KCET 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 KCET, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Physical Chemistry - Foundations

   4 topics

   • Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
     • Mole concept and Avogadro number
     • Stoichiometry and limiting reagent
     • Empirical and molecular formula
   • Structure of Atom
     • Bohr model and quantum numbers
     • Aufbau, Pauli and Hund's rules
     • Shapes of s, p, d orbitals
   • Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
     • Ionic and covalent bonding
     • VSEPR theory and molecular geometry
     • Hybridisation and molecular orbital theory
   • States of Matter
     • Gas laws and ideal gas equation
     • Kinetic molecular theory
     • Real gases and van der Waals equation
2. 2

   Physical Chemistry - Energetics and Equilibrium

   3 topics

   • Thermodynamics
     • Enthalpy, internal energy and Hess's law
     • Spontaneity, entropy and Gibbs energy
   • Chemical and Ionic Equilibrium
     • Law of mass action and Kp, Kc
     • Le Chatelier's principle
     • pH, buffer solutions and solubility product
   • Acids and Bases
     • Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis concepts
     • Ionisation of weak acids and bases
3. 3

   Physical Chemistry - Solutions, Electrochemistry and Kinetics

   4 topics

   • Solutions
     • Concentration terms: molarity, molality, mole fraction
     • Raoult's law and ideal/non-ideal solutions
     • Colligative properties and van't Hoff factor
   • Electrochemistry
     • Galvanic cells and electrode potential
     • Nernst equation and EMF
     • Conductance and Kohlrausch law
   • Chemical Kinetics
     • Rate of reaction and order/molecularity
     • Integrated rate equations and half-life
     • Arrhenius equation and activation energy
   • Redox Reactions
     • Oxidation number and balancing
     • Types of redox reactions
4. 4

   Inorganic Chemistry

   5 topics

   • Classification of Elements and Periodicity
     • Modern periodic law and periodic trends
     • Ionisation enthalpy, electronegativity, atomic radius
   • Hydrogen and s-Block Elements
     • Properties of hydrogen and water
     • Alkali and alkaline earth metals
   • p-Block Elements
     • Groups 13 to 18 trends
     • Compounds of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen families
   • d- and f-Block Elements
     • Transition elements and variable oxidation states
     • Lanthanoids and actinoids
   • Coordination Compounds
     • Werner's theory and nomenclature
     • Isomerism in coordination compounds
     • Valence bond and crystal field theory
5. 5

   Organic Chemistry - Fundamentals and Hydrocarbons

   4 topics

   • Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry
     • IUPAC nomenclature
     • Inductive, resonance and hyperconjugation effects
     • Reaction intermediates and types of reactions
   • Hydrocarbons
     • Alkanes, alkenes and alkynes
     • Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov addition
     • Aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene
   • Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
     • SN1 and SN2 mechanisms
     • Preparation and properties
   • Environmental Chemistry
     • Air, water and soil pollution
     • Green chemistry
6. 6

   Organic Chemistry - Functional Groups and Biomolecules

   5 topics

   • Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
     • Preparation and reactions of alcohols
     • Acidity of phenols
   • Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
     • Nucleophilic addition reactions
     • Aldol and Cannizzaro reactions
     • Acidity of carboxylic acids
   • Amines and Nitrogen Compounds
     • Classification and basicity of amines
     • Diazonium salts and reactions
   • Biomolecules
     • Carbohydrates and proteins
     • Vitamins, enzymes and nucleic acids
   • Polymers and Chemistry in Everyday Life
     • Addition and condensation polymers
     • Drugs, soaps and detergents

Chemistry flashcards for KCET

21 of 51 cards from the Chemistry deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. State the mole concept: what is one mole and what is Avogadro's number?

   One mole is the amount of substance containing as many entities as atoms in 12 g of carbon-12. Avogadro's number = 6.022 x 10^23 entities per mole.

2. What is the formula relating molarity (M) to moles of solute and volume of solution?

   Molarity (M) = moles of solute / volume of solution in litres.

3. Define empirical formula and molecular formula, and how they relate.

   Empirical formula gives the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms; molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms. Molecular formula = (empirical formula) x n, where n = molecular mass / empirical formula mass.

4. State the four quantum numbers and what each describes.

   Principal (n) = energy/shell size; Azimuthal/angular (l) = subshell shape; Magnetic (m_l) = orbital orientation; Spin (m_s) = electron spin (+1/2 or -1/2).

5. State the Heisenberg uncertainty principle as a formula.

   Δx · Δp ≥ h/4π — the position and momentum of an electron cannot both be determined exactly simultaneously.

6. State Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle, and Hund's rule.

   Aufbau: orbitals fill in increasing energy order. Pauli: no two electrons have all four quantum numbers identical (max 2 per orbital, opposite spins). Hund: orbitals of a subshell fill singly first with parallel spins before pairing.

7. 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 sideways (lateral) overlap of p-orbitals and are weaker. A single bond is one σ; a double bond is one σ + one π.

8. According to VSEPR theory, what are the shapes for 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 electron pairs?

   2 = linear, 3 = trigonal planar, 4 = tetrahedral, 5 = trigonal bipyramidal, 6 = octahedral.

9. What hybridization corresponds to linear, trigonal planar, and tetrahedral geometries?

   Linear = sp, trigonal planar = sp2, tetrahedral = sp3.

10. State the ideal gas equation and name its variables.

    PV = nRT, where P = pressure, V = volume, n = moles, R = gas constant (0.0821 L·atm·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹), T = absolute temperature.

11. State Boyle's law, Charles's law, and Gay-Lussac's law.

    Boyle: at constant T, P ∝ 1/V. Charles: at constant P, V ∝ T. Gay-Lussac: at constant V, P ∝ T.

12. State the first law of thermodynamics as an equation.

    ΔU = q + w, where ΔU = change in internal energy, q = heat added to system, w = work done on system.

13. Give the relationship between ΔH and ΔU for a reaction.

    ΔH = ΔU + Δn_g RT, where Δn_g = moles of gaseous products minus moles of gaseous reactants.

14. State the Gibbs free energy equation and the condition for spontaneity.

    ΔG = ΔH − TΔS. A process is spontaneous when ΔG < 0, at equilibrium when ΔG = 0, non-spontaneous when ΔG > 0.

15. What is 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 steps; ΔH depends only on initial and final states, not the path.

16. Write the expression for the equilibrium constant Kc for aA + bB ⇌ cC + dD.

    Kc = [C]^c[D]^d / [A]^a[B]^b, using equilibrium molar concentrations.

17. State Le Chatelier's principle.

    If a system at equilibrium is disturbed by a change in concentration, pressure, or temperature, the equilibrium shifts in the direction that counteracts the disturbance.

18. What is the relationship between Kp and Kc?

    Kp = Kc(RT)^Δn_g, where Δn_g = moles of gaseous products − moles of gaseous reactants.

19. Define an acid and base according to the Bronsted-Lowry concept.

    A Bronsted-Lowry acid is a proton (H⁺) donor; a base is a proton acceptor.

20. Define a Lewis acid and a Lewis base.

    A Lewis acid is an electron-pair acceptor; a Lewis base is an electron-pair donor.

21. What is the ionic product of water (Kw) at 25°C, and the relationship between pH and pOH?

    Kw = [H⁺][OH⁻] = 1.0 x 10⁻¹⁴ at 25°C; pH + pOH = 14.

See more Chemistry flashcards →

Planning Chemistry for KCET

Chemistry (KCET) FAQ