Top 20 Viva Questions on Pharmaceutical Analysis (With Easy Answers)

Pharmaceutical Analysis is one of the most important subjects in B.Pharm, D.Pharm, and M.Pharm. Viva exams test not only your memory but also your understanding of analytical concepts.

To help you prepare confidently, here are the Top 20 Frequently Asked Viva Questions on Pharmaceutical Analysis with simple explanations.

✅ 1. What is Pharmaceutical Analysis?

Pharmaceutical Analysis is the branch of science that deals with identification, purity testing, and estimation of drugs and pharmaceuticals.

👉 It ensures quality, safety, and effectiveness of medicines.

✅ 2. What are the Objectives of Pharmaceutical Analysis?

Main objectives are:

To check drug purity

To detect impurities

To ensure correct dosage

To maintain quality standards

✅ 3. What is Assay?

Assay is a quantitative test used to determine the amount of active drug present in a formulation.

Example: Assay of Paracetamol tablet.

✅ 4. Define Impurities.

Impurities are undesirable chemical substances present in a drug which affect its quality and safety.

✅ 5. What is Limit Test?

Limit test is used to control the amount of impurities in pharmaceuticals within permissible limits.

Example: Limit test for Chloride, Sulphate, Iron.

✅ 6. What is Titration?

Titration is a process of determining the concentration of an unknown solution using a standard solution.

✅ 7. What is Standard Solution?

A standard solution is a solution whose concentration is accurately known.

Example: 0.1N NaOH.

✅ 8. What are Primary Standards?

Primary standards are highly pure, stable compounds used to prepare standard solutions.

Examples:

Sodium carbonate

Oxalic acid

✅ 9. What are Secondary Standards?

Secondary standards are solutions whose concentration is determined by standardizing with primary standards.

Example: HCl, NaOH.

✅ 10. What is Indicator?

An indicator is a substance that changes color at a specific pH to indicate the end point of titration.

Example: Phenolphthalein, Methyl Orange.

✅ 11. What is End Point?

End point is the stage where indicator changes color, showing completion of titration.

✅ 12. What is Equivalence Point?

Equivalence point is the point where equivalent amounts of acid and base react completely.

✅ 13. Difference Between End Point and Equivalence Point?

End Point

Equivalence Point

Color change

Exact chemical reaction point

Practical

Theoretical

✅ 14. What is Buffer Solution?

A buffer solution resists change in pH when small amount of acid or base is added.

Example: Acetic acid + Sodium acetate.

✅ 15. What is pH?

pH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity of a solution.

Formula:

pH = –log [H⁺]

✅ 16. What is Beer-Lambert Law?

It states that:

Absorbance ∝ Concentration × Path length

Formula:

A = εcl

Used in UV spectroscopy.

✅ 17. What is Spectrophotometry?

Spectrophotometry is a technique used to measure absorption of light by a substance.

Used for drug estimation.

✅ 18. What is Chromatography?

Chromatography is a technique used for separation, identification, and purification of compounds.

Examples:

TLC

HPLC

GC

✅ 19. What is Calibration Curve?

A calibration curve is a graph between concentration and absorbance used for drug analysis.

✅ 20. What is Validation?

Validation is the process of proving that an analytical method gives accurate and reliable results.

🌟 Bonus Viva Tips for Pharma Students

✔ Revise definitions daily

✔ Practice speaking answers loudly

✔ Focus on formulas

✔ Understand concepts, don’t memorize

✔ Revise practical experiments

📌 Why Pharmaceutical Analysis is Important?

Pharmaceutical Analysis ensures:

✅ Patient safety

✅ Correct dosage

✅ Legal compliance

✅ Quality medicines

Without analysis, medicines cannot be trusted.

📥 Download Free Notes (Optional CTA)

👉 Download complete Pharma Analysis Notes from our Free Resource Section:

🔗 Visit: PharmaEasyNotes

📢 Final Words

Preparing for viva becomes easy when you understand concepts clearly. These Top 20 Pharmaceutical Analysis Viva Questions will help you gain confidence and score better in exams.

👉 Keep revising and practicing regularly!