Question 331 markMCQSection B

Vapours of acetic acid smell

Chemical Reactions and Equations
Properties of Compounds

Options

(A)pungent like vinegar.
(B)sweet like rose.
(C)suffocating like sulphur dioxide.
(D)odourless like water.

Official answer

The correct option is A. Vapours of acetic acid have a characteristic pungent smell similar to vinegar.

Answer keywords:Acetic acidVinegarPungent smellCharacteristic odour

Marking scheme

  1. 1.Selection of correct option (1 mark)

Hint

Think about the common household name for a dilute solution of acetic acid.

Quick oral answer

Acetic acid smells like vinegar because vinegar is actually a dilute solution of acetic acid in water.

Common mistakes

  1. 1.Confusing the smell of acetic acid with the suffocating smell of SO2SO_2 mentioned in the text.

Analysis and explanation

In Activity 1.5, the text emphasizes that chemical substances can be identified by their 'characteristic odour' (e.g., the odour of burning sulphur for SO2SO_2). Acetic acid (CH3COOHCH_3COOH) is the primary component of vinegar, and thus its vapours carry that same sharp, pungent smell. Option B is incorrect as sweet smells are characteristic of esters. Option C is incorrect because a suffocating smell like burning sulphur is characteristic of sulphur dioxide (SO2SO_2), as noted in Eq. 1.19. Option D is incorrect because acetic acid is a volatile chemical with a distinct smell, unlike pure water.

Interesting facts

Vinegar usually contains only 5-8% acetic acid by volume, yet the pungent smell is very strong.

Question details

Q33 of 41 questions

Board
CBSE
Class
Class 10
Subject
Science
Year
2011
Section
Section B
Marks
1
Type
MCQ
Chapter
Chemical Reactions and Equations
Topic
Properties of Compounds
Bloom's level
Remembering
Syllabus topic
Chemical Reactions and Equations

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Frequently asked questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2011?

This question carries 1 mark in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2011 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Chemical Reactions and Equations" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Properties of Compounds" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2011 paper?

This is a MCQ question from Section B in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2011 paper.