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IPU CET Chemistry Syllabus

The Chemistry syllabus for IPU CET in full: 5 chapters, 26 topics and 63 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 51 Chemistry flashcards with answers.

5Chapters

26Topics

63Sub-topics

51Flashcards

Chemistry syllabus: all 5 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

Physical Chemistry I
4 topics
- Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
  - Mole concept and Avogadro number
  - Stoichiometry and limiting reagent
  - Concentration terms
- States of Matter
  - Gas laws and ideal gas equation
  - Kinetic molecular theory
  - Real gases and van der Waals equation
- Atomic Structure
  - Bohr model and hydrogen spectrum
  - Quantum numbers and orbitals
  - Electronic configuration and Aufbau principle
- Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
  - Ionic and covalent bonding
  - VSEPR theory and hybridisation
  - Molecular orbital theory
Physical Chemistry II
6 topics
- Chemical Thermodynamics
  - First law and enthalpy changes
  - Hess's law
  - Entropy, Gibbs energy and spontaneity
- Chemical and Ionic Equilibrium
  - Law of mass action and Kc, Kp
  - Le Chatelier's principle
  - pH, buffers and solubility product
- Chemical Kinetics
  - Rate law and order of reaction
  - Integrated rate equations
  - Arrhenius equation and catalysis
- Electrochemistry
  - Conductance and Kohlrausch law
  - Nernst equation and EMF
  - Electrolysis and Faraday's laws
- Solutions and Colligative Properties
  - Raoult's law
  - Elevation and depression of boiling/freezing point
  - Osmotic pressure and van't Hoff factor
- Surface Chemistry
  - Adsorption isotherms
  - Colloids and emulsions
Inorganic Chemistry
6 topics
- Periodic Classification
  - Modern periodic law
  - Periodic trends in properties
- s-Block Elements
  - Alkali and alkaline earth metals
  - Important compounds and anomalous behaviour
- p-Block Elements
  - Groups 13 to 18 trends
  - Important compounds of B, C, N, O and halogens
- d- and f-Block Elements
  - Transition metal characteristics
  - Lanthanoids and actinoids
- Coordination Compounds
  - Werner's theory and nomenclature
  - Isomerism in complexes
  - Valence bond and crystal field theory
- Metallurgy and Hydrogen
  - Principles of metal extraction
  - Hydrogen and its compounds
Organic Chemistry
6 topics
- Basic Principles and Techniques
  - IUPAC nomenclature
  - Inductive, resonance and hyperconjugation effects
  - Reaction intermediates and mechanisms
- Hydrocarbons
  - Alkanes, alkenes and alkynes
  - Aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene
- Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
  - SN1 and SN2 mechanisms
  - Elimination reactions
- Oxygen-Containing Functional Groups
  - Alcohols, phenols and ethers
  - Aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids
- Nitrogen-Containing Compounds
  - Amines and diazonium salts
  - Cyanides and nitro compounds
- Stereochemistry and Isomerism
  - Structural isomerism
  - Optical and geometrical isomerism
Applied and Environmental Chemistry
4 topics
- Biomolecules
  - Carbohydrates and proteins
  - Vitamins and nucleic acids
- Polymers
  - Classification and types of polymerisation
  - Important natural and synthetic polymers
- Chemistry in Everyday Life
  - Drugs and their classification
  - Soaps, detergents and food chemistry
- Environmental Chemistry
  - Air and water pollution
  - Green chemistry

