table trivia questions
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Who published an influential periodic table in 1869?⚛️
Answer: Dmitri Mendeleev
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Modern periodic tables arrange elements by increasing what?⚛️
Answer: Atomic number
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What are the vertical columns of the periodic table called?⚛️
Answer: Groups
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What are the horizontal rows of the periodic table called?⚛️
Answer: Periods
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How many officially recognized chemical elements are there?⚛️
Answer: 118
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Which element has atomic number 1?⚛️
Answer: Hydrogen
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Which element has atomic number 2?⚛️
Answer: Helium
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What is the atomic number of carbon?⚛️
Answer: 6
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What is the atomic number of oxygen?⚛️
Answer: 8
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Which element has atomic number 11?⚛️
Answer: Sodium
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Which element has atomic number 26?⚛️
Answer: Iron
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Which element has atomic number 79?⚛️
Answer: Gold
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Which element has atomic number 80?⚛️
Answer: Mercury
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Which element has atomic number 82?⚛️
Answer: Lead
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Which element has atomic number 92?⚛️
Answer: Uranium
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Which element has the symbol K?⚛️
Answer: Potassium
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Which element has the symbol Na?⚛️
Answer: Sodium
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Which element has the symbol W?⚛️
Answer: Tungsten
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Which element has the symbol Ag?⚛️
Answer: Silver
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Which element has the symbol Sn?⚛️
Answer: Tin
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What family of elements occupies Group 1, excluding hydrogen?⚛️
Answer: The alkali metals
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What family occupies Group 2?⚛️
Answer: The alkaline earth metals
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What family occupies Group 17?⚛️
Answer: The halogens
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What family occupies Group 18?⚛️
Answer: The noble gases
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What broad group fills much of the periodic table’s central d-block?⚛️
Answer: The transition metals
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What series runs from atomic numbers 57 through 71?⚛️
Answer: The lanthanides
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What series runs from atomic numbers 89 through 103?⚛️
Answer: The actinides
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Which nonmetal is liquid at room temperature?⚛️
Answer: Bromine
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Which metal is liquid at room temperature?⚛️
Answer: Mercury
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What is the most abundant element in the universe?⚛️
Answer: Hydrogen
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Which element is most abundant by mass in Earth’s crust?⚛️
Answer: Oxygen
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What is the symbol for silicon?⚛️
Answer: Si
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Which noble gas is famous for producing an orange-red glow in signs?⚛️
Answer: Neon
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Which element was named after Poland?⚛️
Answer: Polonium
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Which element was named in honor of Albert Einstein?⚛️
Answer: Einsteinium
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What is the name of element 118?⚛️
Answer: Oganesson
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What is the chemical symbol for chlorine?⚛️
Answer: Cl
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What is the chemical symbol for cobalt?⚛️
Answer: Co
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What is the chemical symbol for calcium?⚛️
Answer: Ca
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What does the periodic law say happens to element properties as atomic number increases?⚛️
Answer: They recur periodically
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Chemical reactions trivia questions
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What are the starting substances in a chemical reaction called?
Answer: Reactants
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What are the substances formed by a chemical reaction called?
Answer: Products
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In a chemical equation, what does the arrow usually mean?
Answer: Yields or produces
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What type of reaction releases energy to its surroundings?
Answer: An exothermic reaction
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What type of reaction absorbs energy from its surroundings?
Answer: An endothermic reaction
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What is the minimum energy needed to start a reaction called?
Answer: Activation energy
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How does a catalyst affect a reaction’s activation energy?
Answer: It lowers it
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Which gas is required for ordinary combustion?
Answer: Oxygen
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What two main products form during complete combustion of a hydrocarbon?
Answer: Carbon dioxide and water
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In redox chemistry, oxidation is the loss of what particles?
Answer: Electrons
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In redox chemistry, reduction is the gain of what particles?
Answer: Electrons
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What type of reaction includes both oxidation and reduction?
Answer: A redox reaction
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What is the reaction between an acid and a base called?
Answer: Neutralization
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What two general products result when a typical acid neutralizes a typical base?
Answer: A salt and water
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What is an insoluble solid formed from solutions called?
Answer: A precipitate
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What type of reaction breaks one compound into simpler substances?
Answer: A decomposition reaction
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What type of reaction combines simpler substances into one product?
Answer: A synthesis reaction
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In which reaction does one element replace another in a compound?
Answer: A single-replacement reaction
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In which reaction do two compounds exchange ions?
Answer: A double-replacement reaction
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What numbers are adjusted to balance a chemical equation?
Answer: Coefficients
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Why should subscripts not be changed when balancing an equation?
Answer: Changing them changes the substances
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Which conservation law explains why equations must be balanced?
Answer: The law of conservation of mass
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What kind of arrow indicates that a reaction can proceed in both directions?
Answer: A reversible arrow
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At dynamic equilibrium, how do the forward and reverse reaction rates compare?
Answer: They are equal
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What usually happens to reaction rate when temperature rises?
