Science & Technology
Chemistry in Everyday Life
Chemistry in Everyday Life — Quick Revision
One-page CGPSC quick revision for Chemistry in Everyday Life: acids, salts, pH, metals, alloys, medicines, food chemicals, plastics, fuels and chemical names.
The whole chapter on one page: acids and salts, metals, soaps and medicines, food chemicals, plastics, fertilisers, fuels and chemical names. For explanations, go back to the chapter.
How to use this sheet
Scan it top to bottom in the week before Prelims. Bold entries are the facts examiners return to most often.
Acids, Bases and pH
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Acid / base in water | H⁺ (H₃O⁺) / OH⁻; soluble base = alkali |
| Vinegar / lemon / tamarind | Acetic / citric / tartaric |
| Tomato / curd / ant sting | Oxalic / lactic / methanoic (formic) |
| Stomach | Hydrochloric acid |
| Litmus | From lichens; red in acid, blue in base |
| Phenolphthalein | Colourless in acid, pink in base |
| Methyl orange | Red in acid, yellow in base |
| Turmeric | Reddish-brown in base |
| Olfactory indicators | Onion, vanilla, clove oil |
| pH | 0–14; 7 neutral; 1 unit = 10× change |
| Tooth decay | Mouth pH below 5.5 |
| Acid rain | pH below 5.6 (SO₂, NOₓ) |
| Blood | 7.35–7.45 |
| Antacid | Milk of magnesia, Mg(OH)₂ |
| Acidic / alkaline soil | Add lime / add gypsum |
| Dilution | Acid to water, never water to acid |
Salts
| Common name | Formula | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| Common salt | NaCl | Chlor-alkali: Cl₂ at anode, H₂ at cathode, NaOH |
| Bleaching powder | CaOCl₂ | Cl₂ + dry slaked lime; disinfects water |
| Baking soda | NaHCO₃ | Baking, antacid, soda-acid extinguisher |
| Baking powder | NaHCO₃ + tartaric acid | No bitter taste |
| Washing soda | Na₂CO₃·10H₂O | Glass, soap, permanent hardness |
| Gypsum | CaSO₄·2H₂O | Slows cement setting |
| Plaster of Paris | CaSO₄·½H₂O | Gypsum heated at 373 K; bone casts |
| Blue vitriol | CuSO₄·5H₂O | Blue → white on heating |
Metals and Non-metals
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Liquid metal / non-metal | Mercury / bromine |
| Melt on the palm | Gallium, caesium |
| Soft, kept in kerosene | Sodium, potassium |
| Kept under water | White phosphorus |
| Best conductor | Silver, then copper |
| Non-metal that conducts | Graphite |
| Lustrous non-metal | Iodine |
| Hardest natural substance | Diamond |
| Amphoteric oxides | Al₂O₃, ZnO |
| Reactivity series | K Na Ca Mg Al Zn Fe Pb [H] Cu Hg Ag Au |
| Aqua regia | 3 HCl : 1 HNO₃; dissolves gold, platinum |
| Ores | Haematite (Fe), bauxite (Al), galena (Pb), cinnabar (Hg), zinc blende (Zn), cassiterite (Sn), chalcopyrite (Cu) |
| Roasting / calcination | Sulphide in excess air / carbonate in limited air |
| Aluminium extraction | Electrolysis (Hall–Héroult, cryolite) |
| Thermit | Fe₂O₃ + Al; welding rails |
| Rust | Hydrated Fe₂O₃; needs oxygen + water |
| Silver / copper tarnish | Black sulphide / green basic carbonate |
| Galvanisation | Zinc coat; tinning = tin coat |
| Brass / bronze / solder | Cu+Zn / Cu+Sn / Pb+Sn |
| Stainless steel | Fe + Cr + Ni |
| German silver | Cu + Zn + Ni (no silver) |
| 24 / 22 carat | Pure / about 91.6% gold |
Chhattisgarh Metals and Materials
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Iron ore | Bailadila (Dantewada, NMDC), Dalli-Rajhara, Rowghat → Bhilai Steel Plant |
| BALCO, Korba | 1965 PSU; 51% to Sterlite/Vedanta, 2001 |
| Tin | Only producing state; Dantewada, Sukma; smelter at Jagdalpur |
| Gold | Baghmara (Sonakhan), Baloda Bazar: India’s first auctioned gold block (2016) |
| Lithium | Katghora (Korba): India’s first auctioned lithium block (2024) |
| Cement hub | Baloda Bazar (limestone) |
| Arsenic | Kaudikasa, Ambagarh Chowki block; geogenic |
Soaps and Medicines
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Soap | Na/K salt of fatty acid; saponification; glycerol by-product |
