UV-VIS SPECTROSCOPY - MCQ

- Dr.A.Shunmugasundaram

Prof. of Chemistry (retd.)

VHNSN College, Virudhunagar

1. The forbidden transition is

1) π  π*
2) σ  σ*
3) n  π*
4) n  σ*

2. Among the following compounds which pair gives

n  σ* as one of the transitions?

1 and CH3NH2

2) and CH3CH2OCH3
3) CH2=CHOCH3 and CH2=CHCH2CH2CH3
4) CH2=CH-CH=CH2 and CH3SCH2CH3
3. Which of the following compounds does not show
absorption in the UV-visible region?

4. Which of the following wavelength ranges is associated with

UV-region?

1) 4000-400 cm
2) 320-800nm
3) 200-400 nm
4) 2.5-15 μ
5. Which of the following absorptions occurs at shorter
wavelength?
1) σ  σ*
2) π  π*
3) n  σ*
4) n  π*
6. Which of the following statements are true?
a) trans-stilbene has λmax value greater than cis-stilbene
b) conversion of phenol into phenolate anion results in red
shift of phenol absorption in the UV spectrum
c) the increase in polarity of the solvent increases the
wavelength of absorption of n π* transition
d) anilinium ion absorbs at longer wavelength in UV
region as compared to aniline
1) a and c
2) a and b
3) c and d
4) b and d
7. Which of the following statements is false?
1) 2-chlorocyclohexanone shows a red shift in the n π*
transition of cyclohexanone
2) If the carbon-carbon double bond and carbonyl group
are contained in a five membered ring,the UV absorption
of the α , β- unsaturated ketone will have the value less
than that of a six membered ring system
3) Auxochromes do not in themselves show selective
absorption above 200 nm
4) In cis and trans isomers the cis isomer occurs at longer
wavelength and has a larger extinction coefficient than
that of the trans isomer
8.Match the following compounds with the corresponding
UV absorption maximum(λmax)
Compound λmax
a)3-methyl-3-buten-2-one 239
b)2-cyclopentenone 225
c)3,4-dimethyl-3-penten-2-one 214
d)mesityl oxide 249
1) a-225 ; b-214 ; c-249 ; d-239
2) a-214 ; b-225 ; c-239 ; d-249
3) a-249 ; b-239 ; c-225 ; d-214
4) a-239 ; b-249 ; c-214 ; d-225
9. The compound which shows λmax at 283 nm is
10. The compound which has absorption at longer wavelength
is

11. Which one of the following is not the most commonly used
solvent for ultraviolet spectral absorptions?
1) water
2) 95% ethanol
3) hexane
4) acetone
12. The absorbance or optical density is given by
1) log I0/I
2) log I/ I0
3) I0/I
4) (I0/I) * 100
13. The absorbance of substance does not depend on one of
the following. Find the one.
1) intensity of the incident light and transmitted light
2) concentration of the substance in the solution
3) path length of the solution
4) volume of the solution of particular concentration in the
quartz cell of particular path length
14. In a spectrometer 200 lumens of light enter the sample
cell. 100 lumens of light come out of the sample. The
absorbance of the sample is
1) 2
2) 0.5
3) 0.3010
4) 0.6990
15. When the path length of the cell is 2 cm, the absorbance of
the solution is 0.3 what would be the absorbance if the path
length is increased to 4 cm?
1) 2
2) 0.6
3) 0.15
4) 0.3
16. The molar absorptivity of a solution is 2 litre/mole.cm at a
wavelength of 500 nm. If the path length is 1 cm and
concentration of the solution is 0.1 mole/litre ,the absorbance
of the solution at 500 nm is
1) 0.2
2) 2
3) 0.02
4) 0.5
17. The % of transmittance of light at 400 nm when the light
entering the cell is 250 lumens and the amount of light exiting
is 50 lumens is
1) 5 %
2) 50 %
3) 20 %
4) 80 %
18. A 0.2 molar solution of path length 1 cm has an absorbance
0.125at 400 nm.The concentration of the solution which shows
the absorbance 0.5 under the same condition is
1) 0.2 M
2) 0.8 M
3) 4 M
4) 0.05 M
19. The order of increasing the λmax in the following
compounds is
1) B < C < A < D
2) C < B < A < D
3) A < D < B < C
4) B < C < D < A
20. The correct order of maximum UV absorption among the
following compounds is
A. Phenol
B. Phenoxide ion
C. Aniline
D. Anilinium ion
1) B > A > C > D
2) B > C > A > D
3) C > D > B > A
4) A > B > D > C
21. Read the following statements and select the correct
option
Statement 1 : The absorption of n  π* transition of α , β -
unsaturated carbonyl compounds is shifted to shorter
wavelength with increasing polarity of the solvent.
Statement 2 : The nonbonding electrons in the ground state
are stabilized by hydrogen bonding.
1) Both statements 1 and 2 are true and statement 2 is the
correct explanation of statement 1.
2) The statements 1and 2 are true but statement 2 is not the
correct explanation of statement 1.
3) The statement 1 is true and statement 2 is false.
4) The statement 2 is true and statement 1 is false.
22. Introduction of chlorine in the α -position of
cyclohexanone results in the shift of absorption to longer
wavelength. This shift in absorption is
1) Blue shift
2) Hyperchromic shift
3) Hypochromic shift
4) Red shift
23. The probable structure for the compound, C6H10O with λmax
240 nm is

