Kerala PSC Exam syllabus for the posts of Range Forest Officer (Mains) Optional Subject Chemistry

Submitted By Nimi M P on 17 January 2025

Detailed syllabus for the posts of Kerala PSC Range Forest Officer (Mains) Optional Subject Chemistry in Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department Examination are given below. The total marks of the exam is 200. The Syllabus was published in the year 2025. You can refer our 'exam' section for previous and sample question papers. Exam details can be found in our news section or our youtube channel.

Syllabus For The Post Of Range Forest Officer In Kerala Forest & Wildlife Department (Chemistry)

Module 1: Fundamentals of Chemistry (20 Marks)

Atomic Structure

Discovery of electron, proton, neutron
Rutherford and Bohr models of atom
Quantum mechanical model of atom
Quantum numbers and electronic configuration
Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle, Hund's rule

Mole Concept

Avogadro's number, molar mass
Empirical and molecular formulas
Stoichiometry and calculations involving chemical reactions

Chemical Bonding

Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds
VSEPR theory and molecular shapes
Hybridization and molecular orbital theory
Bond energy, bond length, and bond order

Module 2: Physical Chemistry (40 Marks)

Thermodynamics

First law of thermodynamics, internal energy, enthalpy
Second law of thermodynamics, entropy, Gibbs free energy
Third law of thermodynamics
Applications to chemical reactions (Hess's law, standard enthalpies)

Chemical Equilibrium

Dynamic nature of equilibrium, equilibrium constant
Le Chatelier's principle and its applications
Calculations involving equilibrium constants (Kc, Kp)

Solutions

Concentration terms (molarity, molality, normality, mole fraction)
Raoult's law and ideal solutions
Colligative properties (boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, osmotic pressure)

Electrochemistry

Electrolytes and non-electrolytes, conductance in electrolytic solutions
Electrochemical cells, standard electrode potentials
Nernst equation, electrochemical series
Applications of electrochemistry (batteries, fuel cells, corrosion)

Chemical Kinetics

Rate of a reaction, factors affecting reaction rates
Rate laws, order of reaction, molecularity
Arrhenius equation, activation energy
Mechanisms of complex reactions

Surface Chemistry

Adsorption and absorption, types of adsorption
Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption isotherms
Colloids and emulsions, properties and applications

Module 3: Inorganic Chemistry (40 Marks)

Coordination Chemistry

Nomenclature and isomerism in coordination compounds
Werner's theory, Valence Bond Theory (VBT), Crystal Field Theory (CFT)
Stability of coordination compounds, applications in bioinorganic chemistry

Solid State

Classification of solids (crystalline and amorphous)
Crystal lattices and unit cells, Bravais lattices
Packing efficiency, voids, and density calculations
Bragg's law and X-ray diffraction

Nuclear Chemistry

Radioactivity, types of radioactive decay
Half-life, nuclear reactions, and stability of nuclei
Applications of radioisotopes (medical, industrial, archaeological)

Inorganic Qualitative Analysis Principles

Solubility product, common ion effect
Qualitative analysis of cations and anions
Spot tests and group separation techniques

Chemical Bonding in Inorganic Compounds

Bonding in ionic and covalent compounds
Shapes of molecules and ions (VSEPR theory)
Hybridization and shapes of molecules (sp, sp2, sp3, etc.)

Module 4: Organic Chemistry (50 Marks)

Basic Principles and Concepts

Hybridization, resonance, inductive effect, hyperconjugation
Acid-base concepts in organic chemistry
Nomenclature of organic compounds (IUPAC system)

Stereochemistry

Optical isomerism, chirality, enantiomers, diastereomers
Geometric isomerism, E/Z notation
Conformational analysis of alkanes and cycloalkanes

Alcohols, Phenols, Aldehydes, and Ketones

Structure, nomenclature, physical properties
Methods of preparation and reactions (oxidation, reduction, nucleophilic addition)
Special reactions (Aldol condensation, Cannizzaro reaction, Reimer-Tiemann reaction)

Carboxylic Acids and Amines

Structure, nomenclature, physical properties
Methods of preparation and reactions (acid-base properties, substitution, decarboxylation)
Amines: Basicity, preparation, and reactions (Hofmann rearrangement, Gabriel synthesis)

Benzene and its Derivatives

Structure and stability of benzene, aromaticity
Electrophilic aromatic substitution (nitration, sulfonation, halogenation, Friedel-Crafts reactions)

Diazonium Salts

Preparation and reactions (Sandmeyer reaction, Gattermann reaction)
Applications in organic synthesis

Module 5: Biochemistry (20 Marks)

Carbohydrates

Classification (monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides)
Structure and properties, reactions of glucose and fructose
Glycosidic linkage and polysaccharides (starch, cellulose, glycogen)

Amino Acids and Proteins

Structure, classification, and properties of amino acids
Peptide bond formation, primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure of proteins
Enzyme catalysis and mechanism of enzyme action

Nucleic Acids

Structure and function of DNA and RNA
Replication, transcription, and translation
Mutations and genetic code

Biochemical Techniques

Chromatography (paper, thin-layer, column)
Electrophoresis (gel electrophoresis, SDS-PAGE)

Module 6: Applied Chemistry (20 Marks)

Photochemistry

Laws of photochemistry (Grotthuss-Draper law, Stark-Einstein law)
Quantum yield, photochemical reactions (photosynthesis, vision)
Jablonski diagram, fluorescence, and phosphorescence

Catalysis

Types of catalysis (homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzyme catalysis)
Mechanism of catalytic action, characteristics of catalysts
Industrial applications of catalysis (Haber process, Contact process)

Gaseous State

Gas laws (Boyle's law, Charles's law, Avogadro's law)
Ideal gas equation, kinetic molecular theory of gases
Real gases and deviations from ideal behavior, Van der Waals equation
Module 7: Advanced Topics in Chemistry (10 Marks)

Green Chemistry

Principles of green chemistry
Green synthesis and sustainable processes

Nanochemistry

Synthesis and properties of nanomaterials
Applications of nanotechnology in chemistry

Environmental Chemistry

Chemical principles in environmental science
Pollution (air, water, soil), greenhouse gases, and climate change

NOTE: - It may be noted that apart from the topics detailed above, questions from other topics prescribed for the educational qualification of the post may also appear in the question paper. There is no undertaking that all the topics above may be covered in the question paper.