JAMB Syllabus for Chemistry 2025/2026

(a) Pure and impure substances
(b) Boiling and melting points
(c) Elements, compounds and mixtures
(d) Chemical and physical changes
(e) Separation processes:
– Evaporation, simple and fractional distillation,
– sublimation, filtration, crystallization, paper and column chromatography, simple and fractional crystallization, magnetization, decantation.

(i) distinguish between pure and impure substances;

(ii) use boiling and melting points as criteria for purity of chemical substances;

(iii) distinguish between elements, compounds and mixture;

(iv) differentiate between chemical and physical changes;

(v) identify the properties of the components of a mixture;

(vi) specify the principle involved in each separation method; and

(vii) apply the basic principle of separation processes in everyday life.

Laws of definite, multiple and reciprocal
proportions, law of conservation of matter, Gay Lussac’s law of combining volumes,
Avogadro’s law; chemical symbols, formulae, equations and their uses, relative atomic mass based on 12C=12, the mole concept and Avogadro’s number and stoichiometry of reactions.

(i) perform simple calculations involving formulae, equations/chemical composition and the mole concept;

(ii) deduce the chemical laws from given
expressions/statements/data;

(iii) interpret graphical representations related to these laws; and

(iv) deduce the stoichiometry of chemical reactions.

(a) Phenomena to support the kinetic theory of matter using:

(i) melting,
(ii) vapourization
(iii) boiling
(iv) freezing
(v) condensation

in terms of molecular motion and Brownian
movement.

(b) (i) The laws of Boyle, Charles, Graham and Dalton (law of partial pressure); combined gas law, molar volume and atomicity of gases.
(ii) The ideal gas equation (PV = nRT).
(iii) The relationship between vapour density of gases and the relative molecular mass.

(i) apply the theory to distinguish between solids, liquids and gases;

(ii) deduce reasons for change of state;

(iii) draw inferences based on molecular motion;

(iv) deduce gas laws from given
expressions/statements;

(v) interpret graphical representations related to these laws; and

(vi) perform simple calculations based on these laws, equations and relationships.

(a) (i)The concept of atoms, molecules and ions, the works of Dalton, Millikan, Rutherford, Moseley, Thompson and Bohr.

(ii) Atomic structure, electron configuration, atomic number, mass number and isotopes; specific examples should be drawn from elements of
atomic number 1 to 20.

(iii) Shapes of s and p orbitals.

(b) The periodic table and periodicity of elements, presentation of the periodic table with a view to recognizing families of elements e.g. alkali metals, halogens, the noble gases and transition metals. The variation of the following properties: ionization energy, ionic radii, electron affinity and electronegativity.

(c) Chemical bonding.
Electrovalency and covalency, the electron
configuration of elements and their tendency to attain the noble gas structure. Hydrogen bonding and metallic bonding as special types of electrovalency and covalency respectively; coordinate bond as a type of covalent bond as illustrated by complexes like [Fe(CN)6] 3- , [Fe(CN)6] 4- , [Cu(NH3)4] 2+and [Ag(NH3)2] + ; van der Waals’ forces should be mentioned as a special type of bonding forces.

(d) Shapes of simple molecules: linear ((H2, O2, C12, HCl and CO2), non-linear (H2O), tetrahedral; (CH4) and pyramidal (NH3).

(e) Nuclear Chemistry:

(i) Radioactivity – Types and properties of
radiations

(ii) Nuclear reactions. Simple equations,
uses and applications of natural and
artificial radioactivity.

(i) distinguish between atoms, molecules and ions;

(ii) identify the contributions of these scientists to the development of the atomic structure;

(iii) deduce the number of protons, neutrons and electrons from atomic and mass numbers of an atom;

(iv) apply the rules guiding the arrangement of electrons in an atom;

(v) identify common elements exhibiting isotopy;

(vi) relate isotopy to mass number;

(vii) perform simple calculations relating to isotopy;

(viii) differentiate between the shapes of the orbitals;

(ix) determine the number of electrons in s and p atomic orbitals;

(x) relate atomic number to the position of an element on the periodic table;

(xi) relate properties of groups of elements on the periodic table;

(xii) identify reasons for variation in properties across the period and down the groups;

(xiii) differentiate between the different types of bonding;

(xiv) deduce bond types based on electron
configurations;

(xv) relate the nature of bonding to properties of compounds;

(xvi) differentiate between the various shapes of molecules;

xvii) distinguish between ordinary chemical
reaction and nuclear reaction;

(xviii) differentiate between natural and
artificial radioactivity;

(xix) compare the properties of the different types of nuclear radiations;

(xx) compute simple calculations on the
half-life of a radioactive material;

(xxi) balance simple nuclear equation; and

(xxii) identify the various applications of
radioactivity.