Strategy
Score 40+ of 50 in Chemistry by answering the fast questions first
50 Chemistry questions × 1 mark = 50 marks, inside a 90-minute paper shared with Physics, with a penalty of 0 for a wrong answer and only 3% of questions HARD. Every bubble gets filled; the decisions are what you answer first and how many minutes you hand back to Physics.
- marks out of 50
- 40+
- questions answered — all of them
- 50/50
- a question, on a 35-minute Chemistry share
- 0.7 min
- total prep time
- ~88 h
The arithmetic of 40+
50 answers at 80% accuracy is 40 correct, which at 1 marks each is 40 marks. Note what that target does not contain: an attempts-versus-accuracy trade-off. Target attempts is 50 because the paper has 50 questions, and the reason it can be the whole paper is the row in the middle of this table.
| What you do with an uncertain question | Marks | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Answer it, and it is right | +1 | Paid |
| Answer it, and it is wrong | −0 | Costs nothing |
| Leave it blank | 0 | Identical to a wrong answer, with no chance of the 1 |
The penalty for a wrong answer on this exam is 0. A blank and a wrong answer score exactly the same, so a guess is free and a blank is strictly worse than one. Every strategy habit imported from an exam that deducts marks — hold back unless you are confident, protect your accuracy, attempt fewer and attempt better — is actively harmful here. What is scarce on this paper is not attempts. It is the clock — about 0.7 minutes a Chemistry question on the split below — and the three strands are ordered by how fast their questions go.
Split the 90 minutes before the paper
Paper II gives you 90 minutes for 100 questions — Physics 1-50, Chemistry 51-100 — and does not divide them. The split is yours.
Chemistry is the cheaper half: about 3% of its questions are HARD against 18% in Physics, and roughly half of them are answered by recognising a name, a structure or a reagent. Every minute Chemistry does not need is a minute Physics can use.
A starting budget to test in timed mocks: Chemistry in about 35 minutes, Physics in about 55. Inside the 35: the recall and reaction questions on a first sweep (about 25 of them, seconds each), then the calculations. This is a recommendation, not a measurement — after two timed mocks, move it by your own numbers.
Many students take Chemistry first so its marks are banked before Physics starts eating the clock. Whatever the order, set a clock time to switch halves and keep to it.
- Chemistry · 50 questions
- ~35 min
- Physics · 50 questions
- ~55 min
A starting budget to test in timed mocks — not a measured figure.
Calculate — Solutions · Solid State · Chemical Kinetics · Ionic Equilibria · Thermodynamics · Electrochemistry · Structure of Atom · Some Basic Concepts (872 q · 42% of bank)
The eight physical-chemistry chapters: 20.8 questions a paper, and 50-71% of their answers are numbers. They are not hard — together about 4% HARD — but they take arithmetic, so they take time. Each chapter turns on one or two formulas used over and over. Know those cold and a calculation is a minute; half-know them and it is three.
The approach
- Learn each chapter's one or two workhorse formulas before anything else: ρ = zM/(a³N_A) for Solid State, ln 2/k for half-life, ΔT = iKm for the colligative properties, U = q + w with 100 J per dm³ bar for Thermodynamics, the Nernst equation for Electrochemistry.
- Answer these AFTER the first sweep of recall and reaction questions. They are worth one mark each, the same as a ten-second name question.
- Memorise log 2 = 0.301, log 3 = 0.477 and log 5 = 0.699: Chemical Kinetics and Ionic Equilibria use them in most questions, and there is no calculator.
- Electrochemistry holds 11 of the bank's 67 HARD questions — ten of them Nernst arithmetic on one page. That page is the only place in Chemistry where extra HARD practice pays.
- All eight chapters have shipped teaching notes at /notes/mht-cet-chemistry, with every past-year question tagged to a page.
Solutions and Colligative Properties
131 questions · 3% hard
131 q · 3% HARD · the heaviest Chemistry chapter on recent papers. Four of its six pages are one idea — a colligative property depends on the number of dissolved particles — so ΔT_b = iK_bm, ΔT_f = iK_fm and π = iCRT share every trap. Henry's law is a single multiplication.
