Chemistry CSS Syllabus 2025 Revised PDF
Are you interested to go with CSS in your next exam to be held in February, 2026? Here you can read CSS syllabus for Chemistry.
Instead of just bullet points as shown by FPSC, I have explained the topics a bit.
Chemistry CSS Syllabus 2025
Paper-I (100 Marks)
Atomic Structure and Quantum Chemistry
The topics covered include the electromagnetic spectrum, the photoelectric effect, and Bohr’s atomic model. The wave and particle nature of matter is explored through de Broglie’s equation and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. Wave functions, the Born interpretation of wave functions, probability density, and Eigen functions and Eigen values are discussed. The section also covers the Hamiltonian operator and the Schrödinger wave equation, along with its solution for particles in one and three-dimensional boxes.
Electrochemistry
This section covers ions in solution, measurement of conductance, and Kohlrausch’s law. Topics include the mobility of ions, transport number, and conductometric titrations. The Debye-Hückel theory and activity coefficients are discussed along with the determination of activities. Redox reactions, spontaneous reactions, electrochemical cells, and standard electrode potentials are examined. Additional topics include liquid junction potential, electrochemical series, Nernst’s equation, measurement of pH, electrolytic cells, potentiometry, reference and indicator electrodes, fuel cells, corrosion, and its prevention.
Thermodynamics
The section discusses the equation of states, ideal and real gases, and the van der Waals equation for real gases. Critical phenomena, critical constants, and the four laws of thermodynamics are covered along with their applications. Thermochemistry, calorimetry, and heat capacities are examined in relation to temperature, pressure, and volume. The topics also include reversible and non-reversible processes, spontaneous and non-spontaneous processes, Hess’s law, the Born-Haber cycle, relations of entropy and Gibbs free energy with equilibrium constants, the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation, fugacity, and activity.
Chemical Kinetics
This section explores the rate and molecularity of reactions and the factors affecting reaction rates. It covers zero, first, second, and third-order reactions with the same initial concentrations, along with their half-lives. Experimental techniques for rate determination and methods for determining the order of reactions are discussed, including integration, half-life, initial rate, and graphical methods. The section also covers collision theory, transition state theory, the Arrhenius equation, and the rate equations of complex reactions.
Surface Chemistry and Catalysis
Topics include properties of liquids, physical and chemical properties of surfaces, and determination of surface area. Adsorption and absorption processes are discussed, including physical adsorption and chemisorption. Adsorption isotherms, such as the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the Freundlich isotherm, are examined. Colloids, their properties, classification, and preparation, along with surfactants, are also covered. The phase rule is discussed with emphasis on Gibbs’ equation and one- and two-component systems. Catalysis is explored, covering homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, acid-base catalysis, and enzyme catalysis.
Fundamentals of Chemometrics
The section covers sampling, significant figures, and stoichiometric calculations. Measurement errors, analysis of variance (ANOVA), arithmetic mean, median, mode, standard deviation/relative standard deviation, and confidence limits are discussed. Additional topics include Gaussian distribution, the least squares method, and statistical tests.
Separation Methods
Solvent extraction is discussed, covering its theory, the solvent extraction of metals, analytical separations, multiple batch extraction, and countercurrent distribution. Chromatographic techniques, including paper, thin-layer, column, and ion exchange chromatography, are examined. The principle of electrophoresis and its application in separating and characterizing proteins are also included.
Basic Inorganic Chemistry
This section covers chemical bonding, including ionic and covalent bonding, the localized bond approach, and theories of chemical bonding. Valence bond theory (VBT), hybridization, resonance, and the prediction of molecular shapes using the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) model are discussed. Molecular orbital theory (MOT) is applied to diatomic molecules, and the delocalized approach to bonding is examined. Bonding in electron-deficient compounds and hydrogen bonding is also covered. Physical and chemical properties of p-block elements, including oxygen, carbon, chlorine, silicon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, along with some of their representative compounds, are discussed.
Acids and Bases
Concepts of chemical equilibrium, acid–base theories (including the soft and hard acid and base (SHAB) concept), and the relative strength of acids and bases are discussed. The significance of pH, pKa, and pKb, along with buffer solutions, is explored. Additional topics include the theory of indicators, solubility, solubility product, common ion effect, and their industrial applications.
Chemistry of d and f-Block Elements
General characteristics of d-block elements, historical background of coordination chemistry, and the nomenclature and structure of coordination complexes (with coordination numbers 2–10) are discussed. Chelates and the chelate effect are examined, along with theories of coordination complexes, including Werner’s theory, Valence Bond Theory (VBT), Crystal Field Theory (CFT), and Molecular Orbital Theory (MOT). The Jahn-Teller theorem, magnetic properties, spectral properties, isomerism, stereochemistry, and stability constants of coordination complexes are covered. The section also discusses lanthanides, including their characteristics, occurrence, extraction, separation principles, electronic structure, oxidation states, spectral and magnetic properties, and uses. Actinides are also covered, with discussions on their electronic structure, oxidation states, periodic table position, half-life, and decay law.
