SRMEE Application Form

PART 2 – CHEMISTRY (35 Questions)

UNIT 1: Some Basic Concepts in Chemistry

Matter and its nature, Dalton’s atomic theory;  concept of atom, molecule, element and compound; physical quantities and their  measurements in chemistry, precision and  accuracy, significant figures, S.I. Units,  dimensional analysis; laws of chemical  combination; atomic and molecular masses, mole  concept, molar mass, percentage composition,  empirical and molecular formulae; chemical  equations and stoichiometry.

UNIT 2: States of Matter

Classication of matter into solid, liquid and  gaseous states.

Solid State: Classication of solids: molecular,  ionic, covalent and metallic solids, amorphous and  crystalline solids (elementary idea); Bragg’s Law  and its applications; unit cell and lattices, packing  in solids (fcc, bcc and hcp lattices), voids,  calculations involving unit cell parameters,  imperfection in solids; electrical, magnetic and  dielectric properties.

Liquid State: Properties of liquids – vapour  pressure, viscosity and surface tension and effect of  temperature on them (qualitative treatment only).

Gaseous State: Measurable properties of gases;  Gas laws-Boyle’s law, Charle’s law, Graham’s law  of diffusion, Avogadro’s law, Dalton’s law of  partial pressure; concept of absolute scale of  temperature; ideal gas equation, kinetic theory of  gases (only postulates); concept of average, root  mean square and most probable velocities; real  gases, deviation from ideal behaviour,  compressibility factor, Van der Waals equation,  liquefaction of gases, critical constants.

UNIT 3: Chemical Families – Periodic Properties

Modern periodic law and present form of the periodic table, s & p block elements, periodic  trends in properties of elements, atomic and ionic  radii, ionization enthalpy, electron gain enthalpy,  valence, oxidation states and chemical reactivity.  Transition elements-d-block elements, inner  transition elements-f-block elements. Ionization  energy, lanthanides and actinides-general  characteristics.

Coordination Chemistry: Coordination  compounds, nomenclature: terminology – Werner’s  coordination theory. Applications of coordination  compounds.

UNIT 4: Atomic Structure

Discovery of sub-atomic particles (electron, proton  and neutron); Thomson and Rutherford atomic  models and their limitations; nature of  electromagnetic radiation, photoelectric effect;  spectrum of hydrogen atom, Bohr model of  hydrogen atom-its postulates, derivation of the  relations for energy of the electron and radii of the  different orbits, limitations of Bohr’s model; dual  nature of matter, De-Broglie’s relationship,  Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Elementary ideas of quantum mechanics, quantum mechanical  model of atom, its important features,  various quantum numbers (principal, angular momentum and magnetic quantum numbers) and their significance;  shapes of s, p and d-orbitals, electron spin and spin quantum  number; rules for lling electrons in orbitals–Aufbau  principle, Pauli’s exclusion principle and Hund’s rule,  electronic conguration of elements, extra stability of  half-filled and completely filled orbitals.

UNIT 5: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure

Covalent bonding: Concept of electronegativity, Fajan’s rule,  dipole moment; Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion  (VSEPR) theory and shapes of simple molecules.

Quantum mechanical approach to covalent bonding:  Valence bond theory – Its important features, concept of  hybridization involving s, p and d orbitals; resonance.

Molecular orbital theory – Its important features, LCAOs,  types of molecular orbitals (bonding, anti-bonding), sigma  and pi-bonds, molecular orbital electronic configurations of  homonuclear diatomic molecules, concept of bond order,  bond length and bond energy. Elementary idea of metallic  bonding. Hydrogen bonding and its applications.

Extractive metallurgy of sodium, lithium, properties of  alkali metals, basic nature of oxides and hydroxides, compounds of alkaline earth metals, compounds of boron.  Oxides, carbides, halides and sulphides of carbon group.  Oxides-classication-acidic, basic, neutral, peroxide and  amphoteric oxides.

UNIT 6: Chemical Energetics

First law of thermodynamics, Energy changes during a  chemical reaction, internal energy and Enthalpy, Hess’s law  of constant heat summation, numerical based on these  concepts. Enthalpies of reactions (enthalpy of  neutralization, enthalpy of combustion, enthalpy of fusion  and vaporization).