Drill — in this order
- Types of Solutions, Solubility and Henry's LawDrill Types of Solutions, Solubility and Henry's Law in Solutions and Colligative Properties
- Vapour Pressure and Raoult's LawDrill Vapour Pressure and Raoult's Law in Solutions and Colligative Properties
- Elevation of Boiling PointDrill Elevation of Boiling Point in Solutions and Colligative Properties
- Depression of Freezing PointDrill Depression of Freezing Point in Solutions and Colligative Properties
- Osmotic PressureDrill Osmotic Pressure in Solutions and Colligative Properties
- Van't Hoff Factor and Abnormal Molar MassDrill Van't Hoff Factor and Abnormal Molar Mass in Solutions and Colligative Properties
Solid State
130 questions · 5% hard
130 q · 5% HARD. The density page (42 q) is ρ = zM/(a³N_A) solved for a different unknown each time; the radius page is r = a/2, a√2/4 or a√3/4 by cell type. Packing efficiency and voids (27 q, 15%) holds most of the HARD. The types and defects pages are recall.
Drill — in this order
- Types of Solids, Crystal Systems and PropertiesDrill Types of Solids, Crystal Systems and Properties in Solid State
- Crystal Defects, Magnetic Properties and SemiconductorsDrill Crystal Defects, Magnetic Properties and Semiconductors in Solid State
- Unit Cells, Edge Length and Atomic RadiusDrill Unit Cells, Edge Length and Atomic Radius in Solid State
- Density and Crystal Structure CalculationsDrill Density and Crystal Structure Calculations in Solid State
- Packing Efficiency and VoidsDrill Packing Efficiency and Voids in Solid State
HARD-target
These subtopics carry the chapter’s HARD pool. Extra timed reps with a HARD-only filter pay off — not because these questions are worth more (every question on this paper pays the same single mark) but because they are where the minutes go.
- Packing Efficiency and VoidsDrill HARD questions in Packing Efficiency and Voids
Chemical Kinetics
125 questions · 2% hard
125 q · 2% HARD · three questions every paper. 103 of them sit on three pages that have never produced a HARD question: rate and stoichiometry, rate law and order, and first-order kinetics (k = 2.303/t × log(a/(a − x)), t½ = 0.693/k). The Arrhenius page is small (8 q) and holds the HARD.
Drill — in this order
- Rate of Reaction, Stoichiometry and Average RateDrill Rate of Reaction, Stoichiometry and Average Rate in Chemical Kinetics
- Rate Law, Order, Molecularity and Rate ExpressionDrill Rate Law, Order, Molecularity and Rate Expression in Chemical Kinetics
- First-Order Kinetics, Rate Constant and Half-LifeDrill First-Order Kinetics, Rate Constant and Half-Life in Chemical Kinetics
- Zero-Order KineticsDrill Zero-Order Kinetics in Chemical Kinetics
- Reaction Mechanism, Intermediates and Rate-Determining StepDrill Reaction Mechanism, Intermediates and Rate-Determining Step in Chemical Kinetics
- Temperature Dependence, Arrhenius and Collision TheoryDrill Temperature Dependence, Arrhenius and Collision Theory in Chemical Kinetics
HARD-target
These subtopics carry the chapter’s HARD pool. Extra timed reps with a HARD-only filter pay off — not because these questions are worth more (every question on this paper pays the same single mark) but because they are where the minutes go.
- Temperature Dependence, Arrhenius and Collision TheoryDrill HARD questions in Temperature Dependence, Arrhenius and Collision Theory
Ionic Equilibria
122 questions · 2% hard
122 q · 2% HARD. The acid-base theories and salt hydrolysis (28 q) are recall — answer them on the first sweep. The rest is log arithmetic: pH = −log[H⁺], α = √(K/c), Henderson's equation, and Ksp by salt type (AB: s², AB₂: 4s³).
Drill — in this order
- Theories of Acids and BasesDrill Theories of Acids and Bases in Ionic Equilibria
- Salt HydrolysisDrill Salt Hydrolysis in Ionic Equilibria
- pH, pOH and Ionic Product of WaterDrill pH, pOH and Ionic Product of Water in Ionic Equilibria
- Ionic Equilibrium, Ka, Kb and Degree of DissociationDrill Ionic Equilibrium, Ka, Kb and Degree of Dissociation in Ionic Equilibria
- Buffer Solutions and Henderson-HasselbalchDrill Buffer Solutions and Henderson-Hasselbalch in Ionic Equilibria
- Solubility Product (Ksp)Drill Solubility Product (Ksp) in Ionic Equilibria
Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics
121 questions · 3% hard
121 q · 3% HARD. The first-law page is 50 questions: ΔU = q + w with the chemist's sign convention, w = −P_ext ΔV, and 1 dm³ bar = 100 J. ΔH = ΔU + Δn_gRT and the ΔG sign table carry most of the rest.
Drill — in this order
- Thermodynamic Systems, Properties and ProcessesDrill Thermodynamic Systems, Properties and Processes in Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics
- First Law of Thermodynamics, Internal Energy and WorkDrill First Law of Thermodynamics, Internal Energy and Work in Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics
- Gibbs Free Energy and SpontaneityDrill Gibbs Free Energy and Spontaneity in Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics
- Entropy and Second LawDrill Entropy and Second Law in Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics
- Enthalpy and Relation Between ΔH and ΔUDrill Enthalpy and Relation Between ΔH and ΔU in Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics
- Thermochemistry, Hess's Law and Bond EnthalpyDrill Thermochemistry, Hess's Law and Bond Enthalpy in Chemical Thermodynamics and Energetics
Electrochemistry
122 questions · 9% hard
122 q · 9% HARD — the only Chemistry chapter with real HARD load, and nearly all of it on one page: ten of the galvanic-cell page's 48 questions are HARD Nernst arithmetic. Faraday's laws, conductivity and batteries are either one division or recall.
Drill — in this order
- Batteries, Primary, Secondary and Fuel CellsDrill Batteries, Primary, Secondary and Fuel Cells in Electrochemistry
- Faraday's Laws of ElectrolysisDrill Faraday's Laws of Electrolysis in Electrochemistry
- Cell Constant and Conductivity MeasurementsDrill Cell Constant and Conductivity Measurements in Electrochemistry
- Molar Conductivity, Kohlrausch's Law and Degree of DissociationDrill Molar Conductivity, Kohlrausch's Law and Degree of Dissociation in Electrochemistry
- Galvanic Cells, EMF, Nernst Equation and ThermodynamicsDrill Galvanic Cells, EMF, Nernst Equation and Thermodynamics in Electrochemistry
HARD-target
These subtopics carry the chapter’s HARD pool. Extra timed reps with a HARD-only filter pay off — not because these questions are worth more (every question on this paper pays the same single mark) but because they are where the minutes go.
- Galvanic Cells, EMF, Nernst Equation and ThermodynamicsDrill HARD questions in Galvanic Cells, EMF, Nernst Equation and Thermodynamics
Structure of Atom
70 questions · 1% hard
70 q · 1% HARD, and HALVED in 2025 (2.00 to 1.00 a paper). Bohr's radius and energy scaling, E = hc/λ and the quantum-number rules. Keep it, but on fewer hours than 2023-24 papers suggest.
Drill — in this order
- Subatomic Particles, Isotopes, Isobars and Isoelectronic SpeciesDrill Subatomic Particles, Isotopes, Isobars and Isoelectronic Species in Structure of Atom
- Electronic Configuration and Pauli/Hund RulesDrill Electronic Configuration and Pauli/Hund Rules in Structure of Atom
- Electromagnetic Radiation and Wave PropertiesDrill Electromagnetic Radiation and Wave Properties in Structure of Atom
- Bohr's Atomic ModelDrill Bohr's Atomic Model in Structure of Atom
- Quantum Mechanical Model, de Broglie, Heisenberg and Quantum NumbersDrill Quantum Mechanical Model, de Broglie, Heisenberg and Quantum Numbers in Structure of Atom
- Hydrogen Spectrum and Rydberg EquationDrill Hydrogen Spectrum and Rydberg Equation in Structure of Atom
Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
51 questions · 2% hard
51 q · 2% HARD, and rising (1.15 to 1.54 a paper in 2025). The mole page is 31 questions: mass ↔ moles ↔ particles ↔ volume at STP. The same arithmetic runs through every other Calculate chapter.
Drill — in this order
- SI Units, Physical Properties and Atomic AbundanceDrill SI Units, Physical Properties and Atomic Abundance in Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
- Laws of Chemical Combination and Percentage CompositionDrill Laws of Chemical Combination and Percentage Composition in Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
- Mole Concept and InterconversionsDrill Mole Concept and Interconversions in Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
- Stoichiometry and ConcentrationDrill Stoichiometry and Concentration in Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry
Reactions — Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers · Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids · Amines · Halogen Derivatives · Aromatic Compounds · Alkanes (465 q · 22% of bank)
The organic reaction chapters: 11.3 questions a paper, answered by recognising a reagent, a named reaction or a naming rule — not by calculating. They are fast once the reactions are known, and slow only when a reagent has to be worked out from scratch. The prep is a list, learned in both directions: reagent to product and product to reagent.
