AP Chemistry - Study Guides, Flashcards, AP-style Practice & Mock Exams
This complete AP Chemistry course provides a thorough roadmap for your AP Chemistry exam prep. Navigate through all required units and topics with our detailed instructional videos, extensive problem sets, and full-length practice materials designed to solidify your understanding of core chemical principles before the test.
Course Overview
This course provides a comprehensive exploration of foundational chemistry principles across nine units. Core content areas include stoichiometry, kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium. Emphasis is placed on developing key science practices, such as analyzing experimental design, including controls and variables, and interpreting data from tables and graphs. Students will learn to perform error analysis and apply the claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) framework to construct scientific arguments. A critical skill developed throughout the course is the proficient use of the official equation sheet to solve complex, multi-step problems, preparing students for the analytical demands of the AP Chemistry exam.
Effective preparation involves a structured progression through the course materials. Students should first master the 91 topics within each unit, then use the AP-style quizzes for immediate reinforcement. Unit Exams function as periodic progress checks, highlighting concepts that require targeted review. This cycle of learning and assessment culminates in three full-length mock exams, which simulate the official testing experience and help build stamina. This systematic approach utilizes the course's 1086 practice questions to ensure students build both a deep conceptual understanding and the skills necessary for exam day.
Units & Topics
Unit 1: Atomic Structure and Properties
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Foundational principles of stoichiometry are used to analyze substance composition, connecting experimental evidence from spectroscopy to models of atomic structure and periodic trends.
- 1.0Unit Overview
- 1.1Moles and Molar Mass
- 1.2Mass Spectra of Elements
- 1.3Elemental Composition of Pure Substances
- 1.4Composition of Mixtures
- 1.5Atomic Structure and Electron Configuration
- 1.6Photoelectron Spectroscopy
- 1.7Periodic Trends
- 1.8Valence Electrons and Ionic Compounds
- 1.9Unit Exam
Unit 2: Compound Structure and Properties
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We will model how electrostatic forces determine the structure of molecules and compounds, from simple electron diagrams to predictions of three-dimensional molecular geometry.
- 2.0Unit Overview
- 2.1Types of Chemical Bonds
- 2.2Intramolecular Force and Potential Energy
- 2.3Structure of Ionic Solids
- 2.4Structure of Metals and Alloys
- 2.5Lewis Diagrams
- 2.6Resonance and Formal Charge
- 2.7VSEPR and Hybridization
- 2.8Unit Exam
Unit 3: Properties of Substances and Mixtures
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Explore how intermolecular forces determine the properties of solids, liquids, and gases, and how interactions with light are used to analyze chemical solutions.
- 3.0Unit Overview
- 3.1Intermolecular and Interparticle Forces
- 3.2Properties of Solids
- 3.3Solids, Liquids, and Gases
- 3.4Ideal Gas Law
- 3.5Kinetic Molecular Theory
- 3.6Deviation from Ideal Gas Law
- 3.7Solutions and Mixtures
- 3.8Representations of Solutions
- 3.9Separation of Solutions and Mixtures
- 3.10Solubility
- 3.11Spectroscopy and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
- 3.12Properties of Photons
- 3.13Beer-Lambert Law
- 3.14Unit Exam
Unit 4: Chemical Reactions
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We will explore various types of chemical transformations by representing them with equations and using stoichiometry to calculate the amounts of substances involved.
- 4.0Unit Overview
- 4.1Introduction for Reactions
- 4.2Net Ionic Equations
- 4.3Representations of Reactions
- 4.4Physical and Chemical Changes
- 4.5Stoichiometry
- 4.6Introduction to Titration
- 4.7Types of Chemical Reactions
- 4.8Introduction to Acid-Base Reactions
- 4.9Oxidation-Reduction (Redox) Reactions
- 4.10Unit Exam
Unit 5: Kinetics
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This unit explores chemical kinetics, examining how reaction speed is determined by molecular collisions, energy pathways, and the sequence of elementary steps in a mechanism.
- 5.0Unit Overview
- 5.1Reaction Rates
- 5.2Introduction to Rate Law
- 5.3Concentration Changes Over Time
- 5.4Elementary Reactions
- 5.5Collision Model
- 5.6Reaction Energy Profile
- 5.7Introduction to Reaction Mechanisms
- 5.8Reaction Mechanism and Rate Law
- 5.9Pre-Equilibrium Approximation
- 5.10Multistep Reaction Energy Profile
- 5.11Catalysis
- 5.12Unit Exam
Unit 6: Thermochemistry
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We will apply the foundational principles of thermodynamics to measure and calculate energy changes in chemical reactions and physical processes, from heat transfer to bond breaking.
- 6.0Unit Overview
- 6.1Endothermic and Exothermic Processes
- 6.2Energy Diagrams
- 6.3Heat Transfer and Thermal Equilibrium
- 6.4Heat Capacity and Calorimetry
- 6.5Energy of Phase Changes
- 6.6Introduction to Enthalpy of Reaction
- 6.7Bond Enthalpies
- 6.8Enthalpy of Formation
- 6.9Hess’s Law
- 6.10Unit Exam
Unit 7: Equilibrium
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This unit investigates how reversible chemical systems achieve equilibrium and respond to external stresses, quantifying these changes with the equilibrium constant and reaction quotient.
