AP Chemistry Course Description / Latest Syllabus (2022)

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AP Chemistry Course Description Latest Syllabus (2022)
AP Chemistry Course Description Latest Syllabus (2022)

About AP Chemistry

The AP Chemistry course provides students with a college-level foundation to support
future advanced coursework in chemistry. Students cultivate their understanding of
chemistry through inquiry-based investigations, as they explore content such as: atomic
structure, intermolecular forces, and bonding, chemical reactions, kinetics, thermodynamics,
and equilibrium.

College Course Equivalent

The AP Chemistry course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry course
usually taken during the first college year.

Prerequisites

Students should have successfully completed a general high school chemistry course and
Algebra II.

Lab Requirement

This course requires that 25 percent of instructional time engage students in lab
investigations. This includes a minimum of 16 hands-on labs (at least six of which are
inquiry-based). It is recommended that students keep a lab notebook throughout.

Units Exam Weighting of AP Chemistry

UnitsTopicsExam Weighting
Unit 1Atomic Structure and Properties7–9%
Unit 2Molecular and Ionic Compound Structure and Properties7-9%
Unit 3Intermolecular Forces and Properties18-22%
Unit 4Chemical Reactions7-9%
Unit 5Kinetics7-9%
Unit 6Thermodynamics7-9%
Unit 7Equilibrium7-9%
Unit 8Acids and Bases11-15%
Unit 9Applications of Thermodynamics7-9%

Unit 1: Atomic Structure and Properties

1.1 Moles and Molar Mass

1.2 Mass Spectroscopy of Elements

1.3 Elemental Composition of Pure Substances

1.4 Composition of Mixtures

1.5 Atomic Structure and Electron Configuration

1.6 Photoelectron Spectroscopy

1.7 Periodic Trends

1.8 Valence Electrons and Ionic Compounds

Unit 2: Molecular and Ionic Compound Structure and Properties

2.1 Types of Chemical Bonds

2.2 Intramolecular Force and Potential Energy

2.3 Structure of Ionic Solids

2.4 Structure of Metals and Alloys

2.5 Lewis Diagrams

2.6 Resonance and

2.7 VSEPR and Bond Hybridization

Unit 3: Intermolecular Forces and Properties

3.1 Intermolecular Forces

3.2 Properties of Solids

3.3 Solids, Liquids, and Gases

3.4 Ideal Gas Law

3.5 Kinetic Molecular Theory

3.6 Deviation from Ideal Gas Law

3.7 Solutions and Mixtures

3.8 Representations of Solutions

3.9 Separation of Solutions and Mixtures Chromatography

3.10 Solubility

3.11 Spectroscopy and the Electromagnetic Spectrum

3.12 Photoelectric Effect

3.13 Beer-Lambert Law

Unit 4: Chemical Reactions

4.1 Introduction for Reactions

4.2 Net Ionic Equations

4.3 Representations of Reactions

4.4 Physical and Chemical Changes

4.5 Stoichiometry

4.6 Introduction to Titration

4.7 Types of Chemical Reactions

4.8 Introduction to Acid-Base Reactions

4.9 Oxidation-Reduction (Redox) Reactions

Unit 5: Kinetics

5.1 Reaction Rates

5.2 Introduction to Rate Law

5.3 Concentration Changes Over Time

5.4 Elementary Reactions

5.5 Collision Model

5.6 Reaction Energy Profile

5.7 Introduction to Reaction Mechanisms

5.8 Reaction Mechanism and Rate Law

5.9 Steady-State Approximation

5.10 Multistep Reaction Energy Profile

5.11 Catalysis

Unit 6: Thermodynamics

6.1 Endothermic and Exothermic Processes

6.2 Energy Diagrams

6.3 Heat Transfer and Thermal Equilibrium

6.4 Heat Capacity and Calorimetry

6.5 Energy of Phase Changes

6.6 Introduction to Enthalpy of Reaction

6.7 Bond Enthalpies

6.8 Enthalpy of Formation

6.9 Hess’s Law

Unit 7: Equilibrium

7.1 Introduction to Equilibrium

7.2 Direction of Reversible Reactions

7.3 Reaction Quotient and Equilibrium Constant

7.4 Calculating the Equilibrium Constant

7.5 Magnitude of the Equilibrium Constant

7.6 Properties of the Equilibrium Constant

7.7 Calculating Equilibrium Concentrations

7.8 Representations of Equilibrium

7.9 Introduction to Le Châtelier’s Principle

7.10 Reaction Quotient and Le Châtelier’s Principle

7.11 Introduction to Solubility Equilibria

7.12 Common-Ion Effect

7.13 pH and Solubility

7.14 Free Energy of Dissolution

Unit 8: Acids and Bases

8.1 Introduction to Acids and Bases

8.2 pH and pOH of Strong Acids and Bases

8.3 Weak Acid and Base Equilibria

8.4 Acid-Base Reactions and Buffers

8.5 Acid-Base Titrations

8.6 Molecular Structure of Acids and Bases

8.7 pH and pKa

8.8 Properties of Buffers

8.9 Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

8.10 Buffer Capacity

Unit 9: Applications of Thermodynamics

9.1 Introduction to Entropy

9.2 Absolute Entropy and Entropy Change

9.3 Gibbs Free Energy and Thermodynamic Favorability

9.4 Thermodynamic and Kinetic Control

9.5 Free Energy and Equilibrium

9.6 Coupled Reactions

9.7 Galvanic (Voltaic) and Electrolytic Cells

9.8 Cell Potential and Free Energy

9.9 Cell Potential Under Nonstandard Conditions

9.10 Electrolysis and Faraday’s Law

Recommended Lab Experiments for AP Chemistry

  • Use the absorption of light to determine the identity and/or concentration of an analyte in solution.
  • Use differences in intermolecular forces to separate a mixture into its components or to determine the identity of components of a mixture.
  • Determine the formula of a compound by measuring the stoichiometry of the reaction of that compound with known reagents.
  • Use gravimetric analysis to determine the amount of an analyte in a mixture.
  • Use titration to determine the concentration of an analyte in a solution.
  • Determine the rate law of a chemical reaction.
  • Use calorimetry to determine the change in enthalpy of a process.
  • Build electrochemical cells to determine the characteristics of an electrochemical reaction.

Exam Overview of AP Chemistry

SectionQuestion TypeNumber of QuestionsExam WeightingTiming
IMultiple-choice questions6050%90 minutes
IIFree-response questions50%105 minutes
Long-answer questions (10 points each)3
Short-answer questions (4 points each)4

References and Source of AP Chemistry

AP® Chemistry. Course and Exam Description. Fall 2022. CollegeBoard.

About Author

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Jyoti Bashyal

Jyoti Bashyal, a graduate of the Central Department of Chemistry, is an avid explorer of the molecular realm. Fueled by her fascination with chemical reactions and natural compounds, she navigates her field's complexities with precision and passion. Outside the lab, Jyoti is dedicated to making science accessible to all. She aspires to deepen audiences' understanding of the wonders of various scientific subjects and their impact on the world by sharing them with a wide range of readers through her writing.

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