The approach
- Learn the named reactions as pairs you can read either way: Rosenmund (acid chloride → aldehyde), Etard (toluene → benzaldehyde), Clemmensen and Wolff–Kishner (C=O → CH₂), Cannizzaro (no α-H), Hofmann bromamide (amide → amine with one carbon fewer), Finkelstein and Swarts (halide exchange), Wurtz and Fittig (coupling). The Reference page lists them.
- Naming questions are a big share — Alcohols' nomenclature page alone is 34 questions. One routine (longest chain with the functional group, lowest locant to it, alphabetical prefixes) answers them all.
- Answer these on the first sweep. A reagent you recognise is a ten-second mark; one you do not is a guess that costs nothing, so mark it and move on.
- Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry sits just below the playbook line but is the hardest chapter of any size (13% HARD) and the one every reaction chapter leans on — electronic effects and intermediates. Read its notes before the reaction chapters.
Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
126 questions · 5% hard
126 q · 5% HARD · the heaviest organic chapter. More than half of it is naming and classifying — primary, secondary, tertiary; the named phenols; an IUPAC name off a drawing. The reaction pages add Lucas' test, the Reimer–Tiemann and Kolbe reactions, and phenol's acidity order.
Drill — in this order
- Classification of Alcohols and PhenolsDrill Classification of Alcohols and Phenols in Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
- IUPAC and Common Nomenclature of Alcohols, Phenols and EthersDrill IUPAC and Common Nomenclature of Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers in Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
- Physical Properties of Alcohols, Phenols and EthersDrill Physical Properties of Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers in Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
- Ethers, Preparation and ReactionsDrill Ethers, Preparation and Reactions in Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
- Phenols, Preparation and ReactionsDrill Phenols, Preparation and Reactions in Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
- Chemical Reactions of Alcohols and AcidityDrill Chemical Reactions of Alcohols and Acidity in Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
109 questions · 3% hard
109 q · 3% HARD. The named-reaction chapter: Rosenmund, Etard, Stephen and Gattermann–Koch make aldehydes; Clemmensen and Wolff–Kishner remove the C=O; Tollens', Fehling's and the iodoform test identify them; Cannizzaro needs no α-hydrogen.
Drill — in this order
- Nomenclature and Classification of Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic AcidsDrill Nomenclature and Classification of Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids in Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
- Oxidation, Reduction and Identification TestsDrill Oxidation, Reduction and Identification Tests in Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
- Preparation Methods of Aldehydes and KetonesDrill Preparation Methods of Aldehydes and Ketones in Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
- Nucleophilic Addition and Condensation ReactionsDrill Nucleophilic Addition and Condensation Reactions in Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
- Carboxylic Acids, Properties, Reactions and DerivativesDrill Carboxylic Acids, Properties, Reactions and Derivatives in Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
Amines
81 questions · 4% hard
81 q · 4% HARD. Basicity order (in water: 2° > 1° > 3° > NH₃ for methylamines), Hinsberg's and the carbylamine test, Hofmann bromamide, and diazotisation to phenol or Sandmeyer products.
Drill — in this order
- Nomenclature and Classification of AminesDrill Nomenclature and Classification of Amines in Amines
- Physical Properties of AminesDrill Physical Properties of Amines in Amines
- Preparation of AminesDrill Preparation of Amines in Amines
- Diazonium Salts and Aromatic Amine ReactionsDrill Diazonium Salts and Aromatic Amine Reactions in Amines
- Chemical Reactions and Basicity of AminesDrill Chemical Reactions and Basicity of Amines in Amines
Halogen Derivatives of Alkanes
79 questions · 3% hard
79 q · 3% HARD. Finkelstein and Swarts, Wurtz and Fittig, SN1 against SN2 (tertiary halides go SN1, primary SN2), Saytzeff's rule for elimination, and a table of polyhalogen compounds — Freon-12, DDT, the war gases.
