VKC ScienceChemistry for written exams Telegram

Indian Forest Service (Mains)

Chemistry optional

  • 2 papers
  • 200 marks each
  • 3 h per paper

Paper I covers physical and inorganic chemistry.

Paper I, physical and inorganic chemistry

Short notes

One or two pages per unit for the last week before the exam: formulae, named reactions and the standard diagrams.

  • Atomic structure · 1.1 Postulates of quantum mechanics: operators, eigenfunctions, Hermitian operators and acceptable wave functions · 1.2 Uncertainty principle, de Broglie relation and wave–particle duality · 1.4 Hydrogen atom: Schrödinger equation, quantum numbers, radial distribution, nodes and orbital shapesFreeOpen 1.1Open 1.2Open 1.4
  • Chemical bonding · 2.2 VSEPR, hybridisation and Bent's rule · 14.1 Periodic properties: Slater's rules, radii, ionisation and electron-gain enthalpy, electronegativity · 2.11 Molecular orbital theory: LCAO, homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomics (O₂, N₂, CO, NO, CN⁻, HF), bond order and magnetism · 3.4 Ionic bonding: lattice energy, Born–Haber cycle, Born–Landé and Kapustinskii equations, Fajans’ rulesFreeOpen 2.2Open 14.1Open 2.11Open 3.4
  • Solid state · 3.2 Defects in solids, non-stoichiometry and semiconductors · 3.1 Crystal systems, Miller indices, Bragg's law and radius ratio · 3.3 Inorganic solids: perovskite, spinel, ReO₃, corundum and high-Tc superconductors · 4.3 Liquid state: surface tension, Kelvin equation, capillary action, viscosity and liquid crystalsFreeOpen 3.2Open 3.1Open 3.3Open 4.3
  • The gaseous state · 4.2 Kinetic theory of gases: Maxwell distribution, collisions, mean free path, effusion and transport · 4.1 Real gases: van der Waals equation, critical constants, Boyle temperatureFreeOpen 4.2Open 4.1
  • Thermodynamics and statistical thermodynamics · 6.1 Second and third laws: entropy, Gibbs and Helmholtz energies, Maxwell relations · 6.2 Chemical potential, partial molar quantities, Gibbs–Duhem equation, fugacity and activity · 6.3 Chemical equilibrium: ΔG° and K, Kp, Kc and Kx, van ’t Hoff isochore and isobar · 5.1 First law of thermodynamics: work, heat, enthalpy, adiabatic changes, Joule–Thomson effect, thermochemistry · 6.4 Statistical thermodynamics: Boltzmann distribution, partition functions, Sackur–Tetrode equationFreeOpen 6.1Open 6.2Open 6.3Open 5.1Open 6.4
  • Phase equilibria and solutions · 7.1 Phase rule, phase diagrams, Clausius–Clapeyron equation, eutectics and partially miscible liquids · 7.2 Solutions: Raoult’s and Henry’s laws, colligative properties, van ’t Hoff factor and activityFreeOpen 7.1Open 7.2
  • Electrochemistry · 8.2 Electrochemical cells: Nernst equation, emf and electrodes · 8.3 Electrolytes: conductance, Kohlrausch, Debye–Hückel and transport numbers · 8.4 Electrode kinetics: double layer, overpotential, Butler–Volmer and Tafel equations, polarography and voltammetryFreeOpen 8.2Open 8.3Open 8.4
  • Chemical kinetics · 9.2 Theories of reaction rate: Arrhenius, collision and transition-state theory · 9.1 Rate laws and order: integrated rate equations, half-life, reversible, parallel and consecutive reactionsFreeOpen 9.2Open 9.1
  • Photochemistry · 10.1 Photochemistry: quantum yield, Jablonski diagram, H₂–halogen reactionsFreeOpen
  • Surface phenomena and catalysis · 11.2 Adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis and colloidsFreeOpen
  • Bio-inorganic chemistry · 12.2 Bio-inorganic chemistry: haemoglobin, cytochromes, Fe–S proteinsFreeOpen
  • Coordination chemistry · 13.2 Crystal field theory · 13.3 Werner theory, isomerism, IUPAC names and VBT of complexes · 13.4 Organometallics: 18-electron rule, oxidative addition, Wilkinson's catalyst · 13.5 Metal carbonyls, nitrosyls, 18-electron rule and metal clusters · 13.6 Substitution in complexes: labile and inert, trans effect, stability constants · 13.7 Electronic spectra of complexes: term symbols, selection rules, charge transferFreeOpen 13.2Open 13.3Open 13.4Open 13.5Open 13.6Open 13.7
  • General chemistry of 'f' block elements · 15.1 Lanthanides and actinides: contraction, magnetism, spectra, separation · 14.3 Transition elements: 3d, 4d and 5d compared (radii, oxidation states, redox)FreeOpen 15.1Open 14.3
  • Non-aqueous solvents · 14.2 Non-aqueous solvents: liquid NH₃, HF, H₂SO₄, SO₂, BrF₃ and superacidsFreeOpen

