NDA Chemistry Syllabus – Chapter Wise Weightage, Important Topics

NDA Chemistry Syllabus

The UPSC designed the NDA Chemistry Syllabus, which covers a variety of topics including physical and chemical processes, elements, compounds, etc. The NDA Chemistry section of the exam tests your understanding of fundamental chemistry concepts and different substances. The following topics from the Chemistry section of the NDA Exam should be taken into consideration while you prepare.

In the NDA Chemistry section, the following topics are usually given more weightage:

• Carbon and its various forms
• Atom and structure of an atom
• Acids, bases, and salts
• Metals and non-metals
• Preparation and properties of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
• Atomic equivalent
• Physical and chemical changes
• Oxidation and reduction
• Mole concept
• P block elements
• Properties of air and water
• Elements, mixtures & compounds
• Molecular weights
• Valency
• Chemical formulae and equations
• Laws of chemical combination
• Preparation of soap, glass, ink, paper, cement, etc.
• Fertilizer and their types
• States of matter
• Dual nature of matter
• VSEPR theory
• Transference of heat (rate of reaction, factors affecting the rate of reaction, rate expression, mechanism of reaction)
• Different types of solutions
• Laws of thermodynamics
• Laws of chemical combination
• Hydrocarbons
• Redox reactions in aqueous solutions
• Colligative & periodic properties
• Mendeleev’s periodic table
• Types of elements.

Tips to Prepare Basic Concepts of NDA Chemistry

The following are some tips to prepare basic concepts of the NDA Chemistry syllabus:

• Understand the concepts rather than memorize them.
• Divide your preparation time topic-wise and stick to one topic at a time.
• Almost all past candidates feel that the questions asked are easier as compared to the X and XII boards.
  So, stick to the basic concepts of all topics.
• You should also have basic knowledge of the classification of elements, compounds, and mixtures.

Chemical Formulae and Equations in NDA Chemistry

Make short notes of all chemical formulae and simple equations from the NDA Chemistry syllabus in such a way that it is easier to refer to them during last-minute revisions. You can make notes of chemical formulae as follows:

Formula	Chemical Name	Common Name
Al2O3	Aluminum Oxide	Alumina
HNO3	Nitric Acid	Aqua Fortis
NaHCO3	Sodium Bicarbonate	Baking Soda
NaCl	Sodium Chloride	Brine / Rock Salt
NH4OH	Ammonium Hydroxide	Ammonia Water
CaOCl2	Calcium Hypochlorite	Bleaching Powder
Al2O3.2H2O	Di-Hydrate Aluminum Oxide	Bauxite
CaCO3	Calcium Carbonate	Limestone
MgSO4.7H2O	Hepta-Hydrate Magnesium Sulphate	Epsom Salt
CaF2	Calcium Fluoride	Fluorspar

The general formula for different series of hydrocarbons is given below:

Series	General Formula
Alkanes	CnH2n+2
Alkenes	CnH2n
Alkynes	CnH2n-2
Alcohol and Ether	CnH2n+2O
Aldehyde and Ketone	CnH2nO
Acid and Ester	CnH2nO2

Balancing of Chemical Equations in NDA Chemistry

Learn how to balance chemical equations. When it comes to chemical equations, the number of atoms of each element on the LHS (called as reactants) should be equal to the number of atoms of each element on the RHS (called as products) for each element. To balance it, we need to add coefficients accordingly.

Take the following equation for instance,

N₂ + H₂ ——> NH₃

Here, the reactants are N₂ and H₂ and the product is NH₃. The equation, however, is not balanced as the number of atoms of N are 2 on the LHS and 1 on the RHS. Similarly, the number of atoms of H are 2 on the LHS and 3 on the RHS. Hence, we need to add a coefficient on both the sides. If we add the coefficient 3 before and 2 before NH₃, we achieve a balanced equation where the number of atoms of N is 2 and the number of atoms of H is 6.

N₂ + 3H₂ ——> 2NH₃

This concept is known as balancing of equations. It is quite simple, and the underlying concept should be understood rather than trying to remember different equations.

Preparation and Properties of Hydrogen in NDA Chemistry

Hydrogen can be prepared using many methods. The basic formula applied in each method is listed below. In a similar manner, learn about the preparation and properties of carbon dioxide and oxygen. In all cases, you only need to have a general idea about the compounds involved, the chemical equation, and the process.

A few important properties of hydrogen are:

• It is a colorless and odorless gas.
• It is particularly important in a number of acid-base reactions.
• It is used abundantly in the processing of fossil fuels as well as ammonia production.
• Its melting point is -259.2^o
• Its boiling point is -252.87° C.

The methods for the preparation of Hydrogen are:

• Method 1 – By the action of dilute strong acid on metals such as zinc
  Zn + H₂SO₄ ——–> ZnSO₄ + H₂
• Method 2 – By the reaction between an amphoteric metal and a strong base
  2Al + 6NaOH + 6H₂O ——-> 2Na₃ [Al(OH)₆]₃ + 3H₂
• Method 3 – By electrolysis of water
  2 H₂O ——-> 2H₂ + O₂

Preparation Methods for Other Substances in NDA Chemistry

You should also know about the preparation method for substances or products like soap, ink, glass, paper, cement, etc., in NDA Chemistry. You need not have in-depth knowledge of each preparation method and must prepare only the chemical equation involved and a gist of the procedure.

When it comes to the preparation of such substances, the questions asked are direct and no extra information is usually required.

Books to Prepare NDA Chemistry Syllabus

A majority of past candidates feel that the NDA Chemistry section is easier to prepare from NCERT class IX and X Science and XI and XII Chemistry textbooks. Alternatively, you can also buy books from private publications or other authors such as NDA Chemistry Chapter Wise Summary by H L Walia.

Also, check:

• NDA Exam Pattern
• NDA Eligibility Criteria
• NDA Salary

Thanks 

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