Drill — in this order
- Classification, Nomenclature and Physical PropertiesDrill Classification, Nomenclature and Physical Properties in Halogen Derivatives of Alkanes
- Polyhalogen Compounds — Freon, DDT, War GasesDrill Polyhalogen Compounds — Freon, DDT, War Gases in Halogen Derivatives of Alkanes
- Preparation of Alkyl HalidesDrill Preparation of Alkyl Halides in Halogen Derivatives of Alkanes
- Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions (SN1 and SN2)Drill Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions (SN1 and SN2) in Halogen Derivatives of Alkanes
- Elimination and Aromatic Nucleophilic SubstitutionDrill Elimination and Aromatic Nucleophilic Substitution in Halogen Derivatives of Alkanes
Aromatic Compounds
35 questions · 3% hard
35 q · 3% HARD. Hückel's 4n + 2 rule, ortho/para against meta directors, and side-chain oxidation to benzoic acid.
Drill — in this order
- Structure, Aromaticity and IdentificationDrill Structure, Aromaticity and Identification in Aromatic Compounds
- Electrophilic Aromatic SubstitutionDrill Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution in Aromatic Compounds
- Side-Chain Reactions, Oxidation and Other TransformationsDrill Side-Chain Reactions, Oxidation and Other Transformations in Aromatic Compounds
Alkanes
35 questions · 0% hard
35 q · never a HARD question. Wurtz coupling (twice the chain), decarboxylation with soda-lime (one carbon fewer), Grignard with water, and chain isomers.
Drill — in this order
- Nomenclature, Structural Isomers and Physical PropertiesDrill Nomenclature, Structural Isomers and Physical Properties in Alkanes
- Preparation of Alkanes, Wurtz, Grignard and DecarboxylationDrill Preparation of Alkanes, Wurtz, Grignard and Decarboxylation in Alkanes
- Reactions of Alkanes, Free Radical HalogenationDrill Reactions of Alkanes, Free Radical Halogenation in Alkanes
Recall — Biomolecules · Coordination Compounds · Polymers · Transition Elements · Chemical Bonding · Groups 16-18 · Redox · Surface Chemistry · Groups 1 and 2 (569 q · 27% of bank)
The descriptive chapters: 13.6 questions a paper, answered from memory or by counting — a name, a monomer, a use, a trend, a shape, an oxidation state. Together they are about 2% HARD, and Surface Chemistry and Groups 1 and 2 have never produced a HARD question. These are the fastest marks on Paper II, and the ones that fund the Physics minutes.
The approach
- Answer all of these on the first sweep. A recall question you know takes seconds; one you do not know will not come back with more time, so guess and move.
- Prep with tables, not prose: the monomer and uses tables for polymers, the linkage table for carbohydrates, ligand denticity for coordination compounds, the oxoacids for groups 16-18. The Reference page and the notes hold them.
- Some of it is counting rather than memory — unpaired electrons and the spin-only moment μ = √(n(n + 2)), oxidation numbers, electron pairs for a VSEPR shape, bond order from molecular orbitals. Count on paper; it is still fast.
- Every chapter here has shipped teaching notes at /notes/mht-cet-chemistry.
Biomolecules
88 questions · 2% hard
88 q · 2% HARD. Reducing and non-reducing sugars, the glycosidic linkages (sucrose α1–β2, maltose α1–4, lactose β1–4), essential amino acids and peptide bonds, and the bases of DNA and RNA.
Drill — in this order
- Carbohydrates, Classification, Structure and ReactionsDrill Carbohydrates, Classification, Structure and Reactions in Biomolecules
- Glycosidic Linkages in Di- and PolysaccharidesDrill Glycosidic Linkages in Di- and Polysaccharides in Biomolecules
- Amino Acids, Peptides and ProteinsDrill Amino Acids, Peptides and Proteins in Biomolecules
- Nucleic Acids, DNA, RNA, Nucleotides and BasesDrill Nucleic Acids, DNA, RNA, Nucleotides and Bases in Biomolecules
- Lipids, Enzymes and Other BiomoleculesDrill Lipids, Enzymes and Other Biomolecules in Biomolecules
Coordination Compounds
88 questions · 2% hard
88 q · 2% HARD. Counting: donor atoms and denticity (EDTA hexadentate), the metal's oxidation state and coordination number, EAN, and unpaired electrons for the magnetic moment.
