Syllabus of B.Sc. (Hons.

) Chemistry Entrance Test

Basic Concepts of Chemistry

Importance and scope of Chemistry, laws of chemical combination, Dalton's atomic theory, concept of
elements, atoms and molecules. Atomic and molecular masses, mole concept and molar mass,
percentage composition, empirical and molecular formula, chemical reactions, stoichiometry and
calculations based on stoichiometry.

Structure of Atom

Discovery of Electron, Proton and Neutron, atomic number, isotopes and isobars. Thomson's model
and its limitations. Rutherford's model and its limitations, Bohr's model and its limitations, concept of
shells and subshells, dual nature of matter and light, de Broglie's relationship, Heisenberg uncertainty
principle, concept of orbitals, quantum numbers, shapes of s, p and d orbitals, rules for filling electrons
in orbitals - Aufbau principle, Pauli's exclusion principle and Hund's rule, electronic configuration of
atoms, stability of half-filled and completely filled orbitals.

Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties

Significance of classification, brief history of the development of periodic table, modern periodic law
and the present form of periodic table, periodic trends in properties of elements -atomic radii, ionic
radii, inert gas radii, Ionization enthalpy, electron gain enthalpy, electronegativity, valency.

Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure

Ionic bond, covalent bond, bond parameters, Lewis structure, polar character of covalent bond,
covalent character of ionic bond, valence bond theory, resonance, geometry of covalent molecules,
VSEPR theory, concept of hybridization, involving s, p and d orbitals and shapes of some simple
molecules, molecular orbital theory of homonuclear diatomic molecules, Hydrogen bond.

d and f Block Elements

General introduction, electronic configuration, occurrence and characteristics of transition metals,

general trends in properties of the first-row transition metals – metallic character, ionization enthalpy,
oxidation states, ionic radii, colour, catalytic property, magnetic properties, interstitial compounds,
alloy formation, preparation and properties of K2Cr2O7 and KMnO4. Lanthanoids - Electronic
configuration, oxidation states, chemical reactivity and lanthanoid contraction and its consequences.
Actinoids - Electronic configuration, oxidation states and comparison with lanthanoids.

Coordination Compounds

Introduction, ligands, coordination number, colour, magnetic properties and shapes, IUPAC
nomenclature of mononuclear coordination compounds. Werner's theory, VBT, and CFT; structure and
stereoisomerism, importance of coordination compounds.

Chemical Thermodynamics

Systems, surroundings, work, heat, energy, extensive and intensive properties, state functions. First
law of thermodynamics -internal energy and enthalpy, heat capacity and specific heat, measurement
of U and H, Hess's law of constant heat summation, Lavoisier and Laplace law, enthalpy of bond
dissociation, combustion, formation, atomization, neutralization, sublimation, phase transition,
ionization, solution and dilution. Second law of Thermodynamics. Introduction of entropy as a state
function, Gibb's energy change for spontaneous and non- spontaneous processes, criteria for
equilibrium. Third law of thermodynamics.

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Chemical and Ionic Equilibrium

Equilibrium in physical and chemical processes, dynamic nature of equilibrium, law of mass action,
equilibrium constant, factors affecting equilibrium - Le Chatelier's principle, ionic equilibrium-
ionization of acids and bases, strong and weak electrolytes, degree of ionization, ionization of poly
basic acids, acid strength, concept of pH, hydrolysis of salts, buffer solution, Henderson Equation,
solubility product, common ion effect.

Solutions

Types of solutions, expression of concentration of solutions of solids in liquids, solubility of gases in

liquids, solid solutions, Raoult's law, colligative properties - relative lowering of vapour pressure,
elevation of boiling point, depression of freezing point, osmotic pressure, determination of molecular
masses using colligative properties, abnormal molecular mass, Van't Hoff factor.

Electrochemistry

Redox reactions, Concept of oxidation and reduction, oxidation number, applications of redox
reactions. EMF of a cell, standard electrode potential, Nernst equation and its application to chemical
cells, Relation between Gibbs energy change and EMF of a cell, conductance in electrolytic solutions,
specific and molar conductivity, variations of conductivity with concentration, Kohlrausch's Law,
electrolysis and law of electrolysis, dry cell-electrolytic cells and Galvanic cells, fuel cells.

Chemical Kinetics

Rate of a reaction, factors affecting the rate of reaction: concentration, temperature, catalyst; order
and molecularity of a reaction, rate law and specific rate constant, integrated rate equations and half-
life, concept of collision theory, activation energy, Arrhenius equation.

Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry

Qualitative and quantitative analysis, classification and IUPAC nomenclature of organic compounds.
Electronic displacements in a covalent bond: inductive effect, electromeric effect, resonance and hyper
conjugation. Homolytic and heterolytic fission of a covalent bond: free radicals, carbocations,
carbanions, electrophiles and nucleophiles, types of organic reactions, reaction mechanism of addition,
substitution, and free radical reactions.

Hydrocarbons

Aliphatic Hydrocarbons: Alkanes - Nomenclature, isomerism, conformation, physical properties,

chemical reactions including free radical mechanism of halogenation, combustion and pyrolysis.
Alkenes - Nomenclature, structure of double bond, geometrical isomerism, physical properties,
methods of preparation, chemical reactions: addition of hydrogen, halogen, water, hydrogen halides
(Markovnikov's addition and peroxide effect), ozonolysis, oxidation, mechanism of electrophilic
addition. Alkynes - Nomenclature, structure of triple bond, physical properties, methods of
preparation, chemical reactions: acidic character of alkynes, addition reaction of - hydrogen, halogens,
hydrogen halides and water. Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Introduction, IUPAC nomenclature, benzene:
resonance, aromaticity, chemical properties: mechanism of electrophilic substitution. Nitration,
sulphonation, halogenation, Friedel Craft's alkylation and acylation, directive influence of functional
group in monosubstituted benzene.

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Haloalkanes and Haloarenes

Haloalkanes: Nomenclature, nature of C–X bond, physical and chemical properties, optical rotation
mechanism of substitution reactions. Haloarenes: Nature of C–X bond, substitution reactions
(Directive influence of halogen in monosubstituted compounds only). Uses and environmental effects
of - dichloromethane, trichloromethane, tetrachloromethane, iodoform, freons, DDT.

Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers

Alcohols: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, identification of

primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, mechanism of dehydration, uses with special reference to
methanol and ethanol. Phenols: Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical
properties, acidic nature of phenol, electrophillic substitution reactions, uses of phenols. Ethers:
Nomenclature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties, uses.

Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids

Aldehydes and Ketones: Nomenclature, nature of carbonyl group, methods of preparation, physical and
chemical properties, mechanism of nucleophilic addition, reactivity of alpha hydrogen in aldehydes, uses.
Carboxylic Acids: Nomenclature, acidic nature, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties;
uses.

Amines

Nomenclature, classification, structure, methods of preparation, physical and chemical properties,

uses, identification of primary, secondary and tertiary amines. Diazonium salts: Preparation, chemical
reactions and importance in synthetic organic chemistry.

Biomolecules

Carbohydrates - Classification (aldoses and ketoses), monosaccahrides (glucose and fructose), D-L
configuration oligosaccharides (sucrose, lactose, maltose), polysaccharides (starch, cellulose,
glycogen); Importance of carbohydrates. Proteins -Elementary idea of - amino acids, peptide bond,
polypeptides, proteins, structure of proteins- primary, secondary, tertiary structure and quaternary
structures, denaturation of proteins; enzymes. Hormones - Elementary idea excluding structure.
Vitamins - Classification and functions. Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA.