JEE Main · Chemistry · The s-Block Elements

s-Block Elements: JEE Main previous year questions

Name: s-Block Elements: JEE Main previous year questions
Creator: Lumi

64 questions in the 108 JEE Main shifts Lumi analysed, in 6 of 8 years. Pattern: Gone quiet. 3 came in 2024–26. Here is how it is asked and which ideas come back.

Questions: 64; in 55 of 108 shifts
Years asked: 6/8; last asked 2024
Since 2024: Quiet; 3 questions in 2024–26
Weighted estimate: –; history: 0.5 a shift on average, typically 0.0–0.8

Key findings

01
Asked in 6 of 8 years with analysed shifts and in 55 of 108 shifts: 64 questions, #34 of 196 topics. The years that asked it were 1.4 apart on average. Last asked in 2024.
02
59% of its questions since 2020 tested an idea no earlier year had asked; 22 repeated an idea from the year before.
03
The most repeated idea is Flame Coloration, asked 7 times in 7 shifts (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), most often as “count ions identified by flame test”.
04
JEE Main has asked 27 of the 52 ideas in this topic; 18 have never been asked, directly or inside another question.
05
Mostly asked as single correct (59%); 6% need a numerical answer, 42% are easy and 3% hard. It went down from 0.8 to 0.1 questions a shift since 2024.
06
The skill tested most is recall (55%), then conceptual (36%).

Questions a shift, year by year

Out of the 25 Chemistry questions in a shift. Years differ in how many shifts Lumi analysed, so each year is scaled to one shift.

Raw count: 2017: 1 in 1 shift · 2020: 9 in 12 shifts · 2021: 18 in 24 shifts · 2022: 19 in 24 shifts · 2023: 14 in 12 shifts · 2024: 3 in 18 shifts · 2025: 0 in 8 shifts · 2026: 0 in 9 shifts.

Up to 2023: 0.8; a shift, of 25
Since 2024: 0.1; -0.7
Usual gap: 1.4 yrs; between years asking it
Shifts with it: 55/108; 51% of analysed shifts

How it is asked

Difficulty, format and skill

Across all 64 questions on s-Block Elements since 2017.

Difficulty

QUESTIONS

2735

Easy27 · 42%
Medium35 · 55%
Hard2 · 3%

Format

Single correct · 38 Q59%
Match the list · 8 Q13%
Two statements · 5 Q8%
Assertion–reason · 5 Q8%
Numerical value · 4 Q6%
Other · 4 Q6%

Skill tested

Recall · 35 Q55%
Conceptual · 23 Q36%
Application · 5 Q8%
Multi-step · 1 Q2%

Repeats

New idea, or one asked before?

Each column is a year. Blue questions tested an idea no earlier year had asked; navy ones went back to an idea from an earlier year. 2017 is the first year, so everything in it counts as new. Heights are question counts, and Lumi analysed 1 to 24 shifts a year, so compare the split inside a column rather than heights across years.

’17’20’21’22’23’24’25’26

Idea asked for the first time
Idea asked in an earlier year

Coverage of the topic

JEE Main has asked 27 of the 52 ideas in this topic. 18 have never been asked yet.

27718

Asked directly27 · 52%
Touched inside another question7 · 13%
Never asked18 · 35%

Ideas come from Lumi’s JEE syllabus map. A never-asked idea is not a safe skip: across all of JEE Main, 22% of questions since 2024 tested an idea no earlier year had asked.

