All you need to know about the GRE Chemistry test

In this article we will review together some basic information about the GRE Chemistry test as well as the exam specifications.

GRE Chemistry Overview

1. The test consists of 130 multiple choice questions (MCQ)

2. A hard copy of the periodic table shall be attached with the test; a table containing the most common physical constants and some conversions used in the SI system, if necessary in some questions, some of the constants may be added along with the text of the question.

3. You will not have to use the calculator during the test

4. The test includes four basic sections in chemistry

Classification of questions in the GRE Chemistry test

1. Analytical Chemistry [15%]

Data collection and use of statistics: statistical errors and considerations
Solutions and standardization: primary standard materials and expressions used to express concentration
Harmonic balance: acid and base, oxidation and reduction
Unbalanced equilibrium: weight analysis, solubility, sedimentation parameters, chemical separation
Methods of Automated Analysis: Electrochemical Methods, Spectral Analysis Methods, Chromatographic Analysis Methods, Thermal Analysis Methods, Calibration of Measurement Instruments
Environmental applications
Methods of analysis of radioactive materials: reagents, applications

2. Inorganic chemistry [15%]

General Chemistry: Periodic Trends, Oxidation, Nuclear Chemistry
Ionic materials: the vacuum network, the radius of the atom and its effects
Molecular covalent materials: Lewis diagram, hybridization and equivalence electrons, molecular orbits, bond energy, inter-molecular bonding
Metals and semiconductors
Acids and Bases: The Bronsted-Laurie Theory, Lewis Theory
Basic group chemistry: electronic structure, presence, physical and chemical properties of these elements and their compounds
Transition element chemistry: electronic structure, presence, physical and chemical properties of these elements and their compounds
Special topics: organic chemistry, catalysis, inorganic biochemistry, applied solid chemistry, environmental chemistry.

3. Organic Chemistry [30%]

Composition, naming: Lewis installation, orbital hybridization, systemic label according to the IOPAC,
Functional groups: Preparation, reactions and transfers of the following compounds (alkanes, alkenes, alkyl halides, thiol, sulphides, alcohols, ethers, epoxides, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids and their derivatives, amines)
Reaction Mechanisms: Substitution and Addition Interactions of Nucleophytes, Electrophilic Addition reactions
Active Modes: Chemistry and nature of carbon cation and carbon anion, free radicals
Mineral organic compounds
Special topics: resonance, molecular orbital theory, aromatic property, fat, amino acids, peptides, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, terpenes, polymers

4. Physical Chemistry [30%]

Thermodynamics: laws of three thermodynamics, ideal gases and real gases, Gibbs energy and its vibrations, chemical equilibrium, statistical thermodynamics
Quantum Chemistry and Applications in Spectroscopy: Classical Experiments, Quantum Mechanics Principles, Atomic and Molecular Composition, Molecular Spectroscopy
Dynamics or kinetics
Link to the GRE Chemistry test book ( click here )