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Life Sciences For NET & SET Exams. Of UGC-CSIR

Section A
Volume-02 General Sciences Contents

1. CHEMISTRY 2. COMPUTERS SCIENCE 3. GEOGRAPHY

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*MUDRA* 1. CHEMISTRY INTRODUCTION

Life Sciences For NET & SET Exams. Of UGC-CSIR

Chemistry is the branch of science in which we study the properties, composition and structure of materials (all, without any exception) in the world around us. The chemist looks at and tries to explain and interpret changes in materials, from the simple burning of natural gas to the complex reactions along place in human systems. The chemist employs both simple and complex techniques to determine the composition and structure of every substance and finds its. possible applications. If the substance is useful in any way, the chemist explores possibilities of synthesizing it in bulk amounts in, eco-friendly economic and efficient way. The chemist also tries to prove the usefulness of the substance by making suitable structural changes to give new materials which can be used as dyes, food, drugs, detergents, plastics, building materials, fabrics, rubber, paints, agrochemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, etc. Almost everything around is either connected with the chemical industry or has been treated with the products of the chemical industry, e.g. the paper and ink used in making this book; the wood, iron, glass, and paints used in making homes; clothes, shoes, jewellery, soaps, detergents, pastes, cosmetics, Creams, the food, vitamins, drugs, crops, fertilizers, disinfectants, etc. So the scope of chemistry is very wide and envelops anything you name in the universe. It is the most important branch of science and, without its knowledge, the understanding of other science subjects would be incomplete. Branches of Chemistry The science of Chemistry has been subdivided into the following important branches depending upon the aspects, nature and scope of study covered. Inorganic Chemistry This mainly deals with the study of all the elements and the properties, preparation and applications of their compounds. Organic Chemistry Although carbon ranks seventeenth in the order of abundance in the earth's crust, it forms the largest number of compounds, next to hydrogen. Organic Chemistry deals with all aspects of carbon and its compounds. ______________________________________________________________________________ 2 Section-A Vol-02

*MUDRA* Physical Chemistry

Life Sciences For NET & SET Exams. Of UGC-CSIR

The theoretical and mechanical aspects of chemical reactions are dealt within the study of physical chemistry. Biochemistry This branch of chemistry involves the study of chemical changes and reactions occurring within living systems and in life processes. Analytical Chemistry The study of constituents and their identification in chemical substances is studied in Analytical Chemistry. These studies can either be qualitative or quantitative in nature. There are several other specialized branches of chemistry, such as radiochemistry, electrochemistry, sonochemistry, photochemistry, biological chemistry, theoretical chemistry, phytochemistry, geochemistry, bioorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and so on. MATTER AND ITS NATURE Anything that occupies space and possesses weight is termed matter. The amount of matter contained in any object is known as its mass. Matter can be seen, tasted, smelt or felt. Matter can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another. A substance (another term loosely used for matter) is a material, all parts of which are chemically identical and all samples of which have the same composition. Classification One way of classification of materials (or matter) is into pure substances and mixtures. Another way is to classify matter, as elements, compounds and mixtures. The matter encountered every day is almost always a complex mixture of various substances, e.g. air is a mixture of more than five gases; petrol is a mixture of several hydrocarbons; drinking water is a mixture of pure water and several salts; milk is a mixture of water, proteins, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates, etc. There are very few examples of the use of pure substances in daily life, e.g. copper used in electrical wiring, and distilled water used in car batteries. Composition of Earth The crust of earth, or lithosphere, includes the solid surface of the earth, to a depth of ______________________________________________________________________________ 3 Section-A Vol-02

*MUDRA*

Life Sciences For NET & SET Exams. Of UGC-CSIR

approximately 30km. The lithosphere is composed of three principal types of rocksigneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. The parent material of al these types of rocks is magma a form of rock, mobile at high temperatures, that contains molten rock alongwith considerable amounts of gases such as steam, HCl, CO2 and H2S. Most magmas solidify below the surface of the earth, but when they erupt through cracks and fissures in the surface they form what is commonly known as lava. Analyses of the crustal composition are it can be seen that the first eight elements make up almost 99% of the earth's crust. Not only is oxygen the most abundant element by weight, but it also accounts for more Than 90% of the volume of the crust. It is interesting to find out that element common to everyday experience, such as carbon, copper, zink and nitrogen do not appear among the 10 most abundant elements. Table:1 Most abundant elements in the earths crust ________________________________________________________ Element O Si Al Fe Ca Na K Mg Ti H P Mn Weight (%) 46.6 27.7 8.1 5.0 3.6 2.8 2.6 2.1 0.44 0.14 0.2 0.1 ________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________ The hydrosphere is composed of the fresh and salt water in continental snow and ice. According to estimates there are about 273 litres of water for each square centimetere of the earth's surface of this 268.4 liters are In the ocean, 0.1 litres is fresh water and 4.5 litres are in the ______________________________________________________________________________ 4 Section-A Vol-02