IPU CET Chemistry flashcards — 51 questions with answers

What is the mole concept, and how many entities does one mole contain?
A mole is the amount of substance containing as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 12 g of carbon-12, equal to Avogadro's number = 6.022 x 10^23 entities.
State the formula relating molarity (M), moles of solute, and volume of solution.
Molarity (M) = moles of solute / volume of solution in litres. Unlike molality, it is temperature-dependent.
What is the difference between empirical formula and molecular formula?
Empirical formula gives the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms; molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms. Molecular formula = n x empirical formula, where n = molar mass / empirical formula mass.
State the ideal gas equation and the value of the gas constant R in SI units.
PV = nRT, where R = 8.314 J K^-1 mol^-1 (or 0.0821 L atm K^-1 mol^-1).
State Dalton's law of partial pressures.
The total pressure of a non-reacting gas mixture equals the sum of the partial pressures of the individual gases: P_total = P1 + P2 + P3 + ...
What are the values of critical temperature and the van der Waals equation for a real gas?
Van der Waals equation: (P + an^2/V^2)(V - nb) = nRT, where 'a' corrects for intermolecular attraction and 'b' for molecular volume.
What are the four quantum numbers and what does each describe?
Principal (n) = energy/shell; Azimuthal (l) = subshell/shape; Magnetic (m_l) = orbital orientation; Spin (m_s) = electron spin (+1/2 or -1/2).
State the Heisenberg uncertainty principle.
It is impossible to determine simultaneously the exact position and momentum of an electron: Δx · Δp ≥ h/4π.
State Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle, and Hund's rule.
Aufbau: orbitals fill in increasing energy order. Pauli: no two electrons have identical four quantum numbers. Hund: orbitals of a subshell are singly filled before pairing.
Give the de Broglie equation for the wavelength of a moving particle.
λ = h/mv = h/p, where h is Planck's constant, m is mass, v is velocity, and p is momentum.
What is the difference between sigma (σ) and pi (π) bonds?
Sigma bonds form by head-on (axial) overlap of orbitals and are stronger; pi bonds form by sidewise (lateral) overlap of p-orbitals and are weaker. Single bond = 1 σ; double = 1 σ + 1 π; triple = 1 σ + 2 π.
State VSEPR theory and the shape of a molecule with 4 bond pairs (e.g., CH4).
VSEPR: electron pairs around a central atom arrange to minimize repulsion. Four bond pairs give a tetrahedral shape with bond angle 109.5° (e.g., CH4).
What hybridization and geometry correspond to sp, sp2, and sp3?
sp = linear, 180° (e.g., BeCl2); sp2 = trigonal planar, 120° (e.g., BF3); sp3 = tetrahedral, 109.5° (e.g., CH4).
Define bond order and how it is calculated in molecular orbital theory.
Bond order = (number of bonding electrons - number of antibonding electrons) / 2. Higher bond order means greater bond strength and shorter bond length.
Why is hydrogen bonding important, and which atoms enable it?
Hydrogen bonding occurs when H is bonded to highly electronegative F, O, or N. It raises boiling points, explains water's anomalous properties, and DNA base pairing.
State the first law of thermodynamics.
Energy can neither be created nor destroyed: ΔU = q + w, where ΔU is change in internal energy, q is heat absorbed, and w is work done on the system.
What is enthalpy (H), and what does a negative ΔH indicate?
Enthalpy H = U + PV is heat content at constant pressure. ΔH < 0 indicates an exothermic reaction (heat released); ΔH > 0 is endothermic.
State Hess's law of constant heat summation.
The total enthalpy change of a reaction is the same whether it occurs in one step or several, depending only on initial and final states.
State the Gibbs free energy equation and the spontaneity condition.
ΔG = ΔH - TΔS. A reaction is spontaneous when ΔG < 0, at equilibrium when ΔG = 0, and non-spontaneous when ΔG > 0.
How is entropy (S) described, and what is the second law of thermodynamics?
Entropy is a measure of disorder/randomness. Second law: the entropy of the universe always increases for a spontaneous process (ΔS_universe > 0).

