AP Chemistry Course and Exam Overview

A complete set of practice questions covering the AP Chemistry course structure, prerequisites, laboratory requirements, units of study, big ideas, and exam format based on the official overview.

What college-level course is AP Chemistry designed to be the equivalent of?

The general chemistry course usually taken during the first college year.

What are the prerequisites for the AP Chemistry course?

Successfull completion of a general high school chemistry course and Algebra II.

What percentage of instructional time must be dedicated to lab investigations?

$$25\%$$

What is the minimum number of hands-on labs (including guided inquiry) required for the course?

$16$ hands-on labs.

How many of the required hands-on labs must be guided inquiry?

At least $6$ labs.

List the nine units that organize the AP Chemistry course content in order.

Unit 1: Atomic Structure and Properties; Unit 2: Molecular and Ionic Compound Structure and Properties; Unit 3: Intermolecular Forces and Properties; Unit 4: Chemical Reactions; Unit 5: Kinetics; Unit 6: Thermodynamics; Unit 7: Equilibrium; Unit 8: Acids and Bases; Unit 9: Applications of Thermodynamics.

What are the four 'big ideas' that serve as the foundation of the AP Chemistry course?

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity; Structure and Properties; Transformations; and Energy.

Which science practice involves solving problems using mathematical relationships?

Mathematical Routines (Science Practice 5).

How long is the AP Chemistry Exam in total?

$$3\text{ hours, } 15\text{ minutes}$$

What is the structure and duration of Section I of the AP Chemistry Exam?

$60$ multiple-choice questions over $90\text{ minutes}$, accounting for $50\%$ of the exam score.

Which science practice is NOT assessed in the multiple-choice section of the exam?

Science Practice 3 (Representing Data and Phenomena).

What is the structure and duration of Section II of the AP Chemistry Exam?

$7$ free-response questions ($3$ long-answer and $4$ short-answer) over $105\text{ minutes}$, accounting for $50\%$ of the exam score.

How many points is each long-answer and short-answer question worth in the free-response section?

Long-answer questions are worth $10\text{ points}$ each, and short-answer questions are worth $4\text{ points}$ each.

What materials are provided to students for use on the AP Chemistry Exam?

A periodic table and a formula sheet listing specific and relevant formulas.

As of the 2022-23 school year, which tool is recommended for use on both sections of the AP Chemistry Exam?

A scientific or graphing calculator.

According to the sample free-response question, what law should be used to justify which orbital contains electrons closest to the nucleus in a photoelectron spectrum?

Coulomb’s law.