Non-metals and their Compounds

Contents & notes: what this topic covers

Under Non-metals and their Compounds, the JAMB Chemistry syllabus expects you to study:

• 14. Non-metals and their Compounds
• (a) Hydrogen: commercial production from water gas and cracking of petroleum fractions, laboratory preparation, properties, uses and test for hydrogen
• (b) Halogens: Chlorine as a representative element of the halogens.
• Laboratory preparation, industrial preparation by electrolysis, properties and uses, e.g. water sterilization, bleaching, manufacture of HCl, plastics and insecticides Hydrogen chloride and Hydrochloric acid: Preparation and properties.
• Chlorides and test for chlorides.
• (c) Oxygen and Sulphur
• (i) Oxygen: Laboratory preparation, properties and uses. Commercial production from liquid air. Oxides: Acidic, basic, amphoteric and neutral, trioxygen (ozone) as an allotrope and the importance of ozone in the atmosphere Water - Water as a product of the combustion of hydrogen and its composition by volume.
• Water as solvent, atmospheric gases dissolved in water and their biological significance.
• Hard and soft water: Temporary and permanent hardness and methods of softening hard water.
• Treatment of water for town supply.
• Water of crystallization, efflorescence, ( deliquescence and hygroscopy.
• Example of the substances exhibiting these properties and their ( uses
• (ii) Sulphur: Uses and allotropes: preparation of allotropes is not expected .
• Preparation, properties and uses of sulphur(IV) oxide, the reaction of SO2 with alkalis. Trioxosulphate (IV) acid and its salts, the effect of acids on salts of trioxosulphate(IV), Tetraoxosulphate(VI) acid: Commercial preparation (contact process only), properties as a dilute acid, an oxidizing and a dehydrating agents and uses. Test for SO42-,SO32- ,SO2 Hydrogen sulphide: Preparation and properties as a weak acid, reducing and precipitating agents. Test for S2-, H2S
• (d) Nitrogen:
• (i) Laboratory preparation
• (ii) Production from liquid air
• (iii) Ammonia: Laboratory and industrial preparations (Haber Process only), properties and uses, ammonium salts and their uses, oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen (IV) oxide and trioxonitrate (V) acid. Test for NH4+, NO2, NH3
• (iv) Trioxonitrate (V) acid: Laboratory preparation from ammonia;
• properties and uses. Trioxonitrate (V) salt- action of heat and uses. Test for NO3-, and other oxides of nitrogen
• (v) Oxides of nitrogen: properties
• (vi) The nitrogen cycle
• (e) Carbon: (x
• (i) Allotropes: Uses and (x properties
• (ii) Carbon(IV) oxide, (x Laboratory preparation, Properties and uses. Action of heat on (x trioxocarbonate(IV) salts and test for 2- - CO3 , HCO3 , CO2 (x
• (iii) Carbon(II) oxide: (x Laboratory preparation, properties including its effect on blood, sources of carbon (II) oxide to include charcoal, fire and exhaust fumes (xx
• (iv) Coal: Different types, products obtained (xx from destructive distillation of wood (x and coal
• (v) Coke: Gasification and uses. (x Manufacture of synthesis gas and uses

Study notes & guidance

Study Non-metals and their Compounds using a recommended Chemistry textbook that follows the JAMB syllabus. Work through the contents listed above one by one, make brief notes in your own words, and then practise as many questions on this topic as you can — in Chemistry, understanding and steady practice matter far more than memorising. Use the objectives below as a checklist: if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Objectives — candidates should be able to

After studying Non-metals and their Compounds, you should be able to:

1. (i) predict reagents for the laboratory and industrial preparation of these gases and their compounds; (ii) identify the properties of the gases and their compounds; (iii) compare the properties of these gases and their compounds; (iv) specify the uses of each gas and its compounds; (v) determine the specific test for each gas and its compounds; (vi) determine specific tests for Cl-, (vii) predict the reagents for preparation, properties and uses of HCl(g) and HCl(aq); (viii) identify the allotropes of oxygen; (ix) determine the significance of ozone to our environment; (x) classify the oxides of oxygen and their properties; (xi) identify the various uses of water; (xii) identify the effects of dissolved atmospheric gases in water; (xiii) distinguish between the properties of hard and soft water; (xiv) determine the causes of hardness; (xv) identify methods of removal of hardness;
2. Describe the processes involved in the treatment of water for town supply; (xvii) distinguish between these phenomena;
3. Identify the various compounds that exhibit these phenomena; (xix) identify the allotropes of sulphur and their uses; (xx) predict the reagents for preparation, properties and uses of SO2and H2S; (xxi) specify the preparations of H2SO4 and H2SO3, their properties and uses; (xxii) determine specific tests for S2-, SO42- , H2S, SO2, SO3- (xxiii) specify the laboratory and industrial preparation of NH3 ; (xxiv) identify the properties and uses of NH3; (xxv) determine specific test for NH4+ , NH3; (xxvi) identify reagents for the laboratory preparation of HNO3, its properties and uses; (xxvii) specify the properties of N2O, NO, NO2 gases; (xxviii) determine the specific test for N2O , NO and NO3-; (xxix) examine the relevance of nitrogen cycle to the environment;
4. Xx) identify allotropes of carbon;
5. Xxi) predict reagents for the laboratory preparation of CO2;
6. Xxii) specify the properties of CO2 and its uses; xxiii) determine the reagents for the laboratory preparation of CO;
7. Xxiv) predict the effects of CO on human;
8. Xxv) determine the specific tests for HCO3-, CO32-, CO2 ;
9. Identify the different forms of coal;
10. Determine their uses; xxviii) specify the products of the destructive distillation of wood and coal; and
11. Xxix) specify the uses of coke and synthesis gas.

These objectives are from the official JAMB syllabus. Use them as a checklist — if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Source: official JAMB UTME Chemistry syllabus (IBASS, jamb.gov.ng). Reproduced for study use. Last checked: 17 Sept 2026. Always confirm the current syllabus on the official portal.