Drill — in this order
- Complex Types, Homoleptic, Heteroleptic, Cationic, Anionic, NeutralDrill Complex Types, Homoleptic, Heteroleptic, Cationic, Anionic, Neutral in Coordination Compounds
- Oxidation State, Coordination Number and IUPAC NomenclatureDrill Oxidation State, Coordination Number and IUPAC Nomenclature in Coordination Compounds
- Ligands, Denticity and Donor AtomsDrill Ligands, Denticity and Donor Atoms in Coordination Compounds
- Isomerism in Coordination CompoundsDrill Isomerism in Coordination Compounds in Coordination Compounds
- Bonding Theories, EAN, Crystal Field, Hybridization and MagnetismDrill Bonding Theories, EAN, Crystal Field, Hybridization and Magnetism in Coordination Compounds
Introduction to Polymer Chemistry
85 questions · 1% hard
85 q · one HARD question in all of them. A monomer table (nylon 6,6: hexamethylenediamine + adipic acid; Buna-S: butadiene + styrene; Terylene: ethylene glycol + terephthalic acid) and a uses table.
Drill — in this order
- Classification of PolymersDrill Classification of Polymers in Introduction to Polymer Chemistry
- Polymers and Their MonomersDrill Polymers and Their Monomers in Introduction to Polymer Chemistry
- Properties and Applications of PolymersDrill Properties and Applications of Polymers in Introduction to Polymer Chemistry
- Polymerization MethodsDrill Polymerization Methods in Introduction to Polymer Chemistry
Transition and Inner Transition Elements
76 questions · 4% hard
76 q · 4% HARD. Configurations (Cr and Cu break the pattern), the spin-only moment μ = √(n(n + 2)) BM, lanthanoid contraction, and which ion is coloured.
Drill — in this order
- Position, Electronic Configuration and General Features of d-BlockDrill Position, Electronic Configuration and General Features of d-Block in Transition and Inner Transition Elements
- Oxidation States of Transition ElementsDrill Oxidation States of Transition Elements in Transition and Inner Transition Elements
- Colour, Magnetic Properties and Spin-Only FormulaDrill Colour, Magnetic Properties and Spin-Only Formula in Transition and Inner Transition Elements
- Alloys, Minerals, Ores and CatalystsDrill Alloys, Minerals, Ores and Catalysts in Transition and Inner Transition Elements
- Inner Transition Elements, Lanthanoids and ActinoidsDrill Inner Transition Elements, Lanthanoids and Actinoids in Transition and Inner Transition Elements
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
64 questions · 3% hard
64 q · 3% HARD. Count electron pairs for a shape, count bonding minus antibonding electrons for a bond order, and learn which molecules have zero dipole moment.
Drill — in this order
- Ionic and Covalent Bonding, Lewis Structures and Octet RuleDrill Ionic and Covalent Bonding, Lewis Structures and Octet Rule in Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
- HybridizationDrill Hybridization in Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
- VSEPR Theory and Molecular GeometryDrill VSEPR Theory and Molecular Geometry in Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
- Dipole Moment, Polarity and Intermolecular ForcesDrill Dipole Moment, Polarity and Intermolecular Forces in Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
- Molecular Orbital Theory and Bond OrderDrill Molecular Orbital Theory and Bond Order in Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Elements of Group 16, 17 and 18
48 questions · 2% hard
48 q · 2% HARD, and rising (1.00 to 1.38 a paper in 2025). Hydride stability and acidity trends, oxoacids of sulphur and chlorine, interhalogens, and xenon fluorides.
Drill — in this order
- Group 16 Chalcogens, Oxygen, Sulphur and OzoneDrill Group 16 Chalcogens, Oxygen, Sulphur and Ozone in Elements of Group 16, 17 and 18
- Group 17 Halogens, Interhalogens and OxoacidsDrill Group 17 Halogens, Interhalogens and Oxoacids in Elements of Group 16, 17 and 18
- Group 18 Noble Gases and Xenon CompoundsDrill Group 18 Noble Gases and Xenon Compounds in Elements of Group 16, 17 and 18
Redox Reactions
44 questions · 2% hard
44 q · 2% HARD. Almost all of it is the oxidation number — including the structural exceptions (peroxide oxygen, the S–S chain in tetrathionate).
