Syllabus content and objectives
Official JAMB Chemistry outline · Detailed Syllabus
Content
Hydrogen: commercial production from water gas and cracking of petroleum fractions; laboratory preparation; properties, uses and tests.
Objective
Predict reagents for laboratory and industrial preparation of hydrogen; identify its properties, uses and specific tests.
Content
Halogens: chlorine as a representative element; laboratory and industrial preparation by electrolysis; properties and uses, including water sterilization, bleaching and manufacture of HCl, plastics and insecticides. Hydrogen chloride and hydrochloric acid: preparation and properties; chlorides and tests for chlorides.
Objective
Predict reagents for preparing halogens and their compounds; identify and compare their properties and uses; determine specific tests for gases, compounds and Cl-; predict reagents for the preparation, properties and uses of HCl(g) and HCl(aq).
Content
Oxygen: laboratory preparation, properties and uses; commercial production from liquid air; acidic, basic, amphoteric and neutral oxides; ozone as an allotrope and its atmospheric importance.
Objective
Identify oxygen allotropes; explain the environmental significance of ozone; classify oxides and describe their properties.
Content
Water: formation by combustion of hydrogen; composition by volume; use as a solvent; dissolved atmospheric gases and their biological significance; hard and soft water; temporary and permanent hardness and methods of softening; treatment of water for town supply; water of crystallization, efflorescence, deliquescence and hygroscopy, with examples and uses.
Objective
Identify uses of water; explain the effects of dissolved atmospheric gases; distinguish hard and soft water; determine causes of hardness and methods of removal; describe town water treatment; distinguish efflorescence, deliquescence, hygroscopy and water of crystallization; identify compounds exhibiting these phenomena.
Content
Sulphur: uses and allotropes; preparation of allotropes is not required. Preparation, properties and uses of sulphur(IV) oxide; reaction of SO2 with alkalis; trioxosulphate(IV) acid and its salts; action of acids on trioxosulphate(IV) salts; tetraoxosulphate(VI) acid, its commercial preparation by the contact process, properties as a dilute acid, oxidizing and dehydrating agent, and uses; tests for SO4^2-, SO3^2- and SO2.
Objective
Identify sulphur allotropes and their uses; predict reagents for preparing SO2 and H2S and identify their properties and uses; specify the preparation, properties and uses of H2SO4 and H2SO3; determine specific tests for S2-, SO4^2-, H2S, SO2 and SO3^2-.
Content
Hydrogen sulphide: preparation and properties as a weak acid, reducing agent and precipitating agent; tests for S2- and H2S.
Objective
Predict reagents for the preparation of H2S; identify its properties and uses; determine specific tests for sulphide ions and hydrogen sulphide.
Content
Nitrogen: laboratory preparation and production from liquid air. Ammonia: laboratory and industrial preparation by the Haber process; properties and uses; ammonium salts and uses; oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen(IV) oxide and trioxonitrate(V) acid; tests for NH4+, NO2-, and NH3.
Objective
Specify laboratory and industrial methods of preparing NH3; identify its properties and uses; determine specific tests for NH4+, NH3 and the relevant nitrogen species.
Content
Trioxonitrate(V) acid: laboratory preparation from ammonia, properties and uses; trioxonitrate(V) salts, action of heat and uses; tests for NO3- and other oxides of nitrogen.
Objective
Identify reagents for laboratory preparation of HNO3; describe its properties and uses; determine tests for nitrate ions and nitrogen compounds.
Content
Oxides of nitrogen: properties of N2O, NO and NO2; the nitrogen cycle.
Objective
Specify properties of N2O, NO and NO2; identify appropriate tests for nitrogen oxides and nitrate ions; examine the relevance of the nitrogen cycle to the environment.
Content
Carbon: allotropes and their uses and properties; carbon(IV) oxide, laboratory preparation, properties and uses; action of heat on trioxocarbonate(IV) salts; tests for CO3^2-, HCO3- and CO2; carbon(II) oxide, laboratory preparation, properties and effects on blood; sources including charcoal, fires and exhaust fumes; types of coal; products of destructive distillation of wood and coal; coke, gasification, manufacture of synthesis gas and uses.
Objective
Identify allotropes of carbon; predict reagents for laboratory preparation of CO2 and CO; specify their properties and uses; determine the effects of CO on humans; identify tests for HCO3-, CO3^2- and CO2; identify types of coal and their uses; specify products of destructive distillation of wood and coal; state uses of coke and synthesis gas.
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