Free to read: 13.2 Crystal field theory, 8.4 Electrode kinetics: double layer, overpotential, Butler–Volmer and Tafel equations, polarography and voltammetry, 7.2 Solutions: Raoult’s and Henry’s laws, colligative properties, van ’t Hoff factor and activity, 4.3 Liquid state: surface tension, Kelvin equation, capillary action, viscosity and liquid crystals, 3.4 Ionic bonding: lattice energy, Born–Haber cycle, Born–Landé and Kapustinskii equations, Fajans’ rules, 1.4 Hydrogen atom: Schrödinger equation, quantum numbers, radial distribution, nodes and orbital shapes, 2.11 Molecular orbital theory: LCAO, homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomics (O₂, N₂, CO, NO, CN⁻, HF), bond order and magnetism, 6.4 Statistical thermodynamics: Boltzmann distribution, partition functions, Sackur–Tetrode equation, 13.3 Werner theory, isomerism, IUPAC names and VBT of complexes, 2.2 VSEPR, hybridisation and Bent's rule, 1.2 Uncertainty principle, de Broglie relation and wave–particle duality, 14.3 Transition elements: 3d, 4d and 5d compared (radii, oxidation states, redox), 13.6 Substitution in complexes: labile and inert, trans effect, stability constants, 6.1 Second and third laws: entropy, Gibbs and Helmholtz energies, Maxwell relations, 4.1 Real gases: van der Waals equation, critical constants, Boyle temperature, 9.2 Theories of reaction rate: Arrhenius, collision and transition-state theory, 9.1 Rate laws and order: integrated rate equations, half-life, reversible, parallel and consecutive reactions, 1.1 Postulates of quantum mechanics: operators, eigenfunctions, Hermitian operators and acceptable wave functions, 10.1 Photochemistry: quantum yield, Jablonski diagram, H₂–halogen reactions, 7.1 Phase rule, phase diagrams, Clausius–Clapeyron equation, eutectics and partially miscible liquids, 14.1 Periodic properties: Slater's rules, radii, ionisation and electron-gain enthalpy, electronegativity, 13.4 Organometallics: 18-electron rule, oxidative addition, Wilkinson's catalyst, 14.2 Non-aqueous solvents: liquid NH₃, HF, H₂SO₄, SO₂, BrF₃ and superacids, 13.5 Metal carbonyls, nitrosyls, 18-electron rule and metal clusters, 15.1 Lanthanides and actinides: contraction, magnetism, spectra, separation, 4.2 Kinetic theory of gases: Maxwell distribution, collisions, mean free path, effusion and transport, 3.3 Inorganic solids: perovskite, spinel, ReO₃, corundum and high-Tc superconductors, 5.1 First law of thermodynamics: work, heat, enthalpy, adiabatic changes, Joule–Thomson effect, thermochemistry, 13.7 Electronic spectra of complexes: term symbols, selection rules, charge transfer, 8.3 Electrolytes: conductance, Kohlrausch, Debye–Hückel and transport numbers, 8.2 Electrochemical cells: Nernst equation, emf and electrodes, 3.2 Defects in solids, non-stoichiometry and semiconductors, 3.1 Crystal systems, Miller indices, Bragg's law and radius ratio, 6.2 Chemical potential, partial molar quantities, Gibbs–Duhem equation, fugacity and activity, 6.3 Chemical equilibrium: ΔG° and K, Kp, Kc and Kx, van ’t Hoff isochore and isobar, 12.2 Bio-inorganic chemistry: haemoglobin, cytochromes, Fe–S proteins, 11.2 Adsorption, heterogeneous catalysis and colloids. Each note is one set for Civil Services, IFoS and Geo-Scientist. More topics follow, and each release is announced on Telegram. All VKC notes