JAMB UTME Chemistry Syllabus — Official Topics & Objectives

Source: Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) — Integrated Brochure & Syllabus System (IBASS). Official document at ibass.jamb.gov.ng · Download PDF.

Chemistry

Separation of Mixtures and Purification of Chemical Substances

•elements, compounds and mixtures
•chemical and physical changes
•pure and impure substances
•boiling, density, freezing and melting points
•separation processes: evaporation, simple and fractional distillation, sublimation, re-crystallization, paper and column chromatography, simple and fractional crystallization, magnetization, decantation, filtration and centrifugation

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓distinguish between elements, compounds and mixture
✓differentiate between chemical and physical changes
✓distinguish between pure and impure substances
✓use boiling and melting points as criteria for purity of chemical substances
✓identify the properties of the components of a mixture
✓specify the principle involved in each separation method
✓apply the basic principle of separation processes in everyday life

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Chemical Combination

•laws of definite, multiple and reciprocal proportions, law of conservation of matter, chemical symbols, formulae, equations and their uses, relative atomic mass based on C=12, the mole concept and stoichiometry of reactions

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓deduce the chemical laws from given expressions/statements/data
✓perform simple calculations involving formulae, equations/chemical composition and the mole concept
✓deduce the stoichiometry of chemical reactions

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Kinetic Theory of Matter and Gas Laws

•phenomena to support the kinetic theory of matter (melting, vapourization, boiling, freezing, condensation)
•the laws of Boyle, Charles, Avogadro, Gay-Lussac, Graham and Dalton (law of partial pressure), molar volume and atomicity of gases
•the ideal gas equation (PV = nRT)
•the relationship between vapour density of gases and the relative molecular mass
•ideal and real gases

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓apply the theory to distinguish between solids, liquids and gases
✓deduce reasons for change of state
✓draw inferences based on molecular motion
✓deduce gas laws from given expressions/statements
✓interpret graphical representations related to these laws
✓perform simple calculations based on these laws, equations and relationships
✓state factors responsible for the deviation of real gases from ideal situation

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Atomic Structure and Bonding

•the concept of atoms, molecules and ions; the works of Dalton, Millikan, Rutherford, Moseley, Thompson and Bohr
•atomic structure, the four quantum numbers, arrangement of atoms into orbitals, electron configuration, atomic number, mass number and isotopes
•shapes of s and p orbitals
•the periodic table and periodicity of elements
•chemical bonding: electrovalency and covalency, hydrogen bonding and metallic bonding, coordinate bond, van der Waals’ forces
•shapes of simple molecules

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓distinguish between atoms, molecules and ions
✓identify the contributions of these scientists to the development of the atomic structure
✓deduce the number of protons, neutrons and electrons from atomic and mass numbers of an atom
✓apply the rules guiding the arrangement of electrons in an atom
✓identify common elements exhibiting isotopy
✓relate isotopy to mass number
✓perform simple calculations relating to isotopy
✓differentiate between the shapes of the orbitals
✓determine the number of electrons in s and p atomic orbitals
✓relate atomic number to the position of an element on the periodic table
✓relate properties of groups of elements on the periodic table
✓identify reasons for variation in properties across the period and down the groups
✓differentiate between the different types of bonding
✓deduce bond types based on electron configurations
✓relate the nature of bonding to properties of compounds
✓differentiate between the various shapes of molecules

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Nuclear Chemistry

•radioactivity – types, properties and detection of radiations
•natural and artificial radioactivity
•nuclear stability and radioactive decay
•nuclear reactions: nuclear fusion and fission

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓distinguish between ordinary chemical reaction and nuclear reaction
✓differentiate between natural and artificial radioactivity
✓compare the properties of the different types of nuclear radiations
✓compute simple calculations on the half-life of a radioactive material
✓balance simple nuclear equation
✓identify the various applications of radioactivity

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Solubility

•unsaturated, saturated and supersaturated solutions; solubility curves and simple deductions from them
•solvents for fats, oil, perspiration and paints and the use of such solvents for the removal of stains
•true and false solutions (suspensions and colloids): properties and examples

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓distinguish between the different types of solutions
✓interpret solubility curves
✓calculate the amount of solute that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a given temperature
✓deduce that solubility is temperature-dependent
✓relate nature of solvents to their uses
✓differentiate among true solutions, suspensions and colloids
✓compare the properties of a true solution and a false solution
✓provide typical examples of suspensions and colloids

