ACADEMIC ASSETS 3,50,000+ Curated MCQs • 22,000+ Solved Past Papers • 100% Verified Keys
Since 2018
qbnexa logo
qbnexa JEE 99%ile Engineering

Classification Of Elements JEE Main Chemistry: Authentic Shift PYQs (2021-2026) with 2.5-Min Shortcut Tricks & Trap Defense

Published: November 01, 2026 Author: NEET & JEE STUDY HUB
🎯 Curriculum & Exam Overview

This chapter establishes the periodic law and the systematic classification of elements based on their electronic configuration, which is the cornerstone for predicting chemical reactivity. It is high-yield because it serves as the foundation for understanding periodicity in properties, which is directly linked to chemical bonding and inorganic chemistry modules.

🚀 NTA JEE Main 2027 Countdown January Session 1 Sprint

JEE Main 2027 Engineering Focus: High-Yield Problem Solving & Negative Marking Defense

  • Session 1 Registration Timeline: Registration for JEE Main 2027 Session 1 opens in November on jeemain.nta.nic.in. January exam performance sets your prime percentile baseline.
  • Negative Marking Safeguard (-1): Eliminate blind guesswork. Prioritize question selection, dimensional checks, and options elimination to maximize net marks.
  • Multi-Concept Problem Linkages: JEE questions integrate multiple domains (e.g. Calculus with Mechanics, or Thermodynamics with Equilibrium) into single composite problems.
  • Timed Shift PYQ Practice: Solve at least 15-20 recent shift questions (2021-2026) under a strict 2.5-minute timer per numerical/MCQ.
⚡ JEE Main Exam Blueprint & Problem-Solving Guidelines
📊 Expected Weightage
Expected 4 to 8 marks in CBSE board exam (typically 1-2 MCQs + 1 Short/Long Answer or Case Study).
✍️ Examiner & Scoring Insight
Examiners award partial step marks for mentioning the periodic trend (increase/decrease), providing the reason (Zeff or shielding effect), and explicitly naming the group or period involved.

1. ⚡ High-Speed Formula Sheet & Concept Limits

1
Modern Periodic Law: The physical and chemical properties of elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers.
2
Effective Nuclear Charge (Zeff): The net positive charge experienced by valence electrons, calculated as Z - σ (shielding constant).
3
Periodic Trends: Atomic radius, Ionization Enthalpy, Electron Gain Enthalpy, and Electronegativity exhibit predictable variations across periods and down groups.
⚡ High-Yield Formula & Reaction Sheet
  • Zeff = Z - σ: Where Z is the atomic number and σ is the screening constant calculated using Slater's Rules.
  • Electronegativity (Pauling Scale): Δ = 0.1017 × √(E_AB - (E_AA × E_BB)^(1/2)): Measuring the tendency of an atom to attract shared electrons in a bond.
⚠️ Common Board Trap Alert
Students often confuse the trends of Ionization Enthalpy due to stable electronic configurations (e.g., Nitrogen having higher IE than Oxygen) and forget that noble gases have positive Electron Gain Enthalpy.
📺 High-yield video lesson for this chapter will premiere on @qbnexa_official.
▶ Subscribe Channel

3. ⚡ NTA JEE Shift Practice & Rank-Booster Problems

Question 1 • MCQ 🔥 JEE Main (2020)
4 Mark(s)
In general, the property (magnitudes only) thatshows an opposite trend in comparison to otherproperties across a period is
(A) Electronegativity
(B) Electron gain enthalpy
(C) Ionization enthalpy
(D) Atomic radius
🚀 View Fast Shortcut Solution & Trap Defense

Correct Answer: (d)

Explanation: In general across a period atomic radius decreases while ionisation enthalpy, electron gain enthalpy and electronegativity increases because effective nuclear charge $(Z_{\mathrm{eff}})$ increases.