UNIT 7: Chemical Thermodynamics

Second law of thermodynamics–Spontaneity of processes; ∆S of the universe and ∆G of the system as criteria for  spontaneity, ∆Go (Standard Gibbs energy change) and  equilibrium constant.

UNIT 8: Solutions

Different methods for expressing concentration of  solution-Molality, molarity, mole fraction, percentage (by  volume and mass both), vapour pressure of solutions and  Raoult’s law-ideal and non-ideal solutions, vapour  pressure-composition plots for ideal and non-ideal solutions;  colligative properties of dilute solutions-relative lowering of  vapour pressure, depression of freezing point, elevation of  boiling point and osmotic pressure; determination of  molecular mass using colligative properties; abnormal value  of molar mass, Van’t Hoff factor and its signicance.

UNIT 9: Chemical Equilibrium

Meaning of equilibrium, concept of dynamic equilibrium.  Equilibria involving physical processes: Solid-liquid,  liquid-gas and solid-gas equilibria, Henry’s law, Equilibria  involving chemical processes: Law of chemical equilibrium,  equilibrium constants (Kp and Kc) and their signicance,  signicance of ∆G and ∆Go in chemical equilibria, factors  affecting equilibrium concentration, pressure, temperature,  effect of catalyst; Le Chatelier’s principle.  Ionic equilibrium: Weak and strong electrolytes, ionization  of electrolytes, various concepts of acids and bases  (Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis) and their  ionization, acid-base equilibria (including multistage  ionization) and ionization constants, ionization of water, pH  scale, common ion effect, hydrolysis of salts and pH of their  solutions, solubility of sparingly soluble salts and solubility  products, buffer solutions.

UNIT 10: Electrochemistry

Electrolytic and metallic conduction, conductance in  electrolytic solutions, specific and molar conductivities and  their variation with concentration: Kohlrausch’s law and its  applications.

Electrochemical cells-Electrolytic and Galvanic cells,  different types of electrodes, electrode potentials including  standard electrode potential, half-cell and cell reactions, emf  of a galvanic cell and its measurement; Nernst equation and  its applications; dry cell and lead accumulator; fuel cells;  corrosion and its prevention.

UNIT 11: Surface Chemistry, Chemical Kinetics and Catalysis

Adsorption-Physisorption and chemisorption and their  characteristics, factors affecting adsorption of gases on  solids-Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms,  adsorption from solutions. Catalysis-Homogeneous and heterogeneous, activity and  selectivity of solid catalysts, enzyme catalysis and its  mechanism. Colloidal state-Distinction among true solutions, colloids  and suspensions, classication of colloids-lyophilic,  lyophobic; multi molecular, macromolecular and associated  colloids (micelles), preparation and properties of  colloids-Tyndall effect, Brownian movement, electrophoresis,  dialysis, coagulation and occulation; emulsions and their  characteristics.  Rate of reaction, instantaneous rate of reaction and order  of reaction. Factors affecting rates of reactions –  factors affecting rate of collisions encountered  between the reactant molecules, effect of  temperature on the reaction rate, concept of  activation energy, catalyst. Rate law expression.  Order of a reaction (with suitable examples). Units of rates and specic rate constants. Order of  reaction and effect of concentration (study will be conned to rst order only). Theories of catalysis  adsorption theory-some of important industrial  process using catalysts.

Nuclear Chemistry: Radioactivity: isotopes and  isobars: Properties of α, β and γ rays; Kinetics of  radioactive decay (decay series excluded), carbon  datting; Stability of nuclei with respect to proton-neutron ratio; Brief discussion on ssion  and fusion reactions.

UNIT 12: Purification and Characterisation of  Organic Compounds

Purification – Crystallization, sublimation,  distillation, differential extraction and  chromatography – principles and their applications.

Qualitative analysis – Detection of nitrogen,  sulphur, phosphorus and halogens.

