General Science_Chemistry_Last mile

For

69 th
BPSC Prelims
To be held on 30.09.2023

Topic: Faraday's laws

 Faraday's laws of electrolysis are concerned with Equivalent weight. The laws state
that the amount of chemical change produced by the current at an electrode-
electrolyte boundary is proportional to the quantity of electricity used and the amount
of chemical change produced by the same quantity of electricity.
 Different substances are proportional to their equivalent weights.
 The equivalent weight of an element or radical is equal to its atomic weight or
formula weight divided by the valence it assumes in compounds. The unit of equivalent
weight is the atomic mass unit.

Additional information:

 The total weight of an atom is called the atomic weight. It is approximately equal to
the number of protons and neutrons with a little extra added by the electrons.
 Molecular weight is also called molecular mass. The molecular mass is the mass of a
given molecule. it is measured in daltons.
 The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Topic: Quartz
Concept:

 Quartz is a crystalline compound that contains mainly SiO2 (Silicon dioxide).

 It can be found in igneous, sedimentary as well as metamorphic rocks.
 Quartz can be further of many types depending on the trace elements present in it.
 Quartz melts at approximately 1600°C and forms a tacky liquid.
 Many silicon-oxygen bonds are broken in the course of melting.
 Quartz glass is also known as silica glass since it is obtained by melting silica.

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  Quartz is piezoelectric material because it contains silicon.

Explanation:

Sheet silicate:

 The major components of silicates are SiO44- tetrahedrons. The center has
silicon and four oxygen atoms are placed at the four corners of the tetrahedron.
 Sheet silicates are formed by sharing of three bridging oxygen atoms per silicon
atom resulting in a 2-D framework.
 Mica, Chlorites, talcs, serpentines are examples of sheet silicates.

Cyclic silicate:

 Cyclic silicates contain SiO44- units joined in a cyclic manner.

 Two oxygen atoms are shared between each of the units.
 An example of cyclic silicate is Bentonite.

Framework silicate:

 In framework silicates, all the four oxygen atoms are shared, forming SiO2 units in
between.
 The SiO44- and SiO2 units are present in the ratio 1:2.
 Framework silicates are generally aluminosilicates with the exception of quartz.
 Quartz is a framework silicate having no aluminum.
 The framework silicates have the given structure:

Chain silicate:

 They are formed by linking n units of SiO44- tetrahedron linearly.

 They can be single chain as well as the double chain.

Hence, quartz is an example of framework silicate.

Additional Information

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Piezoelectric materials:

 These materials produce an electric spark when mechanical stress is applied to them.
 The piezoelectric effect was demonstrated in 1880 for the first time by Pierre Curie
and Jacques Curie.

Topic: Periodic Table

Concept:

 A periodic table is an arrangement of elements based on their atomic numbers and

chemical properties.
 It is divided into 18 groups and 7 periods running vertically and horizontally
respectively.
 The periodic table accommodates a discrete combination of metal, non-metals, and
metalloids.

Explanation:

Metals Non Metals Metalloids

 Theseelements have a  These elements have a  These elements are
tendency to lose one tendency to gain one or characterized by
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 or more electrons to
attain a stable more electrons to attain having intermediate
electronic a stable electronic properties of metals and
configuration. configuration. non-metal.
 These are placed  These are placed  These are placed
towards the left side towards the right side towards the middle of th
of the periodic table. of the periodic table. e periodic table.
 For example,  For example, Oxygen (O),  For example, Boron (B),
Sodium (Na), Nitrogen (N), Chlorine (C Silicon (Si),
Calcium (Ca), l), etc. Germanium (Ge), etc.
Potassium (K), etc.

Topic: Litmus

 Litmus solution is derived from Lichen.

 The color of a neutral litmus solution is purple.
 It is a natural Indicator and it is used to indicate the presence of an acid or a base.
 A litmus solution will turn red in the presence of an acid and it turns blue in the
presence of a base.
 Litmus solution is a mixture of chemical compounds called dyes from lichens that
dissolve in water.
 The primary components of litmus solution are
o Azolitmin (red)
o Litmus (blue)
 Litmus solution is used as a reliable and cost-effective pH indicator.
 It can identify the solution's acidity in the pH range of 4.5 to 8.3.
 When a litmus solution comes in contact with an acidic solution, it turns red.
 Whereas the litmus solution turns blue when added to a basic solution.
 Labs often use litmus solutions to test the pH of different things, like
o Drinking water
o Soil samples
o Chemical solutions
o Gaseous Compounds
 Litmus solution is not always a good indicator of pH because it can be affected by
o Temperature
o Light
o Impurities in the substance being tested.

Topic: Noble gases

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  Group 18 consists of six elements: helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, and radon.
 All these are gases and chemically unreactive.
 They form very few compounds.
 All the noble gases except radon occur in the atmosphere.
 All the noble gases are monoatomic.
 They are colorless, odorless and tasteless.
 They are sparingly soluble in water.
 They have very low melting and boiling points.
 The elements which are present in Group 18 have their orbitals completely filled.

Additional Information

 A periodic table is an arrangement of elements based on their atomic numbers and

chemical properties.
 It is divided into 18 groups and 7 periods running vertically and horizontally
respectively.
 The periodic table accommodates a discrete combination of metal, non-metals, and
metalloids.
 The elements in the periodic table are arranged horizontally in ascending order of
their atomic numbers known as periods.
 Vertically the elements having identical chemical properties are clubbed together
known as groups.
 The 18 groups are also known as columns and the 7 periods are also known as
the rows.

Topic: Valency and Stability

Valency: It is the combining capacity of an element to form bonds by sharing electron pairs
to make stable chemical compounds.

Stability: It is the property of resistance of a molecule or compound to not react with other
molecules, elements and compounds

Important Points

Magnesium:

 Magnesium is an element with the atomic number 12.

 It has the symbol Mg.
 It is a metal and thus its valency is +2.
 Its melting point is 650°C and its boiling point is 1090°C.
 Magnesium is the eighth-most abundant element.

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Nitrogen:

 Nitrogen is non-metal with atomic number 7.

 It occurs in gaseous form as dinitrogen.
 It has electronic configuration 1s22s22p3.
 Its valency is either -3 or -5.
 Its melting point is -210°C and its boiling point are -195.8°C.

Silicon:

 Silicon has atomic number 14.

 It is represented with the symbol Si.
 Its melting point is 1410°C and its boiling point is 3265°C.
 It shows the valency of -4 or +4.

Argon:

 It is a chemical element with the atomic number 18.

 It is a Nobel gas and hence its valency is 0.
 It is in group 18 of the periodic table.
 Argon is the third most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere (0.094%)
 Uses: Fluorescent Lightning, Gas Discharge Tubes, Fluorescent Glow Starters.

Order of valencies:

Ar < Mg < N < Si

Topic: Isotopes of Hydrogen

 With a 99.984% abundance, protium is the most prevalent hydrogen isotope.

 It is made up of one proton and one electron, but no neutron.
 It is usually found coupled with itself (H2) or other elements rather than in
its monoatomic form.
 Para hydrogen is not a hydrogen isotope.

Additional Information:

 Tritium is made up of one proton and two neutrons.

 There is just a minimal quantity of tritium in the environment.
 Protium is thus the most prevalent isotope of hydrogen.
 Deuterium 2H is another stable hydrogen isotope.
 It is made up of one proton and one neutron.

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 Topic: techniques of purification of metals

 Electrolytic refinement is the process by which pure metal is transferred from the
anode to the cathode.
 Less basic metal impurities settle as anode mud, while more basic metal impurities
persist in the electrolytic solution as ions.
 Electrolytic refining produces copper that is 99.95–99.99% pure.

Additional Information

 Metals are shiny, opaque materials that effectively transfer heat and electricity.
 The majority of metals are ductile and malleable, and they are often denser than other
elements.
 There are three methods of refining metal:
o Liquidation
o Distillation
o Electrolytic refining.

Topic: Techniques for separation of mixture

 Fractional Distillation
o Used to separate a mixture of two or more liquids for which the difference in
boiling points is less than 25K.
o Uses:

3. Separation of different gases from the air.

4. Different fractions from petroleum.

 Sublimation
o By the process of sublimation, the mixture of those two solids is separated in
which one solid is sublimate.
o Sublimates like naphthalene, anthracene, camphor, etc., can be separated by this
technique.
 Separating Funnel
o By use of separating funnel, we can separate a mixture of two liquids.
o The principle is that liquids separate out in layers depending upon their
densities.
o It is used:

1. To separate a mixture of oil and water.

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 2. In the extraction of iron.

 Crystallization
o This method is used to purify solids.
o It is a process that separates a pure solid in the form of its crystals from a
solution.
o In the separation of crystals of alum from impure samples, crystals are filtered,
dried, and separated.
o This technique is used in the purification of salt that we get from seawater.

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