Question 2 • MCQ 🔥 JEE Main (2009)
4 Mark(s)
In which of the following arrangements, the sequence is not strictly according to the property written against it
(A) $\mathrm{B} < \mathrm{C} < \mathrm{O} < \mathrm{N}$ : increasing oxidising power
(B) $\mathrm{CO}_2 < \mathrm{SiO}_2 < \mathrm{SnO}_2 < \mathrm{PbO}_2$ : increasing acid strength
(C) $\mathrm{HF} < \mathrm{HCl} < \mathrm{HBr}, \mathrm{HI}$ : increasing basic strength
(D) $\mathrm{NH}_3 < \mathrm{PH}_3 < \mathrm{AsH}_3 < \mathrm{SbH}_3$ : increasing first ionization enthalpy
🚀 View Fast Shortcut Solution & Trap Defense

Correct Answer: (c)

Explanation: (A) Option A is true. Here in $\mathrm{PbO}_2$ oxidation number of $\mathrm{Pb}$ is $+4$ , due to inert pair effect the oxidation number $+4$ is not stable for $\mathrm{Pb}$ , So, to become stable oxide $+2\,\mathrm{Pb}$ will oxidize other and reduced to $\mathrm{Pb}^{+2.}$ . So, $\mathrm{PbO}_2$ has the highest oxidizing power. (B) Option B is true. Bond length from top to bottom in periodic table increases, So the bond length order is $H > \mathrm{HBr} > \mathrm{HCl} > \mathrm{HF}$ The compound which can give $\mathrm{H}^{+}$ ion easily that compound has higher acidic strength. As the bond length between $\mathrm{H}$ and $\mathrm{I}$ in $\mathrm{H}\ \mathrm{I}$ is longest then it will be carrier to break the bond between $\mathrm{HI}$ and $\mathrm{H}$ . So $\mathrm{I}$ will have highest acidic strength. $\mathrm{HI}$ Option $(\mathrm{C})$ is false. The structure of those 4 molecules are $\mathrm{C}$ $\overset{\;\;\;..}{N}\overset{}{H}\;\;\;\overset{\;\;\;\;..}{P}\overset{}{H_3}$ Due to the lone pair electron all of them are basic nature. The molecule which can easily donate the lone pair electron will have more basic strength. Here, Nitrogen ( $\overset{..}{As}\overset{}{H_3}\;\;\;\overset{..}{Sb}\overset{}{H_3}$ ) is a element of 2 nd period so in $\mathrm{N}$ new electron is added in the second period and as size of $\mathrm{N}$ is small so electron density is more on the outer shell, so electron become unstable due to repulsion with each other. That is why electron pair is easily removable from $\mathrm{N}$ . On the other hand $\mathrm{NH}_3$ is a 3 rd block, As is a 4 th block and $p$ is a 5 th block elements. So, their size is bigger. So, electron density on the outer shell is less and their repulsion also decreases. So, outer shell electrons are more stable and $\mathrm{S}\ \mathrm{b}$ and $\mathrm{PH}_3, \mathrm{AsH}_3$ will have less ability to donate the electron. So the correct order is $\mathrm{SbH}_3$ (D) Option (D) is true Electronic configuration of $\mathrm{SbH}_3 < \mathrm{AsH}_3 < \mathrm{PH}_3 < \mathrm{NH}_3$ $\mathrm{B}(5)=1s^2\ 2s^2\ 2p^1$ $\mathrm{C}(6)=1s^2\ 2s^2\ 2p^2$ $\mathrm{N}(7)=1s^2\ 2s^2\ 2p^3$ In general in periodic table from left to right effective nuclear change increase and it becomes more difficult to remove electron from an atom. That is why ionization enthalpy increases. But for those atoms which has half filled or full filled outer most shell, those atoms will be more stable and more energy is needed to remove electron from those atoms. Here $\mathrm{O}(8)=1s^2\ 2s^2\ 2p^4$ has stable half filled $\mathrm{N}\ (1s^2\ 2s^2\ 2p^3)$ subshell so it is more stable than $2p$ . So, correct order is $\mathrm{O}$

Question 3 • MCQ 🔥 JEE Main (2020)
4 Mark(s)
The atomic number of the element unnilennium is :
(A) 119
(B) 108
(C) 102
(D) 109
🚀 View Fast Shortcut Solution & Trap Defense

Correct Answer: (d)

Explanation: $\begin{array}{ccc} 1 & 0 & 9 \\ \text{un} & \text{nil} & \text{enn} \end{array}$ Hence correct name→ unnilennium

