AP® Chemistry Exam Prep & Review
Advanced Placement® Chemistry (AP® Chemistry or AP® Chem) is a course and examination offered by the College Board as a part of the Advanced Placement Program to give American and Canadian high school students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and earn college-level credit.
KNOW YOUR TEST
The exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and has two sections: multiple-choice and free-response. Calculator is now permitted on all sections of the exam. (Update as of 2021.)
SECTION 1: MULTIPLE CHOICE
60 Questions | 1 hour 30 minutes
50% of Exam Score
SECTION 2: FREE RESPONSE
7 Questions | 1 hour and 45 minutes
50% of Exam Score
There are 3 long-and 4 short-answer questions
You WILL be allowed to use a scientific or graphing calculator on the entire free-response section.
Additionally, you will be supplied with a periodic table of the elements and a formula and constants chart to use on both the multiple-choice and free-response sections of the exam.
Check out AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description Walk-Through by the College Board.
UNDERSTAND WHAT THE QUESTION IS ASKING
In addition to studying content, study directions too! Understanding fully what terminology/ prompts mean in the directions - especially on the Free Response section - can serve you well. Below are the most common prompt with their meaning.
Test Taking Strategies - Day of the Exam (and when studying)
These strategies work if you practice the strategies when you practice for the exam.
Strategies and hints for answering Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Examine each questions for a maximum of 40 seconds (on average).
Quickly determine the subject of the question. Remember that there will be some math questions, but their solutions will be based on basic calculations, rounding, estimating and approximation.
By the end of the 40 seconds:
Mark the correct answer.
Mark "Y" next to the question - indicating you know how to work but need more time.
Mark "N" next to the question - indicating you don't have any idea how to work.
Force yourself to move through 15 quetions each 10 minutes and the full 60 questions in 40 minutes.
Now make a second pass concentrating on "Y" questions ONLY. Do not spend any time on the "N" questions. If you don't know the correct answer, see if some key piece of knowledge will allow you to eliminate an answer choice or two. Complete this in 40 minutes.
Now make your third pass. Focus only on "N" questions. Attempt to eliminate at least two answer choices. Make an educated guess. Any correct "guesses" on this pass are like bonus points! (You will have 10 minutes for this.)
Put an answer for ALL questions. There is NO penalty for guessing.
Strategies and hints for answering Free Response Questions (FRQs)
READ, READ, READ.
Reach each question all the way BEFORE doing any work. Spend more time reading and less on writing to make sure you understand the question. Try starting to read at the bottom and read back to the beginning to get the global view of the problem or question.
Maximize Credit
"Explain or justify" usually means that a correct prediction without an explanation will NOT earn any credit.
Answer the question asked as specific and concise as possible.
Words, Words, Words
Use thhe proper language. It is not acceptable to refer to an atom as a "molecule" or refer to intermolecular forces as a "bond."
It should all add up
Even for simple calculations, show your work. A correct answer with no supporting data often will not earn credit.
Check the "reasonableness" of numerical answers. (There are no negative equilibrium constants, Kelvin temperatures or bond energies.)
Lab Questions - Designing an experiment
Never indicate that you will measure volume with a beaker or Erlenmeyer flask. All volume measurements must take place in a calibrated instrument (graduated cylinder, volumetric flask, etc)