Drill — in this order
- Oxidation Number Calculation and DeterminationDrill Oxidation Number Calculation and Determination in Redox Reactions
- Balancing Redox Reactions and Oxidized/Reduced SpeciesDrill Balancing Redox Reactions and Oxidized/Reduced Species in Redox Reactions
- Reducing/Oxidizing Agents and Acidic/Basic OxidesDrill Reducing/Oxidizing Agents and Acidic/Basic Oxides in Redox Reactions
Surface Chemistry
39 questions · 0% hard
39 q · never a HARD question. Physisorption against chemisorption, colloid types, and the Hardy–Schulze rule — the coagulating ion carries the charge opposite to the sol's.
Drill — in this order
- Adsorption, Physisorption, Chemisorption and IsothermsDrill Adsorption, Physisorption, Chemisorption and Isotherms in Surface Chemistry
- Colloids, Classification, Coagulation and Hardy-Schulze RuleDrill Colloids, Classification, Coagulation and Hardy-Schulze Rule in Surface Chemistry
- Catalysis and NanomaterialsDrill Catalysis and Nanomaterials in Surface Chemistry
Elements of Group 1 and 2
37 questions · 0% hard
37 q · never a HARD question. Trends down the groups, the anomalies of lithium and beryllium (small ions), and the industrial processes by name.
Drill — in this order
- Group 1 Alkali Metals, Properties and ReactivityDrill Group 1 Alkali Metals, Properties and Reactivity in Elements of Group 1 and 2
- Group 2 Alkaline Earth Metals, Properties and ReactivityDrill Group 2 Alkaline Earth Metals, Properties and Reactivity in Elements of Group 1 and 2
- Industrial Processes, Minerals, Hydrogen Compounds and AlloysDrill Industrial Processes, Minerals, Hydrogen Compounds and Alloys in Elements of Group 1 and 2
The 7 chapters below the playbook line
These sit under 0.9 questions a paper, so none of them ships a playbook — they are listed here so the 30-chapter bank is accounted for rather than quietly truncated at 23. Read the status column first: 2025 brought one of them onto the paper, which matters more than the question counts suggest.
| Chapter | Questions | q/paper | % HARD | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Principles of Organic ChemistryJust below the line, and the hardest chapter of any size at 13% HARD. More important than its rate: electronic effects, intermediates and isomerism run through every Reactions chapter. Read its notes before them. | 38 | 0.88 | 13% | Live |
| AlkenesNever a HARD question. Markovnikov and anti-Markovnikov addition and ozonolysis carry it; drill it with the Reactions strand. | 35 | 0.75 | 0% | Live |
| Green Chemistry and NanochemistryRising: 0.67 a paper in 2023-24, 1.00 in 2025 — above the line on 2025 alone. Pure recall of the twelve principles, atom economy and nanostructures, never HARD. | 33 | 0.75 | 0% | Live |
| States of MatterThe gas laws and PV = nRT — the same arithmetic as Some Basic Concepts. Drill with the Calculate strand. | 31 | 0.67 | 3% | Live |
| Modern Periodic TableFalling: 0.56 a paper in 2023-24, 0.23 in 2025. Periodic trends — worth an hour because every block chapter borrows them, not for its own marks. | 18 | 0.42 | 0% | Live |
| AlkynesTen questions in 42 papers. Acidity of terminal alkynes and hydration to a carbonyl. | 10 | 0.29 | 0% | Live |
| Elements of Group 13, 14 and 15Three questions in 42 papers. Not worth a session. | 3 | 0.08 | 33% | Live |
Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry is the one not to skip. It is below the line at 0.88 a paper, but it is the hardest chapter of any size and every Reactions chapter leans on it. Green Chemistry is the other to watch: a question in every 2025 paper, and never HARD.
Time investment plan
| Strand | Chapters | Bank share | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calculate | 8 | 872 q · 42% | 40 |
| Reactions | 6 | 465 q · 22% | 22 |
| Recall | 9 | 569 q · 27% | 26 |
| Total | 23 | 1906 q | 88 |
Prepare in any order, but answer in this one: every Recall and Reactions question on the first sweep, the Calculate questions on the second. The first sweep is where Chemistry hands minutes back to Physics. Whatever is still unanswered at the end of Paper II gets a guess, because a guess is free.
Start with the 9 Recall chapters
569 questions — 27% of the bank — across 9 chapters, on a 50-question paper, and about 2% HARD. The fastest marks on Paper II: learn the tables and answer them on sight.