Answer: It increases
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What usually happens to reaction rate when reactant concentration increases?
Answer: It increases
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Why can powdered solids react faster than large pieces?
Answer: They have greater surface area
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What is a biological catalyst called?
Answer: An enzyme
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Rusting is primarily the oxidation of which metal?
Answer: Iron
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What dark compound commonly forms when silver tarnishes?
Answer: Silver sulfide
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Is photosynthesis overall endothermic or exothermic?
Answer: Endothermic
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Is cellular respiration overall endothermic or exothermic?
Answer: Exothermic
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What process uses electricity to drive a nonspontaneous chemical reaction?
Answer: Electrolysis
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What visible sign often indicates that a reaction is producing a gas?
Answer: Bubbles
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What reactant is completely consumed first and limits the product formed?
Answer: The limiting reactant
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Organic chemistry trivia questions
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Which element forms the backbone of organic compounds?
Answer: Carbon
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What are compounds containing only carbon and hydrogen called?
Answer: Hydrocarbons
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Which hydrocarbon family contains only carbon-carbon single bonds?
Answer: Alkanes
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Which hydrocarbon family contains at least one carbon-carbon double bond?
Answer: Alkenes
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Which hydrocarbon family contains at least one carbon-carbon triple bond?
Answer: Alkynes
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What is the simplest alkane?
Answer: Methane
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What is the molecular formula of ethane?
Answer: C₂H₆
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What is the molecular formula of ethene?
Answer: C₂H₄
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What is the molecular formula of ethyne?
Answer: C₂H₂
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What is the molecular formula of benzene?
Answer: C₆H₆
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What part of an organic molecule largely determines its characteristic reactions?
Answer: The functional group
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Which functional group identifies an alcohol?
Answer: The hydroxyl group
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Which functional group identifies a carboxylic acid?
Answer: The carboxyl group
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Which nitrogen-containing functional group identifies an amine?
Answer: The amino group
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Which class of compound has a carbonyl group at the end of a carbon chain?
Answer: An aldehyde
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Which class has a carbonyl group bonded to two carbon atoms?
Answer: A ketone
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Which class of organic compounds is often associated with fruity aromas?
Answer: Esters
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What oxygen-containing class has the general linkage R–O–R?
Answer: Ethers
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What is a large molecule made from repeating smaller units called?
Answer: A polymer
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What is a small repeating unit used to build a polymer called?
Answer: A monomer
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Which monomer is used to make polyethylene?
Answer: Ethene
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What does PVC stand for?
Answer: Polyvinyl chloride
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What are compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures called?
Answer: Isomers
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What is a family of organic compounds with the same functional group and general formula called?
Answer: A homologous series
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Are hydrocarbons with only single carbon-carbon bonds saturated or unsaturated?
Answer: Saturated
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Are hydrocarbons with a double or triple carbon-carbon bond saturated or unsaturated?
Answer: Unsaturated
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Which organization develops internationally standardized chemical nomenclature?
Answer: IUPAC
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Which prefix indicates one carbon atom in an organic name?
Answer: Meth-
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Which prefix indicates two carbon atoms in an organic name?
Answer: Eth-
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Which prefix indicates three carbon atoms in an organic name?
Answer: Prop-
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Which prefix indicates four carbon atoms in an organic name?
Answer: But-
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What is the molecular formula of glucose?
Answer: C₆H₁₂O₆
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Which monomers join to form proteins?
Answer: Amino acids
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What process can convert sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide?
Answer: Fermentation
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What petroleum process breaks large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones?
Answer: Cracking
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Chemistry lab safety trivia questions
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What eye protection should be worn when working with chemicals?
Answer: Chemical splash goggles
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What garment helps protect clothing and skin in a chemistry lab?
Answer: A lab coat or chemical-resistant apron
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What type of footwear is appropriate in a chemistry laboratory?
Answer: Closed-toe shoes
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What should be done with long hair before beginning an experiment?
Answer: Tie it back
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Why are food and drinks prohibited in a chemistry lab?
Answer: They can become contaminated
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Which document explains a chemical’s hazards and safe handling procedures?
Answer: The Safety Data Sheet
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What technique should be used to smell a chemical only when instructed?
Answer: Wafting
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Should a laboratory chemical ever be tasted?
Answer: No
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What ventilation device removes hazardous fumes from the work area?
Answer: A fume hood
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When diluting acid, should acid be added to water or water to acid?
Answer: Add acid to water
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What station is used to rinse chemicals from the eyes?
Answer: An eyewash station
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What should a student do first after a chemical spill?
Answer: Alert the instructor or supervisor
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Where should broken laboratory glass be discarded?
Answer: In a designated broken-glass container
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What should be kept away from open flames?
Answer: Flammable materials
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Where should the open end of a heated test tube be pointed?
Answer: Away from people
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What tool can safely handle hot glassware?
Answer: Tongs
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Why should glassware be treated cautiously after heating?
Answer: Hot glass can look like cool glass
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What should be done before leaving the laboratory, even after wearing gloves?