Show the other 31 Chemistry flashcards

State Le Chatelier's principle.
If a system at equilibrium is disturbed by a change in concentration, temperature, or pressure, it shifts to counteract the disturbance and re-establish equilibrium.
What is the relationship between Kp and Kc?
Kp = Kc(RT)^Δn, where Δn = (moles of gaseous products) - (moles of gaseous reactants).
Define pH and pOH, and state their relationship at 25°C.
pH = -log[H+], pOH = -log[OH-]. At 25°C, pH + pOH = 14, since Kw = [H+][OH-] = 10^-14.
What is a buffer solution, and give the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.
A buffer resists pH change on adding small amounts of acid/base. pH = pKa + log([salt]/[acid]) for an acidic buffer.
Define solubility product (Ksp) and the common ion effect.
Ksp is the equilibrium constant for a sparingly soluble salt dissolving into ions. The common ion effect is the suppression of solubility/ionization by adding an ion already present in the equilibrium.
State the rate law and define order of reaction.
Rate = k[A]^x[B]^y. Order = x + y, the sum of the powers of concentration terms in the experimentally determined rate law.
Give the integrated rate equation and half-life for a first-order reaction.
k = (2.303/t) log([A0]/[A]); half-life t1/2 = 0.693/k, which is independent of initial concentration.
State the Arrhenius equation and what each term represents.
k = A e^(-Ea/RT), where A is the frequency factor, Ea is activation energy, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature.
How does a catalyst affect a reaction?
A catalyst increases reaction rate by providing an alternative pathway with lower activation energy; it does not change ΔG or the equilibrium position.
State Faraday's first law of electrolysis.
The mass of a substance deposited at an electrode is directly proportional to the quantity of electricity passed: m = (E x I x t)/F, where E is equivalent weight and F = 96500 C.
Give the Nernst equation for an electrode/cell at 298 K.
E_cell = E°_cell - (0.0591/n) log Q, where n is the number of electrons transferred and Q is the reaction quotient.
What is the relationship between standard cell EMF and Gibbs free energy?
ΔG° = -nFE°_cell, where n is moles of electrons, F is the Faraday constant. A positive E°_cell means a spontaneous (galvanic) cell.
State Raoult's law for a solution of a non-volatile solute.
The relative lowering of vapour pressure equals the mole fraction of the solute: (P° - P)/P° = x_solute.
List the four colligative properties of solutions.
Relative lowering of vapour pressure, elevation of boiling point, depression of freezing point, and osmotic pressure.
Give the formula for osmotic pressure and the van't Hoff factor's role.
π = CRT (or π = iCRT for electrolytes), where C is molarity, R the gas constant, T temperature, and i the van't Hoff factor accounting for dissociation/association.
What is the difference between a lyophilic and a lyophobic colloid?
Lyophilic (solvent-loving) colloids are stable and reversible (e.g., starch, gelatin); lyophobic (solvent-hating) colloids are unstable, irreversible, and need stabilizers (e.g., metal sols).
What are the Tyndall effect and Brownian motion in colloids?
Tyndall effect is the scattering of light by colloidal particles making the beam visible; Brownian motion is the random zig-zag movement of colloidal particles due to molecular collisions.
Distinguish physisorption from chemisorption.
Physisorption involves weak van der Waals forces, is reversible, low enthalpy, multilayer; chemisorption involves chemical bonds, is irreversible, high enthalpy, and monolayer.
State the modern periodic law and how the table is arranged.
Properties of elements are a periodic function of their atomic numbers. The table is arranged in increasing atomic number across 18 groups and 7 periods.
How do atomic radius, ionization energy, and electronegativity vary across a period and down a group?
Across a period (left to right): atomic radius decreases; ionization energy and electronegativity increase. Down a group: atomic radius increases; ionization energy and electronegativity decrease.
Why are alkali metals (s-block Group 1) highly reactive?
They have a single, loosely held valence electron with low ionization energy, easily lost to form +1 ions; reactivity increases down the group.
What is diagonal relationship, with an example from s-block elements?
Similarity in properties between an element and the element diagonally to its lower right, due to similar charge/radius ratio. Example: Li resembles Mg; Be resembles Al.
Why does boron show anomalous behaviour in the p-block, and what is inert pair effect?
Boron is small, has high ionization energy and no d-orbitals, so it forms covalent compounds. Inert pair effect is the reluctance of the ns2 pair to participate in bonding, making lower oxidation states more stable down a group (e.g., Pb2+ > Pb4+).
Why are transition (d-block) elements coloured and good catalysts?
They show colour due to d-d electronic transitions of partially filled d-orbitals, and act as catalysts due to variable oxidation states and ability to form complexes/adsorb reactants.
What is lanthanoid contraction and one of its consequences?
The steady decrease in size of lanthanoid ions with increasing atomic number due to poor shielding by 4f electrons. Consequence: second and third transition series elements have nearly identical sizes (e.g., Zr and Hf).
State Werner's coordination theory terms: coordination number and ligand.
Coordination number is the number of ligand donor atoms bonded to the central metal ion; a ligand is an ion or molecule that donates a lone pair to the central metal atom/ion.
What does crystal field theory explain about octahedral complexes?
Ligands split the metal d-orbitals into lower-energy t2g and higher-energy eg sets (splitting energy Δo). The magnitude of Δo determines colour and whether the complex is high-spin (weak field) or low-spin (strong field).
What are the main steps in the extraction of a metal from its ore (metallurgy)?
Concentration of ore, conversion to oxide (roasting/calcination), reduction of oxide to metal, and refining/purification.
In the carbon mechanism, classify a reaction: what are electrophiles and nucleophiles?
An electrophile is an electron-deficient species that accepts an electron pair (e.g., NO2+); a nucleophile is an electron-rich species that donates an electron pair (e.g., OH-, CN-).
State Markovnikov's rule for addition of HX to an unsymmetrical alkene.
When HX adds to an unsymmetrical alkene, the hydrogen attaches to the carbon already bearing more hydrogens, and X to the carbon with fewer hydrogens (forming the more stable carbocation).
Distinguish SN1 and SN2 nucleophilic substitution mechanisms.
SN1: two-step, carbocation intermediate, first-order kinetics, racemization, favoured by tertiary halides/polar protic solvents. SN2: one-step, concerted, second-order kinetics, inversion of configuration (Walden inversion), favoured by primary halides/polar aprotic solvents.

IPU CET Chemistry FAQ

What is in the IPU CET Chemistry syllabus?

IPU CET Chemistry is split into 5 chapters: Physical Chemistry I, Physical Chemistry II, Inorganic Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Applied and Environmental Chemistry. Together they contain 26 topics and 63 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in IPU CET Chemistry?

5 chapters, containing 26 topics and 63 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Physical Chemistry II, with 6 topics.

Are there flashcards for IPU CET Chemistry?

Yes — a 51-card Chemistry deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.