Math, Statistics & Engineering Sciences
13-19%of exam
Chemistry & Materials Science
10-15%of exam
Fluid, Heat & Mass Transfer
22-33%of exam
Thermo, Balances & Reaction Engineering
23-35%of exam
Process Design, Economics & Control
16-25%of exam
Safety, Health & Ethics
7-12%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- FE Chemical
- Body
- NCEES
- Questions
- 110
- Time
- 5h 20m
- Fee
- $225
- Format
- CBT, Pearson VUE
- Level
- Entry-level EIT
- Handbook
- v10.6 (2026)
Calculus & Diff Eq
- Power rule (derivative)
- n*x^(n-1)
- Power rule (integral)
- x^(n+1)/(n+1) + C
- Laplace e^(-at)
- 1/(s+a)
- Newton-Raphson step
- x1 = x0 - f/f'
- 1st-order ODE
- y = y0 e^(kx)
Probability & Statistics
- Binomial P(x)
- C(n,x) p^x (1-p)^(n-x)
- Confidence interval
- mean +/- z*(s/sqrt n)
- Normal distribution
- bell curve, mean + sigma
- Control chart limits
- mean +/- 3 sigma/sqrt(n)
- Linear regression
- least-squares best-fit line
Engineering Sciences & Sig Figs
- Ohm's law
- V = IR
- Kirchhoff's current law
- currents in = currents out
- Work-energy-power
- W = F*d, P = W/t
- Significant figures
- match measurement precision
Molarity vs Molality
Molarity
- Moles per liter solution
- Temperature dependent
Molality
- Moles per kg solvent
- Temperature independent
Volume basis vs mass basis
Chemistry Basics
- Molarity
- moles solute per liter
- Molality
- moles solute per kg solvent
- pH
- -log[H+]
- Redox reaction
- electron transfer, oxidation-reduction
- Stoichiometry
- mole ratios, balanced equation
Materials Science
- Corrosion rate
- mils per year (mpy)
- Stress-strain curve
- elastic then plastic region
- Thermoplastic vs thermoset
- reformable vs permanently cured
- Ferrous vs nonferrous
- iron-based vs non-iron metal
- Ceramics/composites
- brittle, high strength materials
Heat Transfer Modes
Conduction touches, convection flows, radiation glows
Conduction: solid contactConvection: fluid motionRadiation: electromagnetic waves
LMTD vs NTU-Effectiveness
LMTD
- Both outlets known
- Sizing problem
NTU-Effectiveness
- Outlet unknown
- Rating problem
Sizing vs rating problem
Heat Exchanger Method Picker
- Both outlet temps known→LMTD sizing
- Outlet temp unknown→NTU-effectiveness rating
- High fouling risk→Add fouling resistance
- Flow arrangement choice→Counterflow over parallel
Fluid Mechanics
- Reynolds number
- inertial over viscous forces
- Bernoulli equation
- pressure + velocity + elevation head
- Darcy-Weisbach friction
- hf = f(L/D)(v^2/2g)
- NPSH
- avoids pump cavitation
- Continuity equation
- rho A V = constant
Conduction vs Convection
Conduction
- Solid contact
- Fourier's law, uses k
Convection
- Fluid motion
- Newton's law, uses h
Solid vs fluid transfer
Fluid Flow Regime Picker
- Re below 2100→Laminar, f = 64/Re
- Re above 4000→Turbulent, Moody chart
- High-speed compressible gas→Check Mach number
- Non-Newtonian fluid→Power-law model
Heat Transfer
- Fourier's law
- conduction flux, -k dT/dx
- Newton's cooling law
- convection, q = hA*deltaT
- LMTD
- sizing, known outlet temps
- NTU-effectiveness
- rating, unknown outlet temps
- Overall U
- sum of resistances + fouling
Absorption vs Distillation
Absorption
- Gas-liquid contact
- No reboiler needed
Distillation
- Vapor-liquid equilibrium
- Has reboiler/condenser
Solubility vs volatility driven
Mass Transfer & Separation
- Fick's law
- diffusion flux, -D dC/dx
- McCabe-Thiele
- binary distillation stage design
- HETP/HTU
- packed-column transfer height
- Relative volatility
- measures separation ease
- Reflux ratio
- L/D, liquid over distillate
Reactor Volume Ranking
PFR needs less volume than CSTR for same conversion
PFR: plug flow efficientCSTR: back-mixed less efficientSeries CSTR approaches PFR
CSTR vs PFR
CSTR
- Uniform composition
- Well-mixed
- More volume needed
PFR
- Composition varies axially
- Plug flow
- Less volume needed
Mixed vs axial flow
Balance Approach Picker
- Continuous open system→Energy balance with enthalpy
- Reaction occurring→Extent of reaction method
- Unknowns exceed equations→Check degree of freedom
- Transient startup/shutdown→Unsteady-state balance
- Multiple recycle streams→Tie-component balance
Material & Energy Balances
