The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that trap CO₂ and bring water to deserts has drawn global attention for tackling two urgent crises — climate change and water scarcity. The winners developed advanced Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) that can capture carbon dioxide efficiently and extract moisture even from dry air.
This discovery has not only advanced green chemistry but also inspired students and researchers worldwide. Let’s explore the key insights and test your understanding with MCQs based on this groundbreaking Nobel Prize topic.
Key Insights: Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts
Award Year: 2025
Category: Chemistry
Theme: Sustainability and Climate Innovation
Core Discovery: MOFs capable of CO₂ capture and water harvesting
Applications: Air purification, desert farming, carbon-neutral cities
Global Relevance: Helps mitigate global warming and supports the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
📘 What Are MOFs?
Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline materials made of metal ions linked by organic molecules.
They have an ultra-high surface area, allowing them to absorb gases like CO₂ and even harvest water from thin air in arid environments.
This innovation is seen as a game-changer in green chemistry — combining science, sustainability, and smart design.
🌎 Global Impact
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts reflects how scientific innovation can directly address climate and resource challenges.
🌱 Reduces greenhouse gas levels
💧 Generates clean water in dry regions
🔬 Encourages youth participation in research
🌍 Supports sustainable development
Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts: 50 Smart MCQs
1. What is the full form of MOF?
A) Molecular Organic Formula
B) Metal–Organic Framework
C) Mixed Oxide Formula
D) Metallic Organic Formation
✅ Answer: B) Metal–Organic Framework
📘 Explanation: MOFs are porous materials composed of metal ions and organic linkers.
2. Which field received the Nobel Prize in 2025 for MOFs?
A) Physics
B) Chemistry
C) Biology
D) Environmental Science
✅ Answer: B) Chemistry
📘 Explanation: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 honored research on MOFs for CO₂ capture and water extraction.
3. MOFs can trap which gas efficiently?
A) Oxygen
B) Nitrogen
C) Carbon Dioxide
D) Hydrogen
✅ Answer: C) Carbon Dioxide
📘 Explanation: MOFs have nanoscale pores that capture CO₂, helping reduce greenhouse emissions.
4. What is one key use of MOFs in deserts?
A) Producing energy
B) Harvesting water from air
C) Growing plants without soil
D) Storing methane gas
✅ Answer: B) Harvesting water from air
📘 Explanation: MOFs can extract humidity from the air, even in arid environments.
5. Why did MOFs win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025?
A) For promoting nuclear energy
B) For removing plastic waste
C) For trapping CO₂ and producing water
D) For inventing new metals
✅ Answer: C) For trapping CO₂ and producing water
📘 Explanation: The innovation addresses key environmental issues — global warming and water shortage.
6. MOFs are primarily known for having which property?
A) High density
B) Porous structure
C) Electrical conductivity
D) Magnetic field
✅ Answer: B) Porous structure
📘 Explanation: MOFs possess a sponge-like framework with microscopic pores that trap gases and water molecules.
7. What makes MOFs useful in environmental protection?
A) They produce energy
B) They absorb harmful gases like CO₂
C) They reflect sunlight
D) They dissolve pollutants
✅ Answer: B) They absorb harmful gases like CO₂
📘 Explanation: MOFs’ ability to capture CO₂ makes them a vital tool in combating climate change.
8. Which scientific discipline mainly studies MOFs?
A) Organic Chemistry
B) Inorganic Chemistry
C) Physical Chemistry
D) Analytical Chemistry
✅ Answer: B) Inorganic Chemistry
📘 Explanation: MOFs are built from metal ions and organic linkers, studied under inorganic and materials chemistry.
9. What is a key application of MOFs in daily life?
A) Fuel storage
B) Data encryption
C) Building construction
D) Electricity generation
✅ Answer: A) Fuel storage
📘 Explanation: MOFs can store hydrogen and methane efficiently due to their high surface area.
10. What global issue can MOFs help reduce?
A) Air pollution
B) Overpopulation
C) Global warming
D) Noise pollution
✅ Answer: C) Global warming
📘 Explanation: MOFs capture CO₂ — a major greenhouse gas — helping slow down climate change.