Question 4 • MCQ 🔥 JEE Main (2026)
4 Mark(s)
Given below are two statements : Statement-I : The number of pairs among $[ \mathrm{Al}_2 \mathrm{O}_3., \mathrm{Cr}_2 \mathrm{O}_3] , [ \mathrm{Cl}_2 \mathrm{O}_7, \mathrm{Mn}_2 \mathrm{O}_7] , [ \mathrm{Na}_2 \mathrm{O}, \mathrm{V}_2 \mathrm{O}_3] \text{ and } [ \mathrm{CO}, \mathrm{N}_2 \mathrm{O}]$ that contain oxides of same nature (acidic, basic, neutral or amphoteric) is 4. Statement-II : Among $\mathrm{Na}_2 \mathrm{O}, \mathrm{Al}_2 \mathrm{O}_3, \mathrm{CO}$ and $\mathrm{Cl}_2 \mathrm{O}_7,$ the most basic and acidic oxides are $\mathrm{Na}_2 \mathrm{O}$ and $\mathrm{Cl}_2 \mathrm{O}_7$ , respectively. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below :
(A) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are true.
(B) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are false.
(C) Statement-I is true but Statement-II is false.
(D) Statement-I is false but Statement-II is true.
🚀 View Fast Shortcut Solution & Trap Defense

Correct Answer: (a)

Explanation: Statement I : $\mathrm{Al}_2 \mathrm{O}_3, \mathrm{Cr}_2 \mathrm{O}_3$ : Amphoteric $\mathrm{CO}, \mathrm{N}_2 \mathrm{O}$ : Neutral $\mathrm{Na}_2 \mathrm{O}, \mathrm{V}_2 \mathrm{O}_3$ : Basic $\mathrm{Cl}_2 \mathrm{O}_7, \mathrm{Mn}_2 \mathrm{O}_7$ : Acidic Statement II : Most basic oxide : $\mathrm{Na}_2 \mathrm{O}$ Most acidic oxide : $\mathrm{Cl}_2 \mathrm{O}_7$

Question 5 • MCQ 🔥 JEE Main (2019)
4 Mark(s)
In general, the properties that decrease and increase down a group in the periodic table, respectively, are :
(A) electronegativity and electron gain enthalpy.
(B) electronegativity and atomic radius.
(C) atomic radius and electronegativity.
(D) electron gain enthalpy and electronegativity
🚀 View Fast Shortcut Solution & Trap Defense

Correct Answer: (b)

Explanation: Electronegativity decreases as we go down thegroup and atomic radius increases as we godown the group

4. ❓ Frequently Asked Questions (Exam Strategy)

❓ How many questions appear from Classification Of Elements JEE Main Chemistry: Authentic Shift PYQs (2021-2026) with 2.5-Min Shortcut Tricks & Trap Defense in JEE Main Session 1?
Typically 1 to 2 questions (4 to 8 marks) appear from Classification Of Elements JEE Main Chemistry: Authentic Shift PYQs (2021-2026) with 2.5-Min Shortcut Tricks & Trap Defense, frequently featuring combined multi-topic concepts.
❓ What is the best approach to avoid negative marks in Classification Of Elements JEE Main Chemistry: Authentic Shift PYQs (2021-2026) with 2.5-Min Shortcut Tricks & Trap Defense?
Master standard shortcut formulas, verify boundary states (e.g. t=0, infinity), and skip uncertain numerical value questions.
❓ Why does Ionization Enthalpy increase across a period?
It increases because the atomic radius decreases and the effective nuclear charge increases, making it harder to remove an electron. The electrons are held more tightly by the nucleus as the valence shell is drawn closer.
❓ Does atomic radius increase or decrease down a group?
Atomic radius increases down a group because a new principal energy level (shell) is added at each step. This addition of shells outweighs the increase in nuclear charge, leading to a larger size.
❓ Why is the electron gain enthalpy of Chlorine more negative than Fluorine?
Fluorine has a very compact 2p subshell, causing significant inter-electronic repulsion for the incoming electron. Chlorine's larger 3p subshell accommodates the electron more easily, releasing more energy.
Official Complete Study Package

JEE Main & Advanced High-Yield Chapter Question Bank

Get full digital access to 500+ chapter-wise questions, comprehensive question banks, and authentic exam solutions.

Verified NCERT Curriculum • Instant Digital Access • 100% Satisfaction

💬 Join the Official JEE Main & Advanced WhatsApp Community for daily question drops & study notes
Join Channel

Need more chapters and complete test sets?

Access our complete 12 Lakhs MCQ repository, solved past papers, and error-free test series.

← Back to Home