AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description

A set of 50 vocabulary flashcards based on AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description materials, covering key terms and definitions relevant to the course.

AP Chemistry

Advanced Placement Chemistry, a course designed to provide high school students with a college-level curriculum in chemistry.

Course Framework

A detailed description of the content requirements and structure of the AP Chemistry course.

Chemical Change

A process where the composition of a substance is altered, resulting in a new substance.

Physical Change

A change in a substance that does not alter its chemical composition.

Molar Mass

The mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol).

Stoichiometry

The calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions based on the conservation of mass.

Le Châtelier's Principle

If a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the position of equilibrium shifts to counteract the change.

Equilibrium Constant (K)

A numerical value that expresses the ratio of the concentrations of products to reactants at equilibrium.

Endothermic Reaction

A reaction that absorbs heat, resulting in a decrease in temperature of the surroundings.

Exothermic Reaction

A reaction that releases heat, resulting in an increase in temperature of the surroundings.

Acid-Base Reaction

A reaction that involves the transfer of protons (H⁺ ions) between substances.

Oxidation-Reduction Reaction

A reaction involving the transfer of electrons from one substance to another.

Buffer

A solution that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added.

pH

A measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution, based on the concentration of hydronium ions.

pOH

A measure of the basicity of a solution, based on the concentration of hydroxide ions.

Gibbs Free Energy (ΔG)

A thermodynamic quantity that can predict whether a reaction is spontaneous at constant pressure and temperature.

Enthalpy (ΔH)

A measure of the total heat content of a system, related to the heat produced or absorbed during a reaction.

Entropy (S)

A measure of the disorder or randomness in a system; it's a key concept in the second law of thermodynamics.

Calorimetry

The process of measuring the heat of chemical reactions or physical changes.

Electrochemistry

The branch of chemistry that studies the relationship between electricity and chemical reactions.

Ideal Gas Law

A relationship among pressure (P), volume (V), temperature (T), and number of moles (n) of a gas, represented by the equation PV = nRT.

Hydrogen Bonding

A strong type of dipole-dipole attraction between molecules that contains H bonded to highly electronegative atoms (N, O, or F).

London Dispersion Forces

Weak intermolecular forces arising from temporary dipoles in molecules.

Intermolecular Forces

Forces that occur between molecules, including hydrogen bonds, dipole-dipole interactions, and London dispersion forces.

Gas Chromatography

A technique used to separate and analyze compounds in gaseous form.

Polar Molecule

A molecule that has a net dipole moment due to the presence of polar bonds with asymmetric arrangements of atoms.

Nonpolar Molecule

A molecule that does not have a net dipole moment and has an even distribution of charge.

Ionic Bonding

The electrostatic attraction between positively and negatively charged ions.

Covalent Bonding

The sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Reaction Rate

The speed at which reactants are converted into products in a chemical reaction.

Activated Complex

A transitional structure formed during the course of a reaction, also known as the transition state.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed in the process.

Ksp (Solubility Product Constant)

An equilibrium constant for the dissolution of a sparingly soluble salt.

Fusion

The process of melting; the transition from a solid to a liquid.

Vaporization

The process of turning from liquid into vapor.

Electrolytic Cell

An electrochemical cell that drives a chemical reaction through an external power source.

Galvanic Cell

An electrochemical cell that generates electrical energy from spontaneous redox reactions.

Faraday's Law

The relationship between the amount of chemical change and the amount of electric charge passed through a system.

Absorption Spectrum

A spectrum of absorbed light, which can identify the presence of specific substances based on the wavelengths of light absorbed.

Titration

A technique used to determine the concentration of a known reactant in a solution by reacting it with another known reactant.

Ideal Solution

A solution that obeys Raoult's law, where the solvent-solute interactions are similar to solute-solute and solvent-solvent interactions.

Molarity (M)

A measure of concentration, defined as the number of moles of solute divided by the volume of solution in liters.

Strong Acid

An acid that completely dissociates in solution, yielding hydronium ions.

Weak Acid

An acid that only partially dissociates in solution, establishing an equilibrium.

Strong Base

A base that completely dissociates in solution to provide hydroxide ions.

Weak Base

A base that only partially dissociates in solution to provide hydroxide ions.

Quantum Chemistry

The study of the behavior of matter and light on the atomic and subatomic levels.

Maximum Yield

The maximum amount of product that can be formed from a given amount of reactant, as predicted by stoichiometry.

Molecular Geometry

The three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

Electronegativity

The tendency of an atom to attract electrons in a chemical bond.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are available for bonding.

Lewis Structure

A graphical representation of the arrangement of atoms and valence electrons in a molecule.

VSEPR Theory

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion theory, a model used to predict the geometry of molecular structures.