JAMB-UTME Chemistry Syllabus – Simplified and Organized for Easy Revision: If you are preparing for JAMB 2026 UTME Chemistry, this guide will help you focus on the most important topics. It is organized in a way that is simple to read and easy to revise.
We have listed all topics with their subtopics so that you can plan your study effectively.
1. Separation of Mixtures and Purification
Elements, compounds, and mixtures
Physical and chemical changes
Pure and impure substances
Criteria for purity: boiling point, melting point, density, freezing point
Separation methods:
Evaporation
Simple and fractional distillation
Sublimation
Recrystallization
Chromatography (paper and column)
Crystallization (simple and fractional)
Magnetization
Decantation
Filtration
Centrifugation
2. Chemical Combination
Laws of chemical combination:
Law of conservation of matter
Law of definite proportions
Law of multiple proportions
Law of reciprocal proportions
Chemical symbols, formulae, and equations
Relative atomic mass based on Carbon-12 = 12
Mole concept
Stoichiometry and chemical calculations
3. Kinetic Theory of Matter and Gas Laws
Particle motion in melting, boiling, freezing, condensation, and vaporization
Brownian motion
Gas laws:
Boyle’s law
Charles’s law
Gay-Lussac’s law
Avogadro’s law
Dalton’s law of partial pressure
Graham’s law
Ideal gas equation (PV = nRT)
Molar volume of gases
Vapour density and relative molecular mass
Ideal and real gases
4. Atomic Structure and Bonding
Contributions of Dalton, Thomson, Rutherford, Bohr, Millikan, and Moseley
Atomic number, mass number, and isotopes (elements 1 to 20)
Quantum numbers and electron configuration
Shapes of s and p orbitals
Periodic table and periodic trends:
Ionization energy
Atomic and ionic radius
Electron affinity
Electronegativity
Chemical bonding:
Ionic (electrovalent)
Covalent
Dative bond
Hydrogen bond
Metallic bond
Van der Waals forces
Shapes of molecules: linear, tetrahedral, pyramidal
5. Nuclear Chemistry
Radioactivity: types and properties
Natural and artificial radioactivity
Radioactive decay and half-life
Nuclear fission and fusion
6. Solubility
Unsaturated, saturated, and supersaturated solutions
Solubility curves
Concentration in mole per dm³
True and false solutions: colloids and suspensions
Common solvents for fats, oils, and paints
7. Environmental Pollution
Composition of air
Air pollution: CO, SO₂, NOₓ, CFCs, dust, H₂S
Water pollution: sewage and oil spills
Soil pollution: biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances
8. Acids, Bases and Salts
Properties of acids and bases
Indicators
Definitions: Arrhenius and Brønsted-Lowry
Types of salts: normal, acidic, basic, double salts
pH and pOH scales
Buffer solutions
Acid-base titration
Hydrolysis of salts
9. Oxidation and Reduction (Redox)
Oxidation and reduction in terms of oxygen, hydrogen, and electron transfer
Oxidation numbers
IUPAC nomenclature
Oxidizing and reducing agents
10. Electrolysis
Electrolytes and non-electrolytes
Faraday’s laws of electrolysis
Electrolysis of H₂SO₄, CuSO₄, CuCl₂, and NaCl (dilute, concentrated, fused)
Electrochemical series
Corrosion and prevention
11. Energy Changes
Enthalpy (ΔH)
Endothermic and exothermic reactions
Entropy (ΔS)
Free energy (ΔG) and spontaneity
12. Rates of Chemical Reactions
Factors affecting rate of reaction: temperature, concentration/pressure, surface area, catalysts
Activation energy
Collision theory
Arrhenius equation
13. Chemical Equilibria
Reversible reactions
Dynamic equilibrium
Le Chatelier’s principle
Industrial applications
14. Non-Metals and Their Compounds
Hydrogen
Halogens: Chlorine and HCl
Oxygen and Sulphur: Contact process
Water: hardness and treatment
Nitrogen: Haber process, Nitric acid, nitrogen cycle
Carbon: allotropes, CO₂, CO, coal, and coke
15. Metals and Their Compounds
General properties and extraction
Sodium: Solvay process
Calcium and cement
Aluminium: Bauxite purification
Iron and steel
Copper and CuSO₄
Transition metals
Alloys: brass, bronze, steel, duralumin
16. Organic Chemistry
Tetravalency of carbon
IUPAC naming
Hydrocarbons: Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkynes
Isomerism
Petroleum: fractional distillation and cracking
Benzene
Functional groups: alcohols, acids, esters, etc.
Biomolecules: carbohydrates, proteins, amines
Polymers: natural and synthetic
17. Chemistry and Industry
Types of chemical industries:
Raw materials
Industrial applications
Biotechnology
18. Astronomical Chemistry
Solar system
Planets and satellites
Earth composition: atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere.
DOWNLOAD (PDF) JAMB UTME Chemistry Syllabus
Chemistry RECOMMENDED TEXTS
1. Ababio, O. Y. (2009).
New School Chemistry for Senior Secondary Schools (Fourth edition), Onitsha: Africana FIRST Publishers Limited.
2. Bajah, S.T., Teibo, B. O., Onwu, G. and Obikwere, A. Book 1 (1999).
Senior Secondary
Chemistry, Books 2 and 3 (2000). Lagos: Longman.
3. Outlook, G. O. (2012).
Understanding Chemistry for Schools and Colleges, (Revised Edition), Zaria: Press – On Chem resources.
4. Odesina, I. A. (2008).
Essential: Chemistry for Senior Secondary Schools, (2nd Edition), Lagos: Toned Publishers Limited.
5. Uche, I. O.
Adenuga, I. J. and Iwuagwu, S. L. (2003).
Countdown to WASSCE/SSCE,
NECO, JME Chemistry,
Ibadan: Evans
Also Read:
- Top 10 Most Repeated Topics in JAMB English 2026/2027
- JAMB 2026 Direct Entry Registration Form Is Out – Requirements, Price, Deadline
- Understanding Your Admission Status on JAMB CAPS
- JAMB UTME to Direct Entry Conversion 2025/2026: Step-by-Step Guide
Conclusion
JAMB-UTME Chemistry covers a wide range of topics. Focusing on these areas will make your preparation easier and more organized. Make sure you practice questions for each topic and understand key concepts. Regular revision will help you perform very well in the exam.
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