Quantitative analysis (basic principles only) –  Estimation of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen,  halogens, sulphur, phosphorus. Calculations of  empirical formulae and molecular formulae;  numerical problems in organic quantitative  analysis.

UNIT 13: Some Basic Principles of Organic  Chemistry

Tetravalency of carbon; shapes of simple  molecules-hybridization (s and p); classication of  organic compounds based on functional groups:  -C=C-, -CΞC- and those containing halogens,  oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur; homologous series;  isomerism-structural and stereoisomerism.

Nomenclature (Trivial and IUPAC)

Covalent bond fission – Homolytic and heterolytic:  free radicals, carbocations and carbanions; stability  of carbocations and free radicals, electrophiles and  nucleophiles. Electronic displacement in a covalent  bond-inductive effect, electromeric effect,  resonance and hyperconjugation.  Common types of organic reactions – Substitution,  addition, elimination and rearrangement.

UNIT 14: Hydrocarbons

Classification, isomerism, IUPAC nomenclature,  general methods of preparation, properties and  reactions.

Alkanes-Conformations: Sawhorse and Newman  projections (of ethane); mechanism of  halogenation of alkanes.

Alkenes-Geometrical isomerism; mechanism of  electrophilic addition: addition of hydrogen,  halogens, water, hydrogen halides (Markownikoff’s and peroxide effect); ozonolysis, oxidation, and  polymerization.

Alkynes-Acidic character; addition of hydrogen,  halogens, water and hydrogen halides;  polymerization. Aromatic hydrocarbons-  nomenclature, benzene-structure and aromaticity;  mechanism of electrophilic substitution:  halogenation, nitration, Friedel-Craft’s alkylation  and acylation, directive inuence of functional  group in monosubstituted benzene.

UNIT 15: Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen

General methods of preparation, properties,  reactions and uses.

Alcohols: Distinction of primary, secondary and  tertiary alcohols; mechanism of dehydration.  Reactions of hydroxyl derivatives.

Phenols: Acidic nature, electrophilic substitution reactions: halogenation, nitration and  sulphonation, Reimer-Tiemann reaction. Addition  to >C=O group, relative reactivities of aldehydes  and ketones.

Ethers: Structure.

Aldehyde and Ketones: Nature of carbonyl group;  Nucleophilic addition reactions (addition of HCN,  NH3 and its derivatives), Grignard reagent;  oxidation; reduction (Wolff Kishner and  Clemmensen); acidity of-hydrogen, aldol  condensation, Cannizzaro reaction, Haloform  reaction; Chemical tests to distinguish between  aldehydes and Ketones.

Carboxylic acids: Reactions, Acidic strength and factors  affecting it; reactions of acid derivatives.

UNIT 16: Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen

General methods of preparation, properties, reactions and  uses.

Amines: Nomenclature, classification, structure, basic  character and identification of primary, secondary and  tertiary amines and their basic character.

Diazonium salts: Importance in synthetic organic chemistry.

UNIT 17: Polymers

General introduction and classification of polymers, general  methods of polymerization–addition and condensation,  copolymerization; natural and synthetic rubber and  vulcanization; some important polymers with emphasis on  their monomers and uses – polythene, nylon, polyester and  bakelite.

UNIT 18: Biomolecules

Carbohydrates-Classification: aldoses and ketoses;  monosaccharides (glucose and fructose), constituent  monosaccharides of oligosacchorides (sucrose, lactose,  maltose) and polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, glycogen).

Proteins – Elementary Idea of amino acids, peptide bond,  polypeptides; proteins: primary, secondary, tertiary and  quaternary structure (qualitative idea only), denaturation of  proteins, enzymes.

Vitamins – Classication and functions.

Nucleic acids – Chemical constitution of DNA and RNA.  Biological functions of nucleic acids.

UNIT 19: Chemistry in Everyday Life

Chemicals in medicines-Analgesics, tranquilizers, antiseptics,  disinfectants, antimicrobials, antifertility drugs, antibiotics,  antacids.

Antihistamins-their meaning and common examples.  Chemicals in food-preservatives, articial sweetening  agents-common examples.

Cleansing agents–Soaps and detergents, cleansing action.