Ketones

Ketones are organic compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, where the ketone functional group, >C=O is contained within the molecule. The are the compounds which form a homologous series which can be represented by the general formula R.CO.R', where R and R' are alkyl groups, and may be the same or different groups.

Ketones are formed by the oxidation of secondary alcohols.


				[O]	
		R2CHOH    	==>	R.CO.R'    +     H2	
		Secondary		Ketone	
		Alcohol	

The chemistry of the ketones is governed largely by the presence of the Carbonyl Group, >C=O. The polarity of this group means that the electron-deficient carbon atom of the carbonyl group is susceptible to attack by reagents which are rich in electrons.

The first member of the homologous series of ketones is acetone, CH3.CO.CH3. Other aliphatic ketones are named by naming the groups attached to the carbonyl group and adding the word ketone. Using systematic nomenclature, the longest chain carrying the carbonyl group, >C=O, is made the parent structure and compounds named by replacing the "e" of the parent alkane by the suffix "-one". The positions of substituents are indicated by numbers, where the carbonyl carbon atom is allocated the lowest possible number.


Kinetic Energy

Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by a body due to its motion.


Kinetic Theory of Gases

The kinetic theory of gases explains the physical and thermodynamic properties of gases as molecules in relatively unconstrained random motion, which are free to fill completely the container in which they are contained. Brownian Movement and the observed diffusion of gases are vindications of this theory. The mathematical treatment of the random motion of molecules was published by Albert Einstein in 1905AD and predicts properties which have been verified experimentally.

Postulates of the Kinetic Theory of Gases

The Kinetic Theory of Gases is a model that accounts for many of the physical properties of gases. The main concepts of the theory are :

  1. that a gas consists of small identical particles which exert no forces on each other except at the instant of collision.
  2. that these particles move about at random and travel in straight lines between collisions.
  3. that the collisions of particles with each other and with the walls of the containing vessel are perfectly elastic.
  4. that the pressure of a gas is created by the particles striking the walls of the container.
  5. that the size of a particle is negligible compared with the volume of the container.
  6. that the particles are elastic, no energy is gained or lost on collision. In an elastic collision the only change in energy is the kinetic energy of the colliding particle will gain kinetic energy and the other will lose an equal amount.
The kinetic theory of gases is largely the result of the work of Count Rumford, James Joule, and James Clark Maxwell.


Knocking

Knocking is the premature spontaneous explosion of the petrol mixture during the compression stroke in a petrol engine before the mixture is ignited by a spark. Knocking causes significant loss of power and may result in damage to the engine.


Kohlrausch's Law

Kohlrausch's Law states that the equivalent conductivity of an electrolyte at infinite dilution is equal to the sum of the ionic motilities of the ions produced by the electrolyte.


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