Like with math and physics, I would recommend you start with the NCERT text book for chemistry for Class 11 as well. Remember, you will have to develop clear concepts regarding the basics, which this book will help you do! I will talk about the book now, so read on!
Chapter 1 starts with the basic concepts of chemistry. Read and understand this chapter from front to back. Make sure your basic concepts are clear before you move forward. Practicing the problems, both worked out and exercises will help clear your concepts before you move on. A lot of people struggle with chemistry simply because their basic concepts are not clear. I cannot stress enough on this fact. So, make sure you understand everything thoroughly from the beginning.
Chapter 2 is on the structure of atom which is another very important topic. It is vital that you understand it well because all the following chapters are based on it. It talks about all the different models of the atom and introduces many important concepts which you will need throughout your lives as a science student. So, make sure you thoroughly understand the material in this chapter and solve all the problems as well.
Chapter 3 is another very important chapter on classification of elements and periodicity in properties. It will introduce you to the periodic table, a clear of understanding of which is essential. The concepts introduced in this chapter will form the basis of pretty much everything you will learn in chemistry from now onwards. So, make sure you understand it perfectly and practice the problems and you’ll be good. Note: Solve the theoretical questions by writing which will essential for understanding the topic clearly and in depth. That way you will realize yourself where you are going wrong. Do not try to memorize anything without understanding.
Chapter 4 introduces you to chemical bonding and molecular structure. This is another topic of which you need to have a very clear understanding, because you will use the concepts everywhere while studying chemistry. The chapter covers everything you need to know and does an excellent job of explaining the concepts. Again, it’s essential that solve the theoretical questions at the end by writing. Again, do not try to memorize anything without understanding.
Chapter 5 is on states of matter. This chapter contains very good theoretical explanations on everything. All the concepts introduced in the chapter along with the formulae and their derivations in the chapter are very important and you will use them a lot. So, understand them thoroughly. Practice both the worked out and end of chapter problems. They will clear your concepts.
Chapter 6 is on thermodynamics. This is an extremely confusing topic. A lot of students new to this topic have trouble with it. This chapter is a good place to start. The theory is good, so go through it and solve the problems. You will use these concepts in later chapters. I will talk about another book later which contains everything you need to know on the topic and you can expect both theoretical questions and problems directly from the book in your exams. So, stay tuned.
Chapter 7 is on equilibrium. The chapter is long but all the concepts are explained clearly and in detail, so go through it thoroughly. Take your time with this chapter as well as the worked out and end of chapter problems. You will need these concepts in later chapters as well, so make sure you understand everything thoroughly.
Chapter 8 is on redox reactions. This is another chapter which you need to understand thoroughly because later chapters will build on the concepts explained in this chapter. The theory is well explained so understand it as well as the problems and you’ll be in good shape.
Chapter 9 is on hydrogen. This is a relatively simple chapter which builds on material from the previous chapters. So, if you have a good grasp on those this chapter and the problems shouldn’t give you much trouble.
Chapter 10 is on s-block elements. You have seen some of this stuff in Chapter 3 on the periodic table. So, revise it if you need to. You will need to memorize some stuff in this chapter. However, do not try to memorize without understanding. You will see theoretical questions from this chapter in your exams, so practice those in the chapter and at the back as well.
Chapter 11 is on p-block elements which again you were introduced to in Chapter 3. This chapter talks about Group 13 and 14 elements. You will use the concepts in this chapter a lot later on. The material is presented clearly and in a well-organized manner. You will need to memorize some of the material in the chapter, but do not do so without understanding. You can expect multiple questions from this material in your exams. Know how to deal with the questions both in the chapter and at the back. I will suggest other books for practice later on.
Chapter 12 is on organic chemistry-some basic principles and techniques. This is a very important topic and you will see multiple questions from this topic in your exams, so you need to understand it well. It will take some time to get used to writing the formulae and naming the compounds correctly, but follow the book and you’ll be fine. I would advice writing the formulae again and again until you are comfortable with them. Also, study the theory properly as you will need it in later chapters on organic chemistry. Start with this book and I will talk about other books later.
Chapter 13 is on hydrocarbons. It talks about alkanes, alkenes and alkynes in detail. It introduces you to aromatic hydrocarbons at the end of the chapter. Understand the theory well. There are reactions for you to memorize, but they are very logical. Think of them logically and you’ll have a much easier time with them. The problems in the chapter and at the end of the chapter will give you good practice.
Chapter 14 is on environmental chemistry. This is a relatively short and simple chapter. You can expect easy theoretical questions from this chapter in your Class 11 exam and competitive exams as well. So make sure you learn it well.
