Can you explain conformation vs configuration?  (Configuration can be changed only by breaking chemical bonds. Conformation changes when a molecule adopts a different shape, without breaking bonds. - GS). So E/Z would be considered a configuration? (Yes. - GS). Okay, thanks!

Should we be able to predict carbocation rearrangements, or just know how/why they occur? (Yes., You can predict the rearrangement, if there is a pathway to a more stable carbocation by the following mechanism: http://ochem.orgfree.com/rear.html   - GS.

How do you figure out which carbon is the alpha carbon? (The first carbon attached to a functional group. - GS).

Is total energy always higher than potential energy? (No. It can also be equal, which means that the system does not move along that specific reaction coordinate. - GS).

What does cyclic mean? (It means, that some atoms are connected by chemical bonds to at least one chain that has no ends. - GS).

Going off of the previous questions, to be a H bond donor do you need more than one Hydrogen? (One H is sufficient as long as it is acidic enough - GS ) And to be a H bond acceptor do you only need one pair of lone electrons? (Yes, if it is by O, N. or F - GS)

Why are some bonds only partially formed? (Because it corresponds to the lowest energy of the system when the atomic nuclei are in the process of moving from one intermediate to the next one on the reaction pathway. - GS).

How do you determine the major product? I have been going over questions from the database and just when I think I’m doing it right I get the question wrong. Could you please clarify on that. (The major product is either lowest in energy (for equilibrium conditions), or the fastest forming product - GS).

Could you just remind us the difference between the molecular geometry versus the shape? (For molecular geometry, you consider both bonds and lone electron pairs. Next, you remove the lone pairs, do not move any atoms, and that will be the shape. - GS).

Could you explain how to determine the hybridization state of a molecule? (Hybridization state of ATOMS is determined by the geometry around them, which leads to different participation of p-orbitals in the formation of sigma-bonds. - GS).

I was wondering if you can have two sigma bonds or if you can only have multiple pi bonds? (There can not be more than one sigma-bond or more than two pi-bonds between the same pair of atoms because of the space conflict. - GS).  

Being more sterically hindered makes a molecule more reactive, correct? (Steric hindrance increases potential energy. To connect it with reactivity, this change must be monitored through the whole potential energy diagram. - GS).

Resonance structures provide a means to show electron delocalization which in turn stabilizes the structure, right? (Yes. - GS). So for simplicity’s sake this means that structures that can be demonstrated using resonance structures for it are more stable than a similar molecule that cant form resonance, right? (Correct. - GS).

^^Could you explain why electron delocalization would be seen as stabilizing if a carbocation or anion would constantly result from this formation? (Electrons will have more space and more opportunities to lower their energy. Same on the math language: there will be more coefficients to optimize in the linear combination of atomic orbitals - GS). Wouldn't a neutral structure with no charged carbons be more stable than one that would observe resonance characteristics?  (The neutral structure will be most contributing. - GS).

How do you determine the rate limiting step in a reaction that consists of multiple steps (with no fore knowledge (It is impossible. That what that knowledge is for. - GS). of rate speeds/ no diagram)? Is it simply the first step? (No. It is the step with the lowest activation energy. - GS).

Rate limiting step is that determined by the step with the highest Transition state only or is it the largest difference between the minima (intermediate) and the transition state that determines the rate limiting step? (The difference between the transition state and the preceding intermediate or starting material determines the activation energy and, therefore, the reaction rate. - GS).

Just to make sure I am understanding this correctly the curved arrow notation provides info on Redistribution of electrons and charges between the nuclei, right? (Yes, you are right on target. - GS).

Overall dipole moment is zero when the dipole moment is pointing in opposite direction in equal “increments”/same electronegative value correct? so that for instance all the dipole are “pointing” outward from a central atom such as with tetrachloromethane? Is that a correct way of thinking about it? (It is close. The best way to think about it is in terms of adding vectors. - GS).

Is it correct to assume that aromatic hydrocarbons are strictly cyclic compounds and aliphatic hydrocarbons are “linear” (either alkane, alkene, or alkyne)? (All aromatic compounds are cyclic, but not all cyclic compounds are aromatic. Aliphatic compounds also can be cyclic. - GS).

^^^How can you differentiate between the 2 then? (The difference is historical, not chemical, and will not be important for this course. - GS).

Would you say aromatic compounds are typically stable/ more stable than aliphatic? (Yes. - GS).

Organic compounds all contain carbon does that mean that a compound with carbon can never be inorganic? (All organic compounds contain a carbon-carbon bond. Compounds with one carbon can be considered either way depending on history. - GS).

Just out of curiosity,  why are electrons more likely to show up as electron pairs and not a single electron, I think I remember that it is more stable that why, but why is this so? (If there are orbitals of same energy, electrons prefer to stay unpaired, because pairing of electrons works against their electrostatic repulsion. Most often, however, two orbitals have different energies, so both electrons are sitting on the lowest energy one. - GS).   and when would you even find a single lone electron vs. a lone electron pair? (Usually when there is an odd number of electrons, so they just cannot be paired. Also, as I noted above, a particle can have more than one unpaired electron, if it has same in energy (= degenerate) orbitals. - GS). Sorry I know this is more general chemistry but I can’t remember how to justify it.