- 7.0Unit Overview
- 7.1Introduction to Equilibrium
- 7.2Direction of Reversible Reactions
- 7.3Reaction Quotient and Equilibrium Constant
- 7.4Calculating the Equilibrium Constant
- 7.5Magnitude of the Equilibrium Constant
- 7.6Properties of the Equilibrium Constant
- 7.7Calculating Equilibrium Concentrations
- 7.8Representations of Equilibrium
- 7.9Introduction to Le Châtelier’s Principle
- 7.10Reaction Quotient and Le Châtelier’s Principle
- 7.11Introduction to Solubility Equilibria
- 7.12Common-Ion Effect
- 7.13Unit Exam
Unit 8: Acids and Bases
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We will investigate proton transfer in aqueous systems, applying principles of equilibrium to analyze buffer solutions, titration curves, and the factors affecting solution acidity.
- 8.0Unit Overview
- 8.1Introduction to Acids and Bases
- 8.2pH and pOH of Strong Acids and Bases
- 8.3Weak Acid and Base Equilibria
- 8.4Acid-Base Reactions and Buffers
- 8.5Acid-Base Titrations
- 8.6Molecular Structure of Acids and Bases
- 8.7pH and pKa
- 8.8Properties of Buffers
- 8.9Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation
- 8.10Buffer Capacity
- 8.11pH and Solubility
- 8.12Unit Exam
Unit 9: Thermodynamics and Electrochemistry
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We will investigate how thermodynamics determines reaction favorability, linking changes in free energy and entropy to the electrical potential of electrochemical cells.
- 9.0Unit Overview
- 9.1Introduction to Entropy
- 9.2Absolute Entropy and Entropy Change
- 9.3Gibbs Free Energy and Thermodynamic Favorability
- 9.4Thermodynamic and Kinetic Control
- 9.5Free Energy and Equilibrium
- 9.6Free Energy of Dissolution
- 9.7Coupled Reactions
- 9.8Galvanic (Voltaic) and Electrolytic Cells
- 9.9Cell Potential and Free Energy
- 9.10Cell Potential Under Nonstandard Conditions
- 9.11Electrolysis and Faraday's Law
- 9.12Unit Exam
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the format of the AP Chemistry exam?
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The AP Chemistry exam is a 3-hour and 15-minute test with two equally weighted sections. You will first complete a 90-minute, 60-question multiple-choice section, followed by a 105-minute free-response section with seven questions that require both mathematical calculations and written explanations.
What's the best way to study for AP Chemistry on this platform?
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The most effective study path is to progress sequentially through the course structure. Master the 91 topics within each of the 9 units, then test your knowledge with AP-style quizzes and unit exams. Finish by taking the three full-length mock exams to simulate test-day conditions and pacing.
What kinds of Free-Response Questions (FRQs) are on the exam?
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The FRQ section contains three long-response and four short-response questions. These questions require you to perform tasks like analyzing experimental results, justifying claims with evidence (CER), representing chemical phenomena, and solving multi-step quantitative problems involving topics like kinetics or thermodynamics.
What are the most important skills for this course?
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Success in AP Chemistry depends on mastering the six core science practices. These skills go beyond memorization and include developing scientific arguments, analyzing data from tables and graphs, and understanding experimental design. You will apply these practices across all course topics from stoichiometry to equilibrium.
Do I need to memorize all the formulas?
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No, you do not need to memorize all the formulas, as an official equation sheet and periodic table are provided for the exam. Your focus should be on understanding the concepts behind the equations and knowing when to apply them correctly for topics like thermodynamics and kinetics.
Can I use a calculator on the AP Chemistry exam?
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Yes, a scientific or graphing calculator is permitted and recommended for both sections of the exam. You will need it for complex calculations in areas like stoichiometry and equilibrium. However, you must still show your work and reasoning on the FRQ section to earn full credit.
How important are lab-based questions on the exam?
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Lab-based questions are critically important, as the exam heavily assesses your understanding of experimental design. FRQs will ask you to analyze hypothetical experiments, identify appropriate controls and variables, interpret data from tables and graphs, and even perform basic error analysis to justify conclusions.
How is the AP Chemistry exam scored?
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Your final score is a composite of the multiple-choice and free-response sections, each weighted at 50%. The FRQs are scored using detailed rubrics where you earn points for correct work and reasoning, so showing your setup for calculations and using clear claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) is essential.
What are the main content areas of AP Chemistry?
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The course covers major chemical principles from atomic structure to applications of thermodynamics. You will explore core concepts like stoichiometry, bonding, intermolecular forces, kinetics, and equilibrium. These topics build on each other to provide a comprehensive understanding of chemical systems and reactions.
How much time should I plan to study for this course?
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You should plan for a significant time commitment, as our course contains approximately 57 hours of core content. To succeed, consistently engage with our 1086 practice questions and 1546 flashcards, then use the mock exams to build stamina and perfect your pacing for the exam.
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