The AP Chemistry course provides students with a college-level foundation to support future advanced course work in chemistry. Students cultivate their understanding of chemistry through inquiry-based investigations, as they explore topics such as: atomic structure, intermolecular forces and bonding, chemical reactions, kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium. The course curriculum is compatible with many Chemistry courses in colleges and universities.
course overview
ap chemistry big ideas
Big Idea 1: The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of
matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangements
of atoms. These atoms retain their identity in chemical reactions.
Big Idea 2: Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by
the structure and the arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and
the forces between them.
Big Idea 3: Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization
of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons.
Big Idea 4: Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the
molecular collisions.
Big Idea 5: The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy
and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter.
Big Idea 6: Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can
be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition,
sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations.
matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangements
of atoms. These atoms retain their identity in chemical reactions.
Big Idea 2: Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by
the structure and the arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and
the forces between them.
Big Idea 3: Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization
of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons.
Big Idea 4: Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the
molecular collisions.
Big Idea 5: The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy
and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter.
Big Idea 6: Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can
be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition,
sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations.
science practices
for
ap chemistry
A practice is a way to coordinate knowledge and skills in order to accomplish a goal or task. The science practices enable students to establish lines of evidence and use them to develop and refine testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena. These science practices capture important aspects of the work that scientists engage in, at the level of competence expected of AP Chemistry students.
Science Practice 1: The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve scientific problems.
1.1 The student can create representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.2 The student can describe representations and models of natural or manmade phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.3 The student can refine representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.4 The student can use representations and models to analyze situations or solve problems qualitatively and quantitatively.
1.5 The student can re-express key elements of natural phenomena across multiple representations in the domain.
1.1 The student can create representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.2 The student can describe representations and models of natural or manmade phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.3 The student can refine representations and models of natural or man-made phenomena and systems in the domain.
1.4 The student can use representations and models to analyze situations or solve problems qualitatively and quantitatively.
1.5 The student can re-express key elements of natural phenomena across multiple representations in the domain.
Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.
2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.
2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.
2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.
Science Practice 2: The student can use mathematics appropriately.
2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.
2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.1 The student can justify the selection of a mathematical routine to solve problems.
2.2 The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
2.3 The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.
Science Practice 3: The student can engage in scientific questioning to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the context of the AP course.
3.1 The student can pose scientific questions.
3.2 The student can refine scientific questions.
3.3 The student can evaluate scientific questions.
3.1 The student can pose scientific questions.
3.2 The student can refine scientific questions.
3.3 The student can evaluate scientific questions.
Science Practice 4: The student can plan and implement data collection strategies in relation to a particular scientific question.
4.1 The student can justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer a particular scientific question.
4.2 The student can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.3 The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.4 The student can evaluate sources of data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.1 The student can justify the selection of the kind of data needed to answer a particular scientific question.
4.2 The student can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.3 The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.
4.4 The student can evaluate sources of data to answer a particular scientific question.
Science Practice 5: The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
5.1 The student can analyze data to identify patterns or relationships.
5.2 The student can refine observations and measurements based on data analysis.
5.3 The student can evaluate the evidence provided by data sets in relation to a particular scientific question.
5.1 The student can analyze data to identify patterns or relationships.
5.2 The student can refine observations and measurements based on data analysis.
5.3 The student can evaluate the evidence provided by data sets in relation to a particular scientific question.
Science Practice 6: The student can work with scientific explanations and theories.
6.1 The student can justify claims with evidence.
6.2 The student can construct explanations of phenomena based on evidence produced through scientific practices.
6.3 The student can articulate the reasons that scientific explanations and theories are refined or replaced.
6.4 The student can make claims and predictions about natural phenomena based on scientific theories and models.
6.5 The student can evaluate alternative scientific explanations.
6.1 The student can justify claims with evidence.
6.2 The student can construct explanations of phenomena based on evidence produced through scientific practices.
6.3 The student can articulate the reasons that scientific explanations and theories are refined or replaced.
6.4 The student can make claims and predictions about natural phenomena based on scientific theories and models.
6.5 The student can evaluate alternative scientific explanations.
Science Practice 7: The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and representations in and across domains.
7.1 The student can connect phenomena and models across spatial and temporal scales.
7.2 The student can connect concepts in and across domain(s) to generalize or extrapolate in and/or across enduring understandings and/or big ideas.
7.1 The student can connect phenomena and models across spatial and temporal scales.
7.2 The student can connect concepts in and across domain(s) to generalize or extrapolate in and/or across enduring understandings and/or big ideas.
ap chem exam overview
AP CHEMISTRY EXAM: 3 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES
Exam questions are based on learning objectives, which combine science practices with specific content. Students learn to
The AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description(.pdf/1.96MB) provides complete details about the exam.
Format of Assessment
Section I: Multiple Choice: 60 Questions | 90 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description (.pdf/1.96MB).
Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions201620152014
2016: Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions
2015: Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2
Sample Responses Q3
Sample Responses Q4
Sample Responses Q5
Sample Responses Q6
Sample Responses Q7
Score Distributions
2014: Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2
Sample Responses Q3
Sample Responses Q4
Sample Responses Q5
Sample Responses Q6
Sample Responses Q7
Score Distributions
Past AP Chemistry Exam Questions
The College Board provides free-response questions from past AP Chemistry Exams. These questions do not reflect the redesigned AP Chemistry Exam administered for the first time in May 2014, but the question types are the same and the topics similar, making them a valuable resource for students and teachers. Included with the questions are scoring guidelines, sample student responses, and commentary on those responses, as well as exam statistics and the Student Performance Q&A (Chief Reader's Report) for the May 2013 administrations and before.
More About ChemistryAre You a Student?
Exam questions are based on learning objectives, which combine science practices with specific content. Students learn to
- Solve problems mathematically including symbolically;
- Design and describe experiments;
- Perform data and error analysis;
- Explain, reason, or justify answers; and
- Interpret and develop conceptual models.
The AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description(.pdf/1.96MB) provides complete details about the exam.
Format of Assessment
Section I: Multiple Choice: 60 Questions | 90 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
- Discrete items
- Items in sets
- Three long- and four short-answer questions. The seven questions ensure the assessment of the following skills: experimental design, quantitative/qualitative translation, analysis of authentic lab data and observations to identify patterns or explain phenomena, creating or analyzing atomic and molecular views to explain observations, and following a logical/analytical pathway to solve a problem.
For sample multiple-choice questions, refer to the AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description (.pdf/1.96MB).
Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions201620152014
2016: Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions
2015: Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2
Sample Responses Q3
Sample Responses Q4
Sample Responses Q5
Sample Responses Q6
Sample Responses Q7
Score Distributions
2014: Free-Response Questions
Free-Response Questions
Scoring Guidelines
Student Performance Q&A
Scoring Statistics
Sample Responses Q1
Sample Responses Q2
Sample Responses Q3
Sample Responses Q4
Sample Responses Q5
Sample Responses Q6
Sample Responses Q7
Score Distributions
Past AP Chemistry Exam Questions
The College Board provides free-response questions from past AP Chemistry Exams. These questions do not reflect the redesigned AP Chemistry Exam administered for the first time in May 2014, but the question types are the same and the topics similar, making them a valuable resource for students and teachers. Included with the questions are scoring guidelines, sample student responses, and commentary on those responses, as well as exam statistics and the Student Performance Q&A (Chief Reader's Report) for the May 2013 administrations and before.
More About ChemistryAre You a Student?
- Visit our AP Chemistry Exam page here.