11. Which component forms the framework of a MOF?
A) Polymers
B) Metal ions and organic linkers
C) Plastic and carbon
D) Graphite layers
✅ Answer: B) Metal ions and organic linkers
📘 Explanation: MOFs combine metallic nodes and organic chains to form a crystalline structure.
12. MOFs can extract water even from _______ air.
A) Cold
B) Dry
C) Polluted
D) Salty
✅ Answer: B) Dry
📘 Explanation: MOFs harvest moisture from low-humidity air — making them valuable in deserts.
13. What is the potential benefit of MOFs for agriculture?
A) Water supply for crops
B) Faster plant growth
C) Soil preservation
D) Increased fertilizer use
✅ Answer: A) Water supply for crops
📘 Explanation: In arid zones, MOFs can collect water from air for irrigation.
14. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 highlights the importance of _______.
A) Fossil fuels
B) Sustainable innovation
C) Nuclear technology
D) Artificial intelligence
✅ Answer: B) Sustainable innovation
📘 Explanation: The award celebrates eco-friendly chemistry that tackles real-world crises.
15. Who awards the Nobel Prize in Chemistry?
A) Royal Society, London
B) Swedish Academy of Sciences
C) American Chemical Society
D) Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
✅ Answer: D) Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
📘 Explanation: The Nobel Committee in Sweden selects laureates based on scientific contributions.
16. Which element is often part of MOFs?
A) Iron
B) Sodium
C) Calcium
D) Silicon
✅ Answer: A) Iron
📘 Explanation: Metals like iron, copper, and zinc are commonly used in MOF synthesis.
17. MOFs contribute to which UN goal?
A) Zero Hunger
B) Clean Water and Sanitation
C) Climate Action
D) Both B and C
✅ Answer: D) Both B and C
📘 Explanation: MOFs support SDG 6 (clean water) and SDG 13 (climate action).
18. In which year were MOFs first discovered?
A) 1950
B) 1980
C) 1999
D) 2010
✅ Answer: C) 1999
📘 Explanation: MOFs were formally developed by chemists in the late 1990s.
19. What type of structure allows MOFs to absorb molecules?
A) Dense crystal
B) Hollow framework
C) Solid block
D) Flat sheet
✅ Answer: B) Hollow framework
📘 Explanation: Their internal cavities provide massive surface area for gas absorption.
20. The MOF discovery contributes to which scientific field?
A) Green Chemistry
B) Nuclear Physics
C) Marine Biology
D) Quantum Computing
✅ Answer: A) Green Chemistry
📘 Explanation: MOFs promote eco-friendly methods in resource management and pollution control.
21. CO₂ capture using MOFs can reduce emissions from?
A) Solar panels
B) Factories
C) Water dams
D) Wind turbines
✅ Answer: B) Factories
📘 Explanation: Industrial CO₂ emissions can be filtered through MOF-based systems.
22. What is the approximate surface area of a single gram of MOF material?
A) 100 m²
B) 1,000 m²
C) 7,000 m²
D) 10,000 m²
✅ Answer: D) 10,000 m²
📘 Explanation: MOFs have an incredibly large internal surface area — nearly a football field per gram.
23. Why are MOFs considered future-ready materials?
A) They are cheap
B) They are recyclable and efficient
C) They are radioactive
D) They are unstable
✅ Answer: B) They are recyclable and efficient
📘 Explanation: MOFs can be reused and maintain their function for many cycles.
24. What is a direct benefit of MOFs in desert regions?
A) Reducing heatwaves
B) Creating water sources
C) Building houses
D) Generating electricity
✅ Answer: B) Creating water sources
📘 Explanation: By pulling humidity from air, MOFs produce drinkable water in deserts.
25. What technology does MOF water harvesting resemble?
A) Air conditioner
B) Dehumidifier
C) Air purifier
D) Refrigerator
✅ Answer: B) Dehumidifier
📘 Explanation: Both systems extract water vapor from the air.
26. Nobel laureates’ work on MOFs inspires which group most?
A) Politicians
B) Students and Researchers
C) Athletes
D) Economists
✅ Answer: B) Students and Researchers
📘 Explanation: The innovation motivates youth to pursue STEM careers.
