Chemistry and Industry: JAMB Chemistry Questions, Answers & Notes

What Chemistry and Industry covers in the JAMB Chemistry syllabus

Industrial chemistry turns raw materials into useful products. The Haber process makes ammonia (from nitrogen and hydrogen, iron catalyst) — mainly for fertilisers. The Contact process makes sulphuric acid (sulphur → SO₂ → SO₃ using a vanadium(V) oxide catalyst → H₂SO₄). Crude oil is refined by fractional distillation into fuels (petrol, diesel) and petrochemical feedstocks; cracking makes smaller molecules. Soap is made by saponification (fats + caustic soda); detergents work in hard water. Other industries make cement (from limestone and clay), fertilisers, margarine (by hydrogenation of oils), and use electrolysis of brine (for chlorine and sodium hydroxide) and of bauxite (for aluminium).

For Chemistry and Industry, JAMB expects you to be able to:

• Describe key industrial processes (Haber, Contact, petroleum refining)
• State raw materials, catalysts and products of major industries
• Explain soap/detergent manufacture, fertilisers, cement and metal extraction

Key facts & revision notes: Chemistry and Industry

These are the recurring points our Chemistry and Industry questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.

• The Haber process manufactures ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen.
• The Contact process manufactures sulphuric acid.
• The Haber process combines nitrogen (from air) and hydrogen to form ammonia.
• Finely divided iron is the catalyst in the Haber process.
• Ammonia is used mainly to manufacture nitrogenous fertilisers.
• Limestone (with clay) is the chief raw material for cement.
• Soap is made by saponification — boiling fats/oils with sodium hydroxide (caustic soda).
• Saponification is the alkaline hydrolysis of fats/oils to make soap.
• Bauxite is the main ore of aluminium.
• Crude oil is separated into fractions by fractional distillation.
• Petrol (gasoline) is the crude-oil fraction used to fuel most cars.
• Sulphur (or roasting sulphide ores) provides the SO₂ for the Contact process.
• Ammonium sulphate is a nitrogenous fertiliser that supplies nitrogen to plants.
• Hydrogenation adds hydrogen across the C=C bonds of unsaturated oils to make margarine.
• Detergents lather well even in hard water, unlike soap which forms scum.
• The cement industry uses limestone and clay heated in a kiln.
• Vanadium(V) oxide (V₂O₅) catalyses SO₂ → SO₃ in the Contact process.
• The petrochemical industry refines crude oil by fractional distillation into fuels and feedstocks.
• Common salt (brine) is electrolysed to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide.
• Chemical industries convert raw materials into useful products efficiently and economically.
• H₂SO₄ is used in fertilisers, batteries, refining and much more.
• Ammonia solution contains NH₄⁺ and OH⁻, making it alkaline.
• Soap is made by boiling fats/oils with sodium hydroxide.
• Saponification produces soap and glycerol.

Worked examples

Three Chemistry and Industry questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.

How Chemistry and Industry is tested in JAMB Chemistry

Our Chemistry and Industry bank holds 40 questions (1 easy, 24 medium, 15 hard). JAMB Chemistry typically returns to Chemistry and Industry year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.

How to answer Chemistry and Industry questions

Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Chemistry and Industry. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Chemistry item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Chemistry and Industry is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.

Common mistakes to avoid in Chemistry and Industry

The errors that cost marks on Chemistry and Industry are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Chemistry and Industry actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chemistry and Industry part of the JAMB Chemistry syllabus?

Yes. Chemistry and Industry is a recognised topic in the JAMB Chemistry syllabus, covering describe key industrial processes (Haber, Contact, petroleum refining). You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.

How many Chemistry and Industry questions can I practise on Belmadeng?

There are 40 original, JAMB-standard Chemistry and Industry questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.

What are the most important points to know about Chemistry and Industry?

Industrial chemistry turns raw materials into useful products. The Haber process makes ammonia (from nitrogen and hydrogen, iron catalyst) — mainly for fertilisers. The Contact process makes sulphuric acid (sulphur → SO₂ → SO₃ using a vanadium(V) oxide catalyst → H₂SO₄). Crude oil is refined by frac…

How do I answer Chemistry and Industry questions quickly in JAMB?

Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Chemistry and Industry. Practising timed Chemistry and Industry questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.

Are these JAMB Chemistry Chemistry and Industry questions past questions or original?

They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.

Where can I practise Chemistry and Industry questions free without signing up?

Right here — tap “Start Chemistry and Industry practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.

About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Chemistry syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.