- Degree of freedom
- unknowns minus equations
- Recycle/bypass
- stream loops around unit
- Combustion balance
- stoichiometric air, excess air
- Steady-state balance
- in = out, no accumulation
- Purge stream
- prevents inert buildup
Balance Order Steps
Draw diagram, define system, write balance, solve unknowns
Draw flow diagram firstDefine system boundaryCount DOF before solving
Raoult's Law vs Henry's Law
Raoult's Law
- Ideal solution
- High concentration solvent
Henry's Law
- Dilute solute
- Low concentration component
Concentrated vs dilute component
VLE Method Picker
- Ideal, high concentration→Raoult's law
- Dilute solute→Henry's law
- Nonideal, azeotrope present→Activity coefficients
- Binary distillation stages→McCabe-Thiele diagram
Thermodynamics & VLE
- First law
- delta U = Q - W
- Second law
- entropy generation >= 0
- Raoult's law
- ideal VLE, p = x*Psat
- Henry's law
- dilute solute, p = H*x
- Antoine equation
- vapor pressure vs temperature
Reactor Selection
- Small batch, liquid-phase→Batch reactor
- Continuous, well-mixed→CSTR
- Continuous, no back-mixing→PFR
- Series reactions, max yield→CSTR-then-PFR train
- Max conversion per volume→PFR over CSTR
Chemical Reaction Engineering
- Arrhenius equation
- k = A e^(-Ea/RT)
- Rate law order
- rate = k[A]^n[B]^m
- CSTR design eq
- V = F(A0)X / (-rA)
- PFR design eq
- integral of dX / (-rA)
- Conversion
- moles reacted over fed
Time Value Factors
P grows to F, F discounts back to P
P: present worthF: future worthA: annual worth
Feedback vs Feedforward Control
Feedback
- Measures output
- Reacts after disturbance
Feedforward
- Measures disturbance
- Acts before output changes
React vs anticipate disturbance
Control Mode Picker
- Offset unacceptable→Add integral action
- Need faster response→Add derivative action
- Disturbance is measurable→Feedforward control
- Standard single loop→PID feedback
Process Design & Economics
- PFD vs P&ID
- major equipment vs instrumentation
- NPV
- discounted cash flow minus cost
- IRR
- rate where NPV equals zero
- Straight-line depreciation
- (cost - salvage) / life
- Break-even point
- fixed cost / margin
Process Control
- Transfer function
- output over input, Laplace
- PID
- proportional, integral, derivative
- Time constant
- 63% of final response
- Feedback control
- reacts to measured output
- Feedforward control
- anticipates measured disturbance
Solids Handling
- Particle size distribution
- sieve analysis, cumulative %
- Angle of repose
- max slope, flowability
- Screening
- mesh separates particle sizes
- Conveyor selection
- belt, screw, or pneumatic
Flammability Window
Below LFL too lean, above UFL too rich
LFL: lower flammable limitUFL: upper flammable limitBetween: flammable range
Process Safety
- LFL
- lower flammable limit
- UFL
- upper flammable limit
- HAZOP
- systematic deviation hazard study
- LOPA
- layer of protection analysis
- SDS
- chemical hazard data sheet
Ethics & Environment
- NCEES Model Rules
- professional conduct code
- RCRA
- regulates hazardous waste
- CWA
- regulates water discharges
- Patent vs trademark
- invention vs brand protection
Common Traps
Molarity ≠ Molality
Molarity: per liter solution ≠ Molality: per kg solvent
LFL ≠ UFL
LFL: too lean to burn ≠ UFL: too rich to burn
CSTR ≠ PFR Volume
CSTR needs more volume ≠ PFR needs less volume
Absorption ≠ Distillation
Absorption: solubility driven separation ≠ Distillation: volatility driven separation
Feedback ≠ Feedforward
Feedback reacts after disturbance ≠ Feedforward acts before disturbance
Accuracy ≠ Precision
Accuracy: close to true value ≠ Precision: repeatable measurements only
LMTD ≠ NTU Use Case
LMTD: sizing, known outlets ≠ NTU: rating, unknown outlets
Last Minute
- 1.110 questions, 5h20m testing time
- 2.MEB is heaviest domain, 10-15 Q
- 3.Bring approved calculator, spare batteries
- 4.Raoult's Law needs ideal solution
- 5.PFR outperforms CSTR per volume
- 6.LMTD needs known outlet temps
- 7.McCabe-Thiele for binary distillation stages
- 8.Arrhenius links rate constant, temperature
- 9.Check degrees of freedom before balances
- 10.HAZOP finds process hazards systematically
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