27. The MOF innovation helps combat which phenomenon?
A) Deforestation
B) Ozone depletion
C) Global warming
D) Ocean acidification
✅ Answer: C) Global warming
📘 Explanation: By trapping CO₂, MOFs reduce greenhouse gas accumulation.
28. What resource challenge do MOFs solve?
A) Food
B) Water
C) Land
D) Minerals
✅ Answer: B) Water
📘 Explanation: They can extract water vapor from air, even in low humidity.
29. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 encourages more _______.
A) Polluting industries
B) Green technologies
C) Plastic production
D) Fossil fuel use
✅ Answer: B) Green technologies
📘 Explanation: The award underscores sustainability-driven innovation.
30. Which of these best describes the purpose of MOFs?
A) Decorative crystals
B) Gas and liquid absorbers
C) Conductive metals
D) Explosive materials
✅ Answer: B) Gas and liquid absorbers
📘 Explanation: MOFs act like molecular sponges.
31. What makes MOFs suitable for climate change solutions?
A) They store sunlight
B) They absorb and trap greenhouse gases
C) They emit carbon dioxide
D) They convert oxygen into nitrogen
✅ Answer: B) They absorb and trap greenhouse gases
📘 Explanation: MOFs can selectively capture CO₂ molecules, helping to lower atmospheric emissions and support clean-air technologies.
32. Which country’s scientists primarily contributed to the MOF discovery?
A) India
B) USA
C) Japan
D) Germany
✅ Answer: B) USA
📘 Explanation: American chemists played a crucial role in developing MOFs for environmental and energy applications.
33. What type of bonding holds the structure of MOFs together?
A) Covalent bonds only
B) Ionic bonds only
C) Coordination bonds
D) Hydrogen bonds
✅ Answer: C) Coordination bonds
📘 Explanation: MOFs are coordination polymers, built using metal centers linked by organic molecules.
34. What is the significance of winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs?
A) Recognition of green innovation
B) Political appreciation
C) Commercial success
D) Private discovery
✅ Answer: A) Recognition of green innovation
📘 Explanation: The award highlights MOFs as a sustainable solution for environmental and water scarcity challenges.
35. Which of these is NOT an application of MOFs?
A) CO₂ storage
B) Hydrogen fuel storage
C) Air filtration
D) Plastic manufacturing
✅ Answer: D) Plastic manufacturing
📘 Explanation: MOFs are not used to make plastics; their role is mainly environmental and scientific.
36. What does CO₂ stand for?
A) Carbon and Oxygen
B) Carbon Dioxide
C) Carbonate
D) Carbon Oxide
✅ Answer: B) Carbon Dioxide
📘 Explanation: CO₂ is a greenhouse gas released from burning fuels; MOFs capture it effectively.
37. What is one future goal of MOF technology?
A) To create artificial sunlight
B) To make water from desert air
C) To remove oxygen from air
D) To create new plastics
✅ Answer: B) To make water from desert air
📘 Explanation: MOFs can absorb moisture and release water, offering a hope for arid regions.
38. What is the biggest scientific advantage of MOFs?
A) Small size
B) Adjustable pore size
C) Metallic appearance
D) Hardness
✅ Answer: B) Adjustable pore size
📘 Explanation: Scientists can design MOFs with specific pore sizes to target certain gases or liquids.
39. Which sector can use MOFs for CO₂ capture most effectively?
A) IT industry
B) Manufacturing industry
C) Fashion industry
D) Sports industry
✅ Answer: B) Manufacturing industry
📘 Explanation: Factories and power plants emit large amounts of CO₂ that MOFs can capture.
40. How do MOFs contribute to clean energy?
A) By storing hydrogen fuel
B) By burning coal
C) By producing oil
D) By increasing gas emissions
✅ Answer: A) By storing hydrogen fuel
📘 Explanation: MOFs can safely store hydrogen, a clean fuel alternative.
41. Which of the following statements is TRUE about MOFs?
A) MOFs cannot be reused
B) MOFs are unstable
C) MOFs can be regenerated
D) MOFs emit CO₂
✅ Answer: C) MOFs can be regenerated
📘 Explanation: MOFs can be reused many times without losing effectiveness.
