Chemistry Hydrocarbons SET 2019
PMDC Verified Question 26 of 65
Homolysis of a covalent bond yields a very reactive species with incomplete octet in its valence shell. What is this species?
A
A complex ion
B
An electrophile
C
A free radical
D
A nucleophile
Tap any option to test your recall and reveal the step-by-step Propolis autopsy.

Propolis Cognitive Error Autopsy

Official Correct Choice:
Option C: A free radical
Concept:

Bond cleavage can be heterolytic (unequal sharing) or homolytic (equal sharing).

Solution:

  • In homolysis (homolytic fission), a covalent bond breaks symmetrically.


  • Each atom involved in the bond retains exactly one electron from the shared pair.


  • The resulting species possesses an unpaired electron, lacks a complete octet, is highly reactive, and is electrically neutral. This is the exact definition of a free radical.


Why other options are incorrect:

  • Complex ions and normal electrophiles/nucleophiles are typically formed via heterolytic fission, resulting in fully charged positive or negative species.

Quality & Fidelity Assurance: Every question on BeambePrep is rigorously curated against the official PMDC syllabus with zero filler, zero out-of-syllabus content, and zero typos. When an authentic past paper originally contained a historical mistake or ambiguity from the examining board (such as UHS or NUMS), BeambePrep faithfully reflects the original paper while detailing the nuance and scientific consensus in the autopsy above.

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