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Environmental Pollution

•air: the natural gaseous constituents and their proportion
•air pollution: examples of air pollutants such as H2S, CO, SO2, oxides of nitrogen, chlorofluorocarbons and dust
•water pollution: sewage and oil pollution
•soil pollution: oil spillage, biodegradable and non-biodegradable pollutants

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓give reason(s) for the existence of air as a mixture
✓identify the principle involved in the separation of air components
✓state reasons for the variation in the composition of air in the environment
✓specify the uses of some of the constituents of air
✓identify the different types of pollution and pollutants
✓specify different sources of pollutants
✓classify pollutants as biodegradable and non-biodegradable
✓specify the effects of pollution on the environment
✓identify measures for control of environmental pollution

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Acids, Bases and Salts

•general characteristics, properties and uses of acids, bases and salts; acid/base indicators, basicity of acids; normal, acidic, basic and double salts
•qualitative comparison of the conductance of molar solutions of strong and weak acids and bases
•pH and pOH scale; buffer solution
•acid/base titrations
•hydrolysis of salts

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓distinguish between the properties of acids and bases
✓identify the different types of acids and bases
✓determine the basicity of acids
✓differentiate between acidity and alkalinity using acid/base indicators
✓identify the various methods of preparation of salts
✓classify different types of salts
✓relate degree of dissociation to strength of acids and bases
✓relate degree of dissociation to conductance
✓perform simple calculations on pH and pOH
✓enumerate the significance of pH in everyday life
✓state applications of buffer solution
✓identify the appropriate acid-base indicator
✓interpret graphical representation of titration curves
✓perform simple calculations based on the mole concept
✓balance equations for the hydrolysis of salts
✓deduce the properties (acidic, basic, neutral) of the resultant solution

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Oxidation and Reduction (Redox)

•oxidation in terms of the addition of oxygen
•reduction as removal of oxygen with the aid of hydrogen
•oxidation and reduction in terms of electron transfer
•use of oxidation numbers
•IUPAC nomenclature of inorganic compounds using oxidation number
•tests for oxidizing and reducing agents

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓identify the various forms of expressing oxidation and reduction
✓classify chemical reactions in terms of oxidation or reduction
✓balance redox reaction equations
✓deduce the oxidation number of chemical species
✓compute the number of electron transfer in redox reactions
✓identify the name of redox species in a reaction
✓distinguish between oxidizing and reducing agents in redox reactions
✓apply oxidation number in naming inorganic compounds
✓relate reagents to their oxidizing and reducing abilities

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Electrolysis

•electrolytes and non-electrolytes; Faraday’s laws of electrolysis
•electrolysis of dilute H2SO4, aqueous CuSO4, CuCl2 solution, dilute and concentrated NaCl solutions and fused NaCl
•factors affecting discharge of ions at the electrodes
•uses of electrolysis: purification of metals; production of elements and compounds (Al, Na, O2, Cl2 and NaOH)
•electrochemical cells: electrochemical series, half-cell reactions and electrode potentials (simple calculations only)
•corrosion as an electrolytic process, cathodic protection of metals, painting, electroplating and coating with grease or oil

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓distinguish between electrolytes and non-electrolytes
✓perform calculations based on Faraday as mole of electrons
✓identify suitable electrodes for different electrolytes
✓specify the chemical reactions at the electrodes
✓determine the products at the electrodes
✓identify the factors that affect the products of electrolysis
✓specify the different areas of application of electrolysis
✓state the significance of electrochemical series
✓identify the various electrochemical cells
✓calculate electrode potentials using half-cell reaction equations
✓determine the different areas of application of electrolytic processes
✓identify methods used in protecting metals

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Energy Changes

•energy changes (∆H) accompanying physical and chemical changes; endothermic (+∆H) and exothermic (−∆H) reactions
•entropy as an order-disorder phenomenon
•spontaneity of reactions: ∆G0 = 0 as a criterion for equilibrium

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓determine the types of heat changes (∆H) in physical and chemical processes
✓interpret graphical representations of heat changes
✓relate the physical state of a substance to the degree of orderliness
✓determine the conditions for spontaneity of a reaction
✓relate ∆H0, ∆S0 and ∆G0 as the driving forces for chemical reactions
✓solve simple problems based on the relationship ∆G0 = ∆H0 − T∆S0