I will write about the NCERT text book for chemistry for Class 12 now. This is one of the most important years in your student life, so read on! I will list other books later.
Chapter 1 is on the solid state. You have some of this stuff before, but do not underestimate this chapter. The chapter starts from the very basics and explains everything in detail. You can multiple questions from this chapter, mostly theoretical. So, study it from front to back and understand all the problems well.
Chapter 2 on solutions is another very important chapter and the concepts and formulae introduced in this chapter form the basis of many things you will learn later on. You will keep using the stuff in this chapter again and again. The theory in the chapter is good. So, take your time and study your chapter thoroughly. I will list another book later on which has a lot of excellent material and problems on some of the topics in this chapter for you to refer to, which is a favorite among examiners, so stay tuned.
Chapter 3 introduces you to the topic of electrochemistry. If you’re looking to learnt the basics of electrochemistry this is where you should start. It goes through everything you need to know at this level in a simple and concise way, so go through the chapter thoroughly and know how to do the problems. You’re bound to see multiple questions from this chapter in not just your boards but competitive exams as well.
Chapter 4 is on chemical kinetics. Again the book treats the material in a way that is ideal for beginners. Understand the chapter and problems well. I will list a book which contains material on this topic which you might find useful for competitive exams.
Chapter 5 is on surface chemistry. The chapter does a very good job of explaining everything from the basics. I will talk about another book later on which has a lot of in-depth discussion on some of the concepts presented in this chapter.
Chapter 6 is on general principles and processes of isolation of elements. You will mostly see theoretical questions from this chapter in your exams. They will test your understanding of the material as well. So, do not blindly memorize the material. Understand and memorize.
Chapter 7 is on p-block elements and continues from where it left off in Chapter 11 in Class 11. You learnt about Group 13 and 14 elements in Class 11. This chapter talks about
elements of groups 15,16,17 and 18. This is a very important chapter which you need to have a good grasp of because you will need these concepts later on. You can expect multiple questions from this chapter in your exams. The explanations in the book are good. Make sure you understand the material and then memorize. The questions in the back of the chapter are not hard and are good for beginners. I will suggest other books for practice later on.
Chapter 8 are on d-and f-block elements. This chapter again contains concepts which you will need later on. The material in the chapter is presented in an organized and methodical manner. Once again, understand the material and then memorize. Start with the problems at the back of the chapter before you move on to other books, which I will suggest later on.
Chapter 9 is on coordination compounds. This material in the chapter is very good and there are very important theories like valence bond theory and crystal field theory which are very well-explained and from which you can expect questions in your exams. So, study them and the rest of the theory in the chapter well and practice all the problems.
Chapter 10 is on haloalkanes and haloarenes. It continues the discussion on organic chemistry which was started towards the end of the Class 11 textbook. You will have to memorize many reactions in this chapter, but if you think of them logically you will have a much easier time. The problems in the chapter and at the back of the chapter are good, but you will need additional practice from other books which I will talk about later.
Chapter 11 is on alcohols, phenols and ethers. I have found the theory in the chapter to be ideal for beginners. This is a very important topic. Again, do not blindly memorize the reactions. Instead understand how they happen and you will have a much easier time. There are a lot of important concepts and reactions in this chapter which you are bound to see in your exams, so make sure you study them and practice the questions well. You will need to practice from other books for competitive exams which I will talk about later.
Chapter 12 is on aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids which is another very important chapter. There are a lot of important concepts and material explained very well in the chapter which you need to thoroughly understand. You will see multiple questions from this chapter in your exams. Understand the concepts well and you will be in good shape. Once again, I will suggest other books later on for practice.
Chapter 13 is on amines but the concepts are similar to those introduced in the previous chapter. If you have understood the concepts in the previous chapter well, this chapter should not give you much trouble. The books I said I will suggest later for practice will cover this chapter as well.
Chapter 14 is on biomolecules. By the time you start this chapter, you should have become comfortable with organic chemistry. There is some memorization required, but if your concepts are clear, you should be fine. Do not neglect this chapter. The questions from this chapter will be will be straightforward and easy to score.
Chapter 15 is on polymers. This is a short and easy chapter and again if your concepts on organic chemistry are clear, this chapter should be a cakewalk for you. A polymer is after all a long chain organic molecule. Again, expect easy and scoring questions from this chapter. So, do not neglect it.
Chapter 16 is on chemistry on everyday life. This is another theoretical chapter which will be easy for you to understand and memorize. Just study it until you know all the facts and you should be fine.
Good luck!