| Hard water | Ca, Mg salts; soap forms scum; detergents work |
| Temporary hardness | Bicarbonates; removed by boiling |
| Permanent hardness | Chlorides, sulphates; washing soda, ion exchange |
| Detergent problem | Phosphates → eutrophication; branched chains resist biodegradation |
| Analgesic + antipyretic | Paracetamol, aspirin |
| Narcotic analgesic | Morphine, codeine |
| Antihistamine | Cetirizine |
| H₂ blockers / PPIs | Ranitidine, cimetidine / omeprazole |
| Penicillin | Fleming, 1928 |
| Broad-spectrum (typhoid) | Chloramphenicol |
| Antibiotics vs viruses | Do not work |
| Dettol | Chloroxylenol + terpineol |
| Phenol | 0.2% antiseptic, 1% disinfectant |
| Chlorine in water | 0.2–0.4 ppm |
| AMR | National Action Plan 2017; Red Line campaign |
Food Chemicals
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Preservatives | Salt, sugar, oil, sodium benzoate, sorbates, propanoates |
| Antioxidants | BHT, BHA |
| Aspartame | 100×; not heat-stable (cold drinks only) |
| Saccharin / sucralose / alitame | 550× / 600× (heat-stable) / 2,000× |
| Flavour enhancer | Monosodium glutamate |
| Argemone oil in mustard oil | Epidemic dropsy |
| Metanil yellow | Non-permitted dye in turmeric, dal |
| Carbide ripening | Banned (FSS Regulations 2011, 2.3.5); ethylene permitted |
| FSSAI | Under FSS Act 2006 |
Plastics, Fertilisers, Cement, Fuels
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Thermosets | Bakelite, melamine |
| Thermoplastics | Polythene, PVC, PET, polystyrene, nylon |
| Teflon | PTFE, non-stick |
| Rayon | Semi-synthetic (cellulose) |
| Vulcanisation | Rubber + sulphur |
| Biodegradable | PHBV, nylon-2-nylon-6, PLA |
| SUP ban | 1 July 2022; carry bags 120 microns from 31 Dec 2022 |
| Urea | 46% N; 100% neem-coated since 2015 |
| DAP | 18-46-0 |
| Nano urea | IFFCO, June 2021 |
| Ammonia | Haber process, iron catalyst |
| Portland cement | Aspdin, 1824; gypsum slows setting |
| Soda-lime glass | Sand + soda ash + limestone |
| LPG | Butane + propane; ethyl mercaptan odorant |
| CNG / biogas | Methane |
| Highest calorific value | Hydrogen (~1,50,000 kJ/kg) |
| Octane / cetane | Petrol / diesel |
| BS-VI | 1 April 2020 |
| E20 | Target advanced from 2030 to 2025 |
| Electrical / oil fire | CO₂ extinguisher; never water |
Common Names
| Name | Chemical |
|---|---|
| Quicklime / slaked lime / limestone | CaO / Ca(OH)₂ / CaCO₃ |
| Caustic soda / caustic potash | NaOH / KOH |
| Blue / green / white vitriol | CuSO₄ / FeSO₄ / ZnSO₄ (hydrated) |
| Oil of vitriol / muriatic acid | H₂SO₄ / HCl |
| Potash alum (फिटकरी) | Water purification |
| Lunar caustic | Silver nitrate (election ink) |
| Hypo | Sodium thiosulphate |
| Sal ammoniac | NH₄Cl |
| Laughing gas / dry ice | N₂O / solid CO₂ |
| Heavy water | D₂O (reactor moderator) |
| Marsh gas | Methane |
| Bhopal 1984 | Methyl isocyanate |
Don’t Confuse
| This | vs | That |
|---|---|---|
| Baking soda NaHCO₃ | vs | Washing soda Na₂CO₃·10H₂O vs caustic soda NaOH |
| Gypsum (2 H₂O) | vs | POP (½ H₂O) |
| Brass (Cu + Zn) | vs | Bronze (Cu + Sn) |
| Galvanisation (zinc) | vs | Tinning (tin) |
| Antiseptic (living) | vs | Disinfectant (non-living) |
| Soap (scum in hard water) | vs | Detergent (works in hard water) |
| Aspartame (not for cooking) | vs | Sucralose (heat-stable) |
| LPG (butane, propane) | vs | CNG (methane) |
| Thermoplastic | vs | Thermoset (Bakelite, melamine) |
| Normal rain ~5.6 | vs | Acid rain below 5.6 |
Favourite MCQ trap
“Gypsum is added to cement to make it set faster.” Wrong. Gypsum slows the setting of cement so that it can be worked. The same gypsum, heated to 373 K, becomes Plaster of Paris, which sets quickly.
Second favourite trap
“Antibiotics should be taken for viral fevers.” Wrong. Antibiotics act only on bacteria. Their misuse drives antimicrobial resistance.
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