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Rates of Chemical Reaction

•elementary treatment of the factors which can change the rate of a chemical reaction: temperature, concentration/pressure, surface area, catalyst
•reaction rate curves
•activation energy: qualitative treatment of Arrhenius’ law and the collision theory, effect of light on some reactions

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓identify the factors that affect the rates of a chemical reaction
✓determine the effects of temperature on the rate of reactions
✓examine the effect of concentration/pressure on the rate of a chemical reaction
✓describe how the rate of a chemical reaction is affected by surface area
✓determine the types of catalysts suitable for different reactions and their effects
✓determine ways of moderating these effects in chemical reactions
✓interpret reaction rate curves
✓solve simple problems on the rate of reactions
✓relate the rate of reaction to the kinetic theory of matter
✓examine the significance of activation energy to chemical reactions
✓deduce the value of activation energy (Ea) from reaction rate curves

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Chemical Equilibria

•reversible reactions and factors governing the equilibrium position; dynamic equilibrium
•Le Chatelier’s principle and its industrial applications, equilibrium constant

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓identify the factors that affect the position of equilibrium of a chemical reaction
✓predict the effects of each factor on the position of equilibrium
✓specify the industrial processes where Le Chatelier’s principle is required
✓determine the effects of these factors on equilibrium constant

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Non-metals and their Compounds

•hydrogen: commercial production, laboratory preparation, properties, uses and test
•halogens: chlorine as a representative element of the halogens; hydrogen chloride and hydrochloric acid
•oxygen and sulphur
•water: composition, hardness, treatment of water for town supply
•water of crystallization, efflorescence, deliquescence and hygroscopy
•nitrogen: preparation, ammonia, trioxonitrate (V) acid, oxides of nitrogen, the nitrogen cycle
•carbon: allotropes, carbon(IV) oxide, carbon(II) oxide, coal, coke

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓predict reagents for the laboratory and industrial preparation of these gases and their compounds
✓identify the properties of the gases and their compounds
✓compare the properties of these gases and their compounds
✓specify the uses of each gas and its compounds
✓determine the specific test for each gas and its compounds
✓determine specific tests for Cl−
✓predict the reagents for preparation, properties and uses of HCl(g) and HCl(aq)
✓identify the allotropes of oxygen
✓determine the significance of ozone to our environment
✓classify the oxides of oxygen and their properties
✓identify the various uses of water
✓identify the effects of dissolved atmospheric gases in water
✓distinguish between the properties of hard and soft water
✓determine the causes of hardness
✓identify methods of removal of hardness
✓describe the processes involved in the treatment of water for town supply
✓distinguish between efflorescence, deliquescence and hygroscopy
✓identify the various compounds that exhibit these phenomena
✓identify the allotropes of sulphur and their uses
✓predict the reagents for preparation, properties and uses of SO2 and H2S
✓specify the preparations of H2SO4 and H2SO3, their properties and uses
✓determine specific tests for S2−, SO4²−, H2S, SO2, SO3²−
✓specify the laboratory and industrial preparation of NH3
✓identify the properties and uses of NH3
✓determine specific test for NH4+, NH3
✓identify reagents for the laboratory preparation of HNO3, its properties and uses
✓specify the properties of N2O, NO, NO2 gases
✓determine the specific test for N2O, NO and NO3−
✓examine the relevance of nitrogen cycle to the environment
✓identify allotropes of carbon
✓predict reagents for the laboratory preparation of CO2
✓specify the properties of CO2 and its uses
✓determine the reagents for the laboratory preparation of CO
✓predict the effects of CO on human
✓determine the specific tests for HCO3−, CO3²−, CO2
✓identify the different forms of coal
✓determine their uses
✓specify the products of the destructive distillation of wood and coal
✓specify the uses of coke and synthesis gas

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Metals and their Compounds

•general properties of metals
•alkali metals e.g. sodium: sodium hydroxide, sodium trioxocarbonate (IV) and sodium hydrogen trioxocarbonate (IV), sodium chloride
•alkaline-earth metals e.g. calcium
•aluminium
•tin
•metals of the first transition series
•iron
•copper
•alloys

