ICSE Practical Chemistry - IX

The book, Practical Chemistry for ICSE Class IX, has been revised and modified
strictly according to the latest syllabus prescribed by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi. It is experienced that the students enjoy laboratory work more when they understand why a particular procedure works better and when
they can make a choice of doing the experiment or conclude from their observations. Therefore, the book emphasises on explanations and often provides choices among various alternative tests and procedures instead of giving the tests mechanically. Care has also been taken that the book is thoroughly up-to-date and does not contain tests which require chemicals that are out of reach of school laboratories. An effort has been made to make the book useful to the students and make them more adept in the laboratory skills. Enough theoretical details (without sacrificing brevity) have been provided to enable the students to be confident of achieving noteworthy success in examination. The present revised
edition of Practical Chemistry for ICSE Class IX incorporates a new unit, Perform Chemistry Experiments at Home. The selected simple experiments included in this unit are such that both parents and students can attempt these experiments at home and the aim is to create a sustained interest in chemical sciences on a long term basis. The book stands apart from other books on the subject in terms of the following special features:
• It emphasises on systematisation of experimental work as well as recording of observations.
• Basic techniques required to master laboratory work and a brief introduction to the apparatus used have been provided in Units 1 and 2.
• Identification of gases evolved on heating the substances or its treatment with acids or alkalis (and heating if necessary) is covered in a separate unit, followed by a section
on quicker identification of evolving gases from an unknown sample.
• The procedure for the analysis of substances by thermal methods has been divided into different units such as preliminary examination, dry heating tests, identification of metal ions by flame tests, etc.
• To facilitate analysis of various compounds, tests have also been given in the form of tables so that once the students have understood chemistry behind various tests, they can routinely adapt the procedures provided in the tables.
• Appendix I—Useful Chemical Applications, I believe, will go a long way in making the experimental work interesting to the students and will introduce to them the universal application of chemistry in daily life.
• Arrangement of reagents commonly used in the laboratory has been given in
Appendix II.
• Ways and means to offer first aid when some minor accident happens in the laboratory, have been detailed in Appendix III.