Drill down

Chapter, idea, question

Every idea JEE Main tested in this topic, with its eight years. Open one to read the questions.

chapterAskedShareYears’17’20’21’22’23’24’25’26

Open56 · 88%88%6/881816112
24 ideas inside
- OpenRepeated7 · 13%13%4/8222
- OpenRepeated5 · 9%9%4/82
- OpenRepeated5 · 9%9%4/82
- OpenRepeated4 · 7%7%3/82
- OpenRepeated4 · 7%7%3/82
- OpenRepeated3 · 5%5%2/82
- OpenRepeated2 · 4%4%2/8
- Open2 · 4%4%1/82
- Open2 · 4%4%1/82
- Open2 · 4%4%1/82
- Open2 · 4%4%1/82
- Open2 · 4%4%1/82
- OpenRepeated2 · 4%4%2/8
- Open2 · 4%4%1/82
- OpenRepeated2 · 4%4%2/8
- OpenRepeated2 · 4%4%2/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
- Open1 · 2%2%1/8
Open4 · 6%6%2/83
Open2 · 3%3%1/82
Open1 · 2%2%1/8
Open1 · 2%2%1/8

Squares are the 8 years with analysed shifts, 2017 to 2026. A number is the questions that year when there is more than one; the shade is scaled to one shift, so a year with more analysed shifts (1 to 24 a year) does not look darker. Share is of the level above.

Ideas

Every idea inside this topic

27 different ideas were tested; 20 came more than once.

Flame Coloration7×
count ions identified by flame test
Match the list · 7 shifts · 1 numerical
Amphoterism of Beryllium Compounds5×
statement i/ii on alkaline earth hydroxides
Single correct · 5 shifts · 1 numerical
Formation of Oxides, Peroxides, and Superoxides5×
statement pair on superoxides of li and mg
Single correct · 5 shifts
Hydration Enthalpy Trends4×
order/ranking of hydration enthalpy
Single correct · 4 shifts · 1 numerical
Diagonal Relationship4×
identify incorrect statement on diagonal relationship
Single correct · 4 shifts
Covalent Character in Halides3×
order/ranking of covalent character
Single correct · 3 shifts
Thermal Stability Trends3×
identify compound in reaction scheme
Single correct · 3 shifts
Biological Role of Na and K2×
assertion-reason on alkali metals
Assertion–reason · 2 shifts
Melting and Boiling Point Trends2×
order/ranking of melting point of alkali metals
Single correct · 2 shifts
Phase-Dependent Structure of BeCl22×
structure of compound in different phases
Single correct · 2 shifts
Portland Cement Composition and Setting2×
recall of industrial composition value
Single correct · 2 shifts
Role of Gypsum in Portland Cement2×
identify additive affecting cement setting
Single correct · 2 shifts
Anomalous Solubility of Specific Alkali Halides2×
assertion-reason on s-block salt solubility
Assertion–reason · 2 shifts
Covalent Character in Halides2×
count correct statements on lithium anomalies
Other · 2 shifts
Density Trends and Anomalies2×
order/ranking of density of alkali metals
Single correct · 2 shifts
Nature of s-Block Hydrides2×
products of becl2 with lialh4
Other · 2 shifts
Gypsum and Plaster of Paris2×
match list on calcium compounds and uses
Match the list · 2 shifts
Limitations of the Solvay Process2×
by-product of industrial process
Single correct · 2 shifts
Photoelectric Application of K and Cs2×
identify metal for a use
Numerical value · 2 shifts · 1 numerical
Direct Formation of Nitrides2×
identify elements from nitride and bicarbonate behaviour
Single correct · 2 shifts
Aqueous Reducing Power and E° Anomaly1×
factors determining standard electrode potential
Single correct · 1 shift
Anomalous Solubility of Fluorides1×
identify incorrect statement on s-block elements
Single correct · 1 shift
Biological Role of Mg2+ and Ca2+1×
statement i/ii on s-block uses and biological role
Two statements · 1 shift
Existence of Solid Bicarbonates1×
match alkali metals with properties
Match the list · 1 shift
Solubility of Salts1×
match list on s-block elements and properties
Match the list · 1 shift
NaOH Reactions with Amphoteric Elements1×
ratio of hydrogen volumes from amphoteric metal
Single correct · 1 shift
Thermal Dehydration of Gypsum1×
identify product on heating
Single correct · 1 shift

