Top 15 Chemistry Interview Questions and Answers PDF (Free Download)

If you are a chemistry professional then, prepping up for Chemistry Interview Questions becomes your need at times. Unlike any other interviews, the interview for chemistry professionals can turn out to be a bit hectic as this requires preparing for all chemical concepts along with a strong hold on solving its numerical. It is obvious that a chemistry interview includes theoretical questions and numerical, so, here we have come up with the best of both Chemistry Interview Questions. Read this whole blog to prepare for your next chemistry interview. Not only this, we have more in the box for you! We have also provided some interview preparation tips for you to know what to expect in a chemistry interview.

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Chemistry Interview Preparation Tips

If you are worried about covering the vast syllabus of chemistry before the interview then, you don’t have to worry. Chemistry interviewers nowadays do not use the conventional strategy in which the candidate is expected to answer anything from the whole wide syllabus of chemistry. In fact, interviewers also understand that being a chemistry professional, you have the skills required for the job; which is why they ask questions from the section which you have been recently practising. The interviewers make sure that you are comfortable during the entire interview so they ask you from which topic or section you want to answer. So, be confident and prepare 2-3 topics beforehand appearing for the interview. 

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General Chemistry Interview Questions Asked Before the Chemistry Questions

The interview begins with an introduction round. Make sure to go through your resume thoroughly and prepare any questions if asked regarding the history of a certain experience in your resume. Below we have mentioned a few general questions asked in the chemistry interview which you must prepare for as they may set an impression even before the employer starts asking you the chemistry-related questions. So, take this part very seriously and focus on answering well yet precisely. 

1. Interviewers ask you to describe what’s there in your resume. This is done because they want to understand more than what is written in your resume. The interviewers want to understand why have you taken certain professional decisions such as the change of roles or companies in the past.
2. Prepare for the question “Why are you leaving your current job?” as this question is asked in almost all the interviews. Try to answer in a positive way without having to count the negative aspects of your current employer, as the interviewer is critical that you may as well create a similar image of them while switching from their organization in the future.  

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5 Most Commonly Asked Chemistry Interview Questions

Below we have given 5 common chemistry interview questions. In a chemistry interview, most questions are asked in response to your answer to the previous chemistry question. Have a look and prepare accordingly for the below-given and similar questions. 

1. What is the difference between a Frenkel defect and a Schottky defect?
2. What is a buffer?
3. How does a buffer work?
4. Name three acidic indicators.
5. What is partial pressure?

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5 Basic Chemistry Interview Questions and Answers: PDF Download

Below we have prepared a list of 5 basic chemistry interview questions and answers. We have also provided the free PDF of the chemistry interview questions and answers for you to download and keep for reading before your interview. 

1. Define the differential rate law.

The differential rate law defines the rate of a chemical reaction by determining the change in concentration(s) of reactant(s) – (d[R]) over a small period of time – (dt). 

2. While diluting an acid, why do we add acid to water and not vice-versa?

The reaction of a concentrated acid with water is a highly exothermic reaction. Adding water to the concentrated acid can release a lot of heat (energy) which may convert water into steam explosively. Hence, adding water to a concentrated acid may cause an explosion and harm your skin, eyes, clothes and even chemical apparatuses. 

Thus, while diluting a concentrated acid, it is preferred that we add acid slowly to the water, with constant stirring as this does not allow the release of extreme heat explosively. The small heat released this way is not enough to vaporize and spatter water and thus no explosion takes place. 

3. Why amorphous solids are “isotropic” in nature?

The amorphous solids are isotropic in nature because of their irregular arrangement of atoms across all directions. Due to this, the value of any physical property comes out to be the same in all directions. 

4. Is “solubility” a chemical property or a physical property?

A chemical property can be determined when there is a chemical change in a reaction. Since when a solute is dissolved in a solvent, its chemical structure and identity do not change, solubility is not a chemical property. Solubility, in fact, is a physical change. 

5. Calculate the number of moles of the glucose molecules present in 250 mL of a 5M glucose solution.

Given: 250 mL of a 5M glucose solution

This implies that 1 litre of the solution contains 5 moles of Glucose

We know, 250 mL = 0.25 L

Now, 1 L of 5M Glucose solution contains = 5 mol Glucose

0.25 L of 5M Glucose solution contains = 5 ✕ 0.25 mol Glucose = 1.25 mol Glucose

So, 250 mL of a 5M glucose solution contains 1.25 moles of Glucose molecules. 

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Top 5 Organic Chemistry Interview Questions and Answers: PDF

The most stressful part of a chemistry interview is answering the organic chemistry questions. So, here we have come up with some organic chemistry questions that you may expect to get asked in your interview. So, keep your preparation in order on similar topics. 

1. Which of the following molecules has a complete linear arrangement of all its atoms?

1. CH₄
2. NH₃
3. CO₂
4. BF₃  

The answer is (c). CO₂ has a linear structure, BF₃ a trigonal planar structure, CH₄ a tetrahedral structure, and NH₄ a trigonal bipyramidal structure.  

2. What is a chelating ligand?

The chelating ligands are those that have two or more donor sites with which they form a coordinate bond with the central metal atom in a coordinate system and form a ring-like structure. 

3. Give an example of a chelate ligand.

The most common example of a chelating ligand is ethylenediamine (en). The two nitrogen atoms in this molecule donate their lone pair of electrons to form two coordinate bonds with the central metal atom and hence, a ring structure. 

4. What is the geometry of the central oxygen atom in the Ozone molecule (O₃)?

In an Ozone molecule, all three oxygen atoms are bonded in a sequence (O-O-O). The central oxygen atom in the ozone molecule forms a double bond with one of the oxygen atoms and a single coordinate bond with another oxygen atom. This leads the central oxygen atom to be left with a lone pair of electrons. As a result, it acquires an sp2 hybridization. Thus, the central oxygen atom in an Ozone molecule has a trigonal planar geometry. However, the shape of the molecule is slightly bent due to the presence of a lone pair of electrons on the central oxygen atom which repels its bond pairs away. 

5. Which is the smallest alkane to form a ring structure?

The smallest alkane to form a ring structure is Cyclopropane. Cyclopropane consists of three methylene groups (-CH₂) to form a ringed structure. 

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