Paper-II (100 Marks)
Basic Concepts of Organic Chemistry
This section covers bonding and orbital hybridization, localized and delocalized bonding, inductive effects, dipole moments, resonance, and hyperconjugation.
Saturated and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
Topics include the nomenclature, physical properties, preparation, and reactions of alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.
Chemistry of Aromatic Compounds
The structure of benzene, aromaticity, and the mechanism of electrophilic substitution reactions are discussed. Activating and deactivating substituents and their effects on orientation and reactivity are also examined.
Chemistry of Functional Groups
The preparation and properties of alcohols, phenols, ethers, and amines are discussed with a focus on reaction mechanisms and applications. Alkyl halides and their reactions are covered, along with the synthetic applications of the Grignard reagent. Carbonyl compounds, including aldehydes and ketones, are discussed in terms of preparation, reaction mechanisms, and applications. The section also covers carboxylic acids, their derivatives, acidity, substituent effects, preparation, and reactions.
Aliphatic Nucleophilic Substitution and Elimination Reactions
This section covers nucleophilic substitution reaction mechanisms, elimination reactions, Zaitsev’s rule, Hofmann’s rule, and the competition between substitution and elimination reactions.
Stereochemistry
Molecular chirality, types of stereoisomers, RS and EZ notation, optical activity, stereoselectivity, and stereospecificity are discussed. The resolution of racemic mixtures is also covered.
Organic Spectroscopy
This section covers the theory, principles, instrumentation, and applications of UV/Visible, ¹H NMR, IR, and mass spectroscopic techniques.
Biomolecules
Carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, and enzymes are discussed in terms of their structure, classification, properties, and biological significance.
Metabolism
Digestion, absorption, and transport of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids are covered. Topics include glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, gluconeogenesis, glycogenesis, glycogenolysis, photosynthesis, biosynthesis of various compounds, and biochemical reactions of amino acids.
Chemical Industries
The manufacturing and processing of sugar, cement, glass, paper, fertilizers, soap, and detergents are discussed.
Best Books for Chemistry CSS Subject / Recommended Reads:
S.No. | Title | Author |
1. | Physical Chemistry, 4th ed., 2005 | Silbey, R. J., Alberty, R. A., and Bawendi, M. G. |
2. | Physical Chemistry – A Molecular Approach, 1st ed. 1997 | McQuarrie, D. A. and Simon, J. D. |
3. | Atkin’s Physical Chemistry, 9th ed. 2010 | Atkins, P. and Paula, J. D. |
4. | Physical Chemistry, 4th ed. 1972 | Moore. W. J. |
5. | Modern Analytical Chemistry, 2000 | Harvey, D. |
6. | Quantitative Chemical Analysis, 8th ed. 2011 | Harris, D.C., |
7. | Analytical Chemistry. 6th ed., 2006 | Christian, G. D. |
8. | CHEMOMETRICS-Statistics and Computed applications in Analytical Chemistry, 2nd ed., 2007 | Matthios, O. |
9. | Statistics and Chemometrics for Analytical Chemistry, 5th ed. 2005 | Miller, J. and Miller, J |
10. | Separation Chemistry 2004 | Budhiraja, R.P |
11. | Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, 6th ed. 2007 | Cotton, F.A. and Wilkinson, G. |
12. | Inorganic Chemistry, 4th ed. 2010 | Miessler, G. L. and Tarr, D.A. |
S.No. | Title | Author |
13. | Inorganic Chemistry, 5th ed. 2010 | Shriver, D. and Atkins, P. |
14. | Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry 2013 | Chaudhary, S. U. |
15. | Organic Chemistry, 10th ed. 2011 | Solomons, T. W. G., and Fryhle, C. B. |
16. | Organic Chemistry, 6th ed. 2012 | Brown, W. H., Fotte, C. S., Iverson,B.L. and Anslyn, E. V. |
17. | Organic Chemistry, 8th ed. 2012 | John, E. M. |
18. | Introduction to Spectroscopy, 4th ed., 2009 | Pavia, D. L.,Lampman, G. M., Kriz,G.S. and Vyvyan, J. R., |
19. | Spectrometric Identification of Organic Compounds 2005 | Silverstein, R. M. Webster, F. X. and Kiemle, D. |
20. | Organic Spectroscopy 2006 | Younas, M. |
21. | Stereochemistry (Basic Concepts in Chemistry) 2002 | Morris, D. G. |
22. | Shreve’s Chemical Process Industries, 5th ed. 1984 | Shreve, R. N. and Austin, G. T. |
23. | Riegel’s Handbook of Industrial Chemistry 2003 | Riegel, E. R., and Kent, J. A. |