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓specify the general properties of metals
✓determine the method of extraction suitable for each metal
✓relate the methods of extraction to the properties of the metals
✓compare the chemical reactivities of the metals
✓specify the uses of the metals
✓determine specific test for metallic ions
✓determine the process for the production of the compounds of these metals
✓compare the chemical reactivities of the compounds
✓specify the uses of these compounds
✓specify the chemical composition of cement
✓describe the method of purification of bauxite
✓specify the ores of tin
✓relate the method of extraction to its properties
✓specify the uses of tin
✓identify the general properties of the first transition metals
✓deduce reasons for the specific properties of the transition metals
✓determine the IUPAC names of simple transition metal complexes
✓determine the suitable method of extraction of iron
✓specify the properties and uses of iron
✓identify the different forms of iron, their compositions, properties and uses
✓identify the appropriate method of extraction of copper from its compounds
✓relate the properties of copper and its compound to their uses
✓specify the method for the preparation of CuSO4
✓specify the constituents and uses of the various alloys
✓compare the properties and uses of alloys to pure metals

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Organic Compounds

•tetravalency of carbon, general formula, IUPAC nomenclature and determination of empirical formula
•aliphatic hydrocarbons: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes
•aromatic hydrocarbons e.g. benzene
•alkanols
•alkanals and alkanones
•alkanoic acids
•alkanoates (fats and oils, saponification)
•amines (alkanamines)
•carbohydrates
•proteins
•polymers

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓derive the name of organic compounds from their general formulae
✓relate the name of a compound to its structure
✓relate the tetravalency of carbon to its ability to form chains of compound (catenation)
✓classify compounds according to their functional groups
✓derive empirical formula and molecular formula from given data
✓relate structure/functional groups to specific properties
✓derive various isomeric forms from a given formula
✓distinguish between the different types of isomerism
✓classify the various types of hydrocarbons
✓distinguish each class of hydrocarbons by their properties
✓specify the uses of various hydrocarbons
✓identify crude oil as a complex mixture of hydrocarbons
✓relate the fractions of hydrocarbons to their properties and uses
✓relate transformation processes to quality improvement of the fractions
✓distinguish between various polymerization processes
✓specify the process involved in vulcanization
✓specify chemical test for alkenes
✓specify chemical test for terminal alkynes
✓distinguish between aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons
✓relate the properties of benzene to its structure
✓compare the various classes of alkanols
✓determine the processes involved in ethanol production
✓examine the importance of ethanol as an alternative energy provider
✓distinguish the various classes of alkanols
✓differentiate between alkanals and alkanones
✓compare the various types of alkanoic acids
✓identify natural sources of alkanoates
✓infer products of alkanoic acids and alkanols
✓specify the methods for the production of soap, detergent and margarine
✓distinguish between detergent and soap
✓compare the various classes of alkanamine
✓identify the natural sources of carbohydrates
✓compare the various classes of carbohydrates
✓infer the products of hydrolysis and dehydration of carbohydrates
✓determine the uses of carbohydrates
✓specify the tests for simple sugars
✓identify the basic structure of proteins
✓specify the methods and products of hydrolysis
✓specify the various tests for proteins
✓distinguish between natural and synthetic polymers
✓differentiate between addition and condensation polymerization processes
✓classify natural and commercial polymers and their uses
✓distinguish between thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics

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Chemistry and Industry

•chemical industries: types, raw materials and relevance; biotechnology

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓classify chemical industries in terms of products
✓identify raw materials for each industry
✓distinguish between fine and heavy chemicals
✓enumerate the relevance of each of these industries
✓relate industrial processes to biotechnology

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Astronomical Chemistry

•solar system, planets, satellite and the composition of the earth — atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere

Objectives — candidates should be able to:

✓state the composition of the solar system
✓list the planets
✓identify the segments of the earth
✓name the natural satellite on the earth
✓identify the smallest planet that is also the farthest from the sun

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Chemistry Syllabus

Chemistry

Separation of Mixtures and Purification of Chemical Substances

Chemical Combination

Kinetic Theory of Matter and Gas Laws

Atomic Structure and Bonding

Nuclear Chemistry

Solubility

Environmental Pollution

Acids, Bases and Salts

Oxidation and Reduction (Redox)

Electrolysis

Energy Changes

Rates of Chemical Reaction

Chemical Equilibria

Non-metals and their Compounds

Metals and their Compounds

Organic Compounds

Chemistry and Industry

Astronomical Chemistry

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