Answer: Wash hands with soap and water
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How should chemical waste be discarded?
Answer: According to the instructor and disposal instructions
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Should students work alone in a chemistry laboratory?
Answer: No
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Why is horseplay forbidden in the laboratory?
Answer: It can cause spills, injuries, or exposure
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Why must gloves be selected for the specific chemical being used?
Answer: Glove materials differ in chemical resistance
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What emergency fixture rinses a large chemical spill from the body?
Answer: A safety shower
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What device is used to control a small appropriate laboratory fire?
Answer: A fire extinguisher
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What emergency information should everyone locate before an experiment begins?
Answer: Exits and safety equipment
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Nuclear chemistry trivia questions
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What is the spontaneous emission of energy from an unstable nucleus called?☢️
Answer: Radioactivity
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What nuclear particle contains two protons and two neutrons?☢️
Answer: An alpha particle
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What electrical charge does an alpha particle carry?☢️
Answer: A positive 2 charge
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What simple material can stop most alpha particles?☢️
Answer: A sheet of paper
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What particle is emitted in beta-minus decay?☢️
Answer: An electron
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What electrical charge does a beta-minus particle carry?☢️
Answer: A negative charge
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Are gamma rays particles with mass or electromagnetic radiation?☢️
Answer: Electromagnetic radiation
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What charge do gamma rays carry?☢️
Answer: No charge
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Which common dense materials can shield against gamma radiation?☢️
Answer: Lead or thick concrete
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What is the time required for half the atoms in a radioactive sample to decay called?☢️
Answer: Half-life
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What process splits a heavy atomic nucleus into smaller nuclei?☢️
Answer: Nuclear fission
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What process combines light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus?☢️
Answer: Nuclear fusion
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Which nuclear process powers the Sun?☢️
Answer: Fusion
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Which uranium isotope is widely used as fuel in commercial nuclear reactors?☢️
Answer: Uranium-235
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What particles released during fission can sustain a chain reaction?☢️
Answer: Neutrons
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What reactor components absorb neutrons to regulate the chain reaction?☢️
Answer: Control rods
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What does a nuclear reactor moderator do to neutrons?☢️
Answer: Slows them down
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What is the main job of a reactor coolant?☢️
Answer: Transfer heat away from the core
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What instrument is commonly used to detect ionizing radiation?☢️
Answer: A Geiger counter
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What SI unit measures radioactive activity?☢️
Answer: The becquerel
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What SI unit measures absorbed radiation dose?☢️
Answer: The gray
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What SI unit reflects the biological effect of radiation dose?☢️
Answer: The sievert
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Which radioactive isotope is used to date once-living materials?☢️
Answer: Carbon-14
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Which radioisotope is used in some cancer treatments and to sterilize equipment?☢️
Answer: Cobalt-60
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Which radioisotope is commonly used in ionization smoke detectors?☢️
Answer: Americium-241
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How to host a chemistry trivia challenge
Choose categories that fit the group rather than treating all 200 questions as one uninterrupted test. A classroom could pair basic chemistry with the periodic table, while a science club may prefer organic and nuclear chemistry. Three rounds of 10 to 15 questions usually create a focused 30- to 40-minute activity, including time to review answers.
Divide players into small teams and give them 30 to 60 seconds per question. Award one point for each correct response, then reserve a calculation-free question from the periodic table or nuclear chemistry round as a tiebreaker. Accept equivalent terminology when it is scientifically accurate, but establish in advance whether formulas, element symbols, and complete names are required.
Add variety with an image round featuring laboratory equipment, element symbols, or molecular models. Keep demonstrations separate from the trivia game unless a qualified instructor has assessed the risks and appropriate safety controls. For remote play, display one question at a time and collect responses through the same online quiz so every team has an equal deadline.
Create a chemistry trivia quiz with Jotform
Use the Jotform AI Trivia Generator to create a first set of chemistry questions by topic and difficulty, then replace or refine them with questions from this collection. For a classroom-ready starting point, customize the Science Quiz template, or use the Everyday Chemical Reactions Quiz Form for a reaction-focused activity.
Add single-choice fields for quick grading, short-answer fields for formulas and element names, and image questions for laboratory equipment or periodic-table clues. Assign point values, divide the form into category pages, and use conditional logic when different age groups or difficulty levels should see different rounds.
Before sharing the quiz, preview every question and confirm that correct answers, feedback, and scoring behave as intended. Publish the finished form as a direct link, QR code, or website embed, then review responses in Jotform Tables to identify the questions that challenged players most.
Turn chemistry facts into a memorable quiz
These chemistry trivia questions can support a quick classroom warm-up, a full science-club competition, or a themed social event. Select the categories that match your players, adjust the difficulty, and save the remaining questions for bonus rounds or future games.
When you are ready to move beyond a paper answer sheet, use Jotform to organize the questions, score responses, and share the quiz with participants. Start with a focused 10-question round, test it with a small group, and expand the game as you learn which chemistry topics generate the most discussion.
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