What the board asks

We went through the ISC board papers, question by question, and matched each question to a topic. Here is what was asked, how often, and what was never asked.

Chemistry: 384 topics in the 2027 syllabus, across 10 units. The board has asked 252 of them at least once. 132 were never asked in the papers we checked.

Pick a unit

C10 Biomolecules

This unit carries about 4 marks in the paper. We split it into 20 topics: each is one thing an examiner can ask, and you can practise it on paper in 5 to 25 minutes. The board has asked 13 of them. 7 were never asked. The top 5 topics make 50% of all the times this unit was asked. Last asked: Specimen 2027.

The syllabus says: Structure of proteins: qualitative idea, definitions only; details and diagrams not required. Enzymes and hormones: elementary idea only. Vitamins: chemical names and structures not required. RNA: no chemical structure required.

13asked by the board at least once

7in the syllabus, never asked

34times a topic of this unit was asked

2.7hours for one attempt at every topic

What the papers ask most

  • Reducing and non-reducing sugars: examples, tests and reasons4 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Vitamin deficiency diseases and case-style questions4 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Disaccharides: structures, glycosidic linkage, hydrolysis products3 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Denaturation of proteins: definition, causes, everyday examples3 times, last Specimen 2027
  • Reactions establishing the open-chain structure of glucose3 times, last 2026
  • Bromine water test: glucose vs fructose with equation3 times, last 2026
  • Amino acids: general structure, classification, zwitter ion, isoelectric point3 times, last 2025
  • Fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins: classification and storage3 times, last 2025 improvement
  • Peptide bond: definition and dipeptide from two amino acids2 times, last 2026
  • Fibrous and globular proteins: definitions and examples2 times, last 2026

In the syllabus, never asked (7)

They can still come, because they are in the syllabus. Give each one clean attempt. Your plan has two practice questions for each.

  • Carbohydrates: definition and classification with examplesStatement
  • D-L configuration of sugars from glyceraldehydeStructure or name
  • Reactions establishing the open-chain structure of fructoseReaction
  • Cyclic structures of glucose and fructose; alpha and beta anomersStructure or name
  • Starch, cellulose and glycogen: units, linkages, importanceStatement
  • Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure: definitionsStatement
  • Enzymes and hormones: elementary idea with examplesStatement

All the topics in Chemistry: Biomolecules →

The 10 topics Chemistry papers ask most

Counted on the board papers from 2018 to the 2027 specimen paper, which every unit has been checked against.

  1. 1.IUPAC names of coordination compounds from formulaC5 Coordination Compounds · asked 8 times since 2018
  2. 2.Faraday's first law: mass, charge, current or timeC2 Electrochemistry · asked 7 times since 2018
  3. 3.Give reasons: transition metal ions are coloured, some colourlessC4 d- and f-Block Elements · asked 7 times since 2018
  4. 4.Alcohols from Grignard reagent: 1, 2, 3 degreeC7 Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers · asked 7 times since 2018
  5. 5.Williamson's synthesis of ethersC7 Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers · asked 7 times since 2018
  6. 6.Identify A, B, C, D in a given reagent chainC8 Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids · asked 7 times since 2018
  7. 7.Identify compounds from formula and test results (case problem)C8 Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids · asked 7 times since 2018
  8. 8.Identify A, B, C: amide, Hoffmann and amine-test chainsC9 Organic Compounds containing Nitrogen · asked 7 times since 2018
  9. 9.Gibbs energy and maximum work from cell emfC2 Electrochemistry · asked 6 times since 2018
  10. 10.Coordination number and oxidation state of the central metalC5 Coordination Compounds · asked 6 times since 2018

See when each unit comes in your plan