24. Aniline shows benzenoid fine-structure band at 280 nm

with ɛmax 1430. Adition of a drop of dilute acid to aniline causes

1) no shift in λmax with no change in extinction co-efficient

2) an increase in λmax with increase in extinction co-efficient
3) a decrease in λmax with decrease in extinction co-efficient
4) a decrease in λmax with an increase in extinction co-efficient
25. The fine-structure band of phenol appears at 270 nm with
ɛ max 1450. Addition of a drop of sodium hydroxide causes

1) an increase in both λmax and ɛmax

2) a decrease in both λmax and ɛmax

3) an increase in λmax with a decrease in ɛmax

4) a decrease in λmax with a increase in ɛmax

26. Which of the following statements is true regarding the

compounds A, B and C?

1) All the compounds have almost the same λmax

2) A and B have almost the same λmax
3) B and C have almost the same λmax
4) A and C have almost the same λmax
27. Which of the following is true regarding the compounds A,
B and C?
A) Ph3CH
B) Ph2CH2
C) PhCH3
1) All these compounds have similar UV absorption spectrum
2) The λmax shows the order A>B>C
3) A and B have similar UV absorption spectrum
4) B and C have similar UV absorption spectrum
28. Which of the following compounds can be characterized by
UV-Vis spectroscopy?
A) Cyclohexanone
B) 1,3-Cyclohexadiene
C) 2-methylcyclohexene
D) Cyclopent-2-enone
1) A and B
2) B and C
3) B and D
4) C and D
29. Electronic excitation is associated with which spectroscopy?
1) UV-Visible
2) IR
3) Raman
4) NMR
30. Acetaldehyde shows the transitions
1) σ- σ* and π-π*
2) n-π* and π-π*
3) σ- σ* and n-π*
4) σ- σ*,π- π* and n-π*

31. Which type of transition(s) is(are) affected by solvent

polarity?
1) σ- σ* and π-π*
2) π-π* and n-π*
3) n-π*
4) π-π*
32. Statement-1: trans-cyclodec-5-en-1-one shows a red shift in
the n-π* band
Statement 2:
There is trans-annular resonance participation of π bond with
the carbonyl group
1) The statement 1 is true and 2 is false.
2) The statement 2 is true and 1 is false.
3) Both of them are true and statement 2 is the correct
explanation of statement 1.
4) Both of them are true and statement 2 is not the correct
explanation of statement 1.
33. Increase in molar extinction coefficient by a substitution in a
molecule is called
1) Bathochromic shift
2) Hyperchromic shift
3) Hypochromic shift
4) Hypsochromic shift
34. Material of the cell used in UV spectrophotometer is
1) Plastic
2) Glass
3) Quartz
4) Potassium bromide
35. Optical density is expressesd as
1) mol dm-3
2) dm3 mol-1
3) g dm-3
4) No unit
36. The unit of molar absorptivity is
1) g-1 cm2
2) mol dm-3
3) dm3 mol-1 cm-1
4) mol cm-2
37. Acetone shows the UV absorption maximum at 166, 199
and 273 nm. The absorptions are respectively due to
1) n --> π* , π--> π* and n --> σ*
2) n --> σ* , π--> π* and n --> π*
3) π--> π* , n --> σ* and n --> π*
4) π--> π* ,n --> π* and n --> σ*

38. The values of λmax and ɛmax of a solution of ethanal in hexane

are 290 nm (ɛmax 15) and 180 nm (ɛmax 10000). Which of the
following statements regarding the above observation is not
true ?
1) λmax 290 nm corresponds to n --> π* and λmax 180 nm
corresponds to π --> π*
2) 290 nm peak is tiny as compared to the one at 180 nm
3) λmax 290 nm corresponds to low absorbance and λmax 180
corresponds to high absorbance
4) The absorbance at 180 nm needs less energy than the
absorption at 290 nm
39. The value of absorbance at a given wavelength when 10% of
the light is transmitted is
1) 10
2) 0
3) 1
4) 0.9
40. The absorbance for a solution at a particular wavelength is
1.92. The value of molar absorptivity of the solution for that
wavelength is 19400. The path length of the solution is 1 cm.
The concentration of the solution is
1) 9.9x10-5 mol dm-3
2) 1.0x104 mol dm-3
3) 1.0x10-5 mol dm-3
4) 1.92 mol dm-3
41. The λmax values for the following compounds are

1) A-254; B-274
2) A-224; B-281
3) A-236; B-286
4) A-246; B-268
ANSWER KEY:
QUESTION OPTION QUESTION OPTION
1 3 22 4
2 2 23 2
3 4 24 3
4 3 25 1
5 1 26 4
6 2 27 1
7 4 28 3
8 1 29 1
9 1 30 4
10 2 31 2
11 4 32 3
12 1 33 2
13 4 34 3
14 3 35 4
15 2 36 3
16 1 37 2
17 3 38 4
18 2 39 3
19 1 40 1
20 2 41 3
21 1