Alkynes and Ethyne — Interactive Lesson (Ages 14–16)

Meet the hydrocarbons with a triple bond — from the welder's flame to the carbide lamp. This 21-slide interactive lesson on alkynes takes pupils from first ideas to exam-style explanations, with 12 self-marking activities and nothing to prepare beforehand.

Teaching Alkynes and Ethyne in GCSE Chemistry

Pupils use the general formula CₙH₂ₙ₋₂, prepare ethyne from calcium carbide and water, and learn tests including bromine water, acidified manganate(VII) and ammoniacal copper(I) chloride. They explain why a triple bond adds two molecules, describe oxy-acetylene welding and discuss why calcium carbide should never be used to ripen fruit.

What Pupils Will Learn

• Use the general formula CₙH₂ₙ₋₂ to write alkyne formulae.
• Describe how ethyne is prepared from calcium carbide.
• Describe tests that identify ethyne.
• Explain why alkynes can add two molecules in addition reactions.
• State the uses of ethyne.

What’s Included

• 21-slide interactive lesson on alkynes
• 12 self-marking activities: multiple-choice questions, true-or-false checks, sorting tasks and fill-in-the-gap questions
• Step-by-step teaching cards that reveal one point at a time
• A written explanation task with a model answer for self-assessment

Why Teachers Love It

• No prep — open it on an interactive whiteboard, laptop or tablet
• Instant feedback explains every answer, right or wrong
• Examples from both Nigeria and the UK make the chemistry feel real
• Works for whole-class teaching, independent study or revision

Curriculum Alignment

Supports the organic chemistry content of UK GCSE Chemistry (AQA, Edexcel and OCR) and the Nigerian Senior Secondary Chemistry curriculum (SS2–SS3), including WAEC and NECO exam preparation.

Love this? You’ll love…

• Addition Reactions of Alkenes — Interactive Lesson (Ages 14–16)
• Isomerism and Naming Organic Compounds — Interactive Lesson (Ages 15–18)

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FAQ

What year groups is this for? Year 11 and post-16 (ages 14–16), and SS2–SS3 in Nigeria.

Is it self-marking? Yes — all 12 activities give instant feedback.

Do pupils need to log in? No. The lesson runs in any modern web browser.

Can I use it for revision? Yes. Pupils can replay it as often as they like, and the results screen shows which questions to review before a test.