42. Which part of the MOF interacts with CO₂ molecules?
A) Metal center
B) Outer shell
C) Covalent linker
D) Surface coating
✅ Answer: A) Metal center
📘 Explanation: Metal ions within the framework help trap CO₂ through coordination bonding.
43. MOFs are examples of which type of material?
A) Biomaterials
B) Nanomaterials
C) Composite materials
D) Polymers
✅ Answer: B) Nanomaterials
📘 Explanation: MOFs operate at the nanoscale with high surface-to-volume ratios.
44. What is a key environmental benefit of MOFs?
A) Increasing CO₂ levels
B) Decreasing global carbon footprint
C) Boosting fossil fuel use
D) Destroying ozone layer
✅ Answer: B) Decreasing global carbon footprint
📘 Explanation: MOFs help reduce carbon emissions and support global sustainability goals.
45. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 draws attention to _______.
A) Energy conservation through materials science
B) Increasing pollution
C) Manufacturing of chemicals
D) Commercial patents
✅ Answer: A) Energy conservation through materials science
📘 Explanation: It emphasizes chemistry’s role in solving modern sustainability issues.
46. MOFs can also help in which emergency situation?
A) Oil spills
B) Drought relief
C) Cyberattack
D) Power failure
✅ Answer: B) Drought relief
📘 Explanation: In water-scarce areas, MOFs can generate fresh water from air humidity.
47. The structure of MOFs resembles a _______.
A) Sponge
B) Magnet
C) Wire
D) Sheet
✅ Answer: A) Sponge
📘 Explanation: MOFs’ porous structure functions like a sponge, absorbing gases or water.
48. Which of these is a limitation of MOF use?
A) High cost and complex synthesis
B) Lack of research
C) Overproduction
D) Weak structure
✅ Answer: A) High cost and complex synthesis
📘 Explanation: Despite potential, MOFs are expensive and require controlled lab conditions.
49. How can MOFs impact future technology?
A) By enhancing sustainable cities
B) By replacing teachers
C) By building robots
D) By creating video games
✅ Answer: A) By enhancing sustainable cities
📘 Explanation: MOFs can purify air and supply water — vital for smart, green cities.
50. What message does the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 convey to students?
A) Science has no limits in solving global problems
B) Science is only for experts
C) Chemistry is outdated
D) Innovation is risky
✅ Answer: A) Science has no limits in solving global problems
📘 Explanation: It inspires young learners to use chemistry and innovation for climate and humanitarian solutions.
FAQs on Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts
1. What is the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts all about?
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts recognizes scientists who developed Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) — materials that absorb CO₂ from the air and extract water from arid environments.
2. Why is the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts important for students?
It introduces learners to green chemistry and climate innovation, inspiring students to explore sustainable science fields like carbon capture and clean water technologies.
3. How do MOFs contribute to environmental protection?
Through the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts, students learn that MOFs can reduce carbon footprints and address water scarcity, making them vital in the fight against global warming.
4. Who developed the MOFs honored in the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts?
The award went to scientists who pioneered porous materials capable of trapping CO₂ molecules efficiently and converting air humidity into usable water, revolutionizing climate science.
5. What can Indian students learn from the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts?
Indian students can see this as a call to innovate. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts encourages participation in STEM research, eco-innovation, and sustainability-driven projects.
6. How does the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts connect with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?
It supports SDG 6 (Clean Water) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) by providing scientific tools that reduce emissions and generate freshwater — aligning perfectly with global sustainability efforts.
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts stands as a testament to how science can solve humanity’s biggest challenges. The innovation in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) not only tackles climate change by capturing carbon dioxide but also transforms arid landscapes into water-producing zones.
For students, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts is more than a headline — it’s an inspiration. It demonstrates the power of research, curiosity, and collaboration in addressing real-world problems. This breakthrough opens new career pathways in environmental chemistry, nanotechnology, and sustainability research.
In essence, this Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025 for MOFs that Trap CO₂ and Bring Water to Deserts encourages every young learner to think beyond textbooks and focus on innovative solutions that merge science with social impact.
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