CBSE Class 12 Chemistry Syllabus

Chemistry syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Chemistry in CBSE Class 12, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   The Solid State

   7 topics

   • Classification of solids based on different binding forces
   • Crystal lattices and unit cells
   • Number of atoms per unit cell
   • Close packed structures
   • Packing efficiency
   • Imperfections in solids
   • Electrical properties
2. 2

   Solutions

   7 topics

   • Types of solutions
   • Expressing concentration of solutions
   • Solubility
   • Vapour pressure of liquid solutions
   • Raoult's Law
   • Colligative properties
   • Van't Hoff factor
3. 3

   Electrochemistry

   7 topics

   • Electrochemical cells
   • Galvanic cells
   • Standard electrode potential
   • Nernst equation
   • Conductance of electrolytic solutions
   • Electrolytic cells and Electrolysis
   • Batteries

Chemistry flashcards for CBSE Class 12

21 of 61 cards from the Chemistry deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. How are solids classified based on the nature of binding forces between constituent particles?

   Into crystalline and amorphous solids; crystalline solids are further classified as ionic, molecular, metallic, and covalent (network) solids based on the binding forces.

2. What is the key structural difference between crystalline and amorphous solids?

   Crystalline solids have a long-range ordered (regular, repeating) arrangement of particles; amorphous solids have only short-range order with irregular arrangement.

3. Why are amorphous solids called isotropic and pseudo-solids (supercooled liquids)?

   Isotropic because their properties (e.g. refractive index, conductivity) are the same in all directions due to irregular arrangement; pseudo-solids because they flow very slowly like liquids and have no sharp melting point.

4. What type of solid is held together by London dispersion forces, and give an example?

   Non-polar molecular solids; examples include solid H2, Cl2, I2, and CO2 (dry ice). They are soft, non-conductors with low melting points.

5. Classify and give properties of ionic solids (e.g. NaCl).

   Constituent particles are ions held by strong electrostatic (Coulombic) forces; they are hard, brittle, have high melting points, are insulators in solid state but conduct in molten/aqueous state.

6. What are covalent or network solids? Give examples and properties.

   Solids in which atoms are bonded by continuous covalent bonds throughout (e.g. diamond, SiC, quartz SiO2); they are very hard, have very high melting points, and are insulators (except graphite).

7. Why is graphite a good conductor and soft, despite being a covalent solid?

   Graphite has a layered structure; each carbon is sp2 hybridized leaving one delocalized electron per atom (conducts electricity), and layers held by weak van der Waals forces slide over each other (makes it soft/lubricant).

8. What holds metallic solids together and what gives them their characteristic properties?

   Positive metal ions in a sea of delocalized (free) electrons; this electron sea gives metals electrical/thermal conductivity, malleability, ductility, and metallic luster.

9. Define a crystal lattice and a unit cell.

   A crystal lattice is the regular three-dimensional arrangement of points (lattice points) in space representing constituent particles. A unit cell is the smallest repeating portion of the lattice that, on repetition in 3D, generates the entire crystal.

10. What parameters characterize a unit cell?

    The three edge lengths (a, b, c) and the three angles between them (α, β, γ). These six parameters define the dimensions and shape of the unit cell.

11. Name the seven crystal systems.

    Cubic, Tetragonal, Orthorhombic, Hexagonal, Rhombohedral (Trigonal), Monoclinic, and Triclinic.

12. Give the edge and angle conditions for the cubic crystal system.

    a = b = c and α = β = γ = 90°.

13. What are the four types of unit cells (Bravais arrangements) possible in cubic systems?

    Primitive (simple) cubic, Body-centred cubic (BCC), Face-centred cubic (FCC), and (in general lattices) End-centred. For cubic, the possible types are primitive, body-centred, and face-centred.

14. How is one corner atom shared, and what is its contribution to a unit cell?

    A corner atom is shared by 8 unit cells, so it contributes 1/8 to each unit cell.

15. What are the contributions of face-centred, body-centred, and edge-centred atoms to a unit cell?

    Face-centred atom = 1/2 (shared by 2 cells); body-centred atom = 1 (belongs entirely to that cell); edge-centred atom = 1/4 (shared by 4 cells).

16. How many atoms are present per unit cell in simple cubic, BCC, and FCC structures?

    Simple cubic = 1 (8 × 1/8); BCC = 2 (8 × 1/8 + 1); FCC = 4 (8 × 1/8 + 6 × 1/2).

17. Define coordination number in a crystal.

    The number of nearest neighbour particles (atoms/ions) immediately surrounding a given particle in the crystal lattice.

18. What are the coordination numbers in simple cubic, BCC, FCC, and HCP structures?

    Simple cubic = 6; BCC = 8; FCC (ccp) = 12; HCP = 12.

19. Compare the stacking patterns of hcp and ccp (fcc) close-packed structures.

    HCP follows an ABAB... stacking pattern; CCP/FCC follows an ABCABC... stacking pattern. Both give coordination number 12 and 74% packing efficiency.

20. How many octahedral and tetrahedral voids are present per atom in a close-packed structure of N particles?

    Number of octahedral voids = N (one per atom); number of tetrahedral voids = 2N (two per atom).

21. What is packing efficiency and what are its values for simple cubic, BCC, and FCC/HCP?

    Packing efficiency = (volume occupied by particles / total volume of unit cell) × 100. Simple cubic = 52.4%; BCC = 68%; FCC/CCP/HCP = 74%.

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