Idea	Times	Shifts	Format	Numerical
Flame Colorationcount ions identified by flame test	7	7	Match the listRecall	1
Amphoterism of Beryllium Compoundsstatement i/ii on alkaline earth hydroxides	5	5	Single correctConceptual	1
Formation of Oxides, Peroxides, and Superoxidesstatement pair on superoxides of li and mg	5	5	Single correctRecall	–
Hydration Enthalpy Trendsorder/ranking of hydration enthalpy	4	4	Single correctConceptual	1
Diagonal Relationshipidentify incorrect statement on diagonal relationship	4	4	Single correctRecall	–
Covalent Character in Halidesorder/ranking of covalent character	3	3	Single correctConceptual	–
Thermal Stability Trendsidentify compound in reaction scheme	3	3	Single correctRecall	–
Biological Role of Na and Kassertion-reason on alkali metals	2	2	Assertion–reasonConceptual	–
Melting and Boiling Point Trendsorder/ranking of melting point of alkali metals	2	2	Single correctRecall	–
Phase-Dependent Structure of BeCl2structure of compound in different phases	2	2	Single correctConceptual	–
Portland Cement Composition and Settingrecall of industrial composition value	2	2	Single correctRecall	–
Role of Gypsum in Portland Cementidentify additive affecting cement setting	2	2	Single correctRecall	–
Anomalous Solubility of Specific Alkali Halidesassertion-reason on s-block salt solubility	2	2	Assertion–reasonConceptual	–
Covalent Character in Halidescount correct statements on lithium anomalies	2	2	OtherConceptual	–
Density Trends and Anomaliesorder/ranking of density of alkali metals	2	2	Single correctRecall	–
Nature of s-Block Hydridesproducts of becl2 with lialh4	2	2	OtherApplication	–
Gypsum and Plaster of Parismatch list on calcium compounds and uses	2	2	Match the listRecall	–
Limitations of the Solvay Processby-product of industrial process	2	2	Single correctRecall	–
Photoelectric Application of K and Csidentify metal for a use	2	2	Numerical valueRecall	1
Direct Formation of Nitridesidentify elements from nitride and bicarbonate behaviour	2	2	Single correctApplication	–
Aqueous Reducing Power and E° Anomalyfactors determining standard electrode potential	1	1	Single correctConceptual	–
Anomalous Solubility of Fluoridesidentify incorrect statement on s-block elements	1	1	Single correctConceptual	–
Biological Role of Mg2+ and Ca2+statement i/ii on s-block uses and biological role	1	1	Two statementsRecall	–
Existence of Solid Bicarbonatesmatch alkali metals with properties	1	1	Match the listRecall	–
Solubility of Saltsmatch list on s-block elements and properties	1	1	Match the listRecall	–
NaOH Reactions with Amphoteric Elementsratio of hydrogen volumes from amphoteric metal	1	1	Single correctApplication	–
Thermal Dehydration of Gypsumidentify product on heating	1	1	Single correctRecall	–

Times and shifts count every analysed shift. Across JEE Main, 78% of questions since 2024 went back to an idea an earlier year had asked; the rest were new. All repeated ideas

Every question

s-Block Elements questions, year by year

The newest 40 show their opening words as they appeared in the official paper; older ones name the idea they tested. Open one for its options and the official answer.

Questions from the official JEE Main Paper 1 shifts published by NTA (CBSE for 2017). Questions NTA dropped are left out. Topic and idea tags, counts and notes are Lumi’s.

Key findings

Questions a shift, year by year

Difficulty, format and skill

Difficulty

Format

Skill tested

New idea, or one asked before?

Coverage of the topic

Chapter, idea, question

Every idea inside this topic

s-Block Elements questions, year by year

JEE Main 20243 questions in 3 shifts

JEE Main 202314 questions in 9 shifts

JEE Main 202219 questions in 17 shifts

JEE Main 202118 questions in 17 shifts

JEE Main 20209 questions in 8 shifts

JEE Main 20171 question in 1 shift

More topics in The s-Block Elements