AP® Chemistry requires a mishmash of math, reasoning, and memorization, so it can be difficult just figuring out how to study for AP® Chemistry. We feel your pain, so we decided to help out with this how-to guide for studying AP® Chemistry. There’s a lot to cover in AP® Chemistry (two semester’s worth of college-level chemistry), and this article is going to set you on the right track to study smart for AP® Chemistry.
What’s on the AP® Chemistry Exam
AP® Chemistry Exam Format
The CollegeBoard will assess your mastery of chemistry with an exam at the end of the course, so determining how to study for AP® Chemistry requires understanding the format of the test. You will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete two sections. The first section (90 minutes) focuses on discrete answers to questions in the form of 60 multiple choice questions. There will be math, but no calculators are allowed on this first part. The second section (105 minutes) requires writing out answers in the form of 3 long and 4 short response questions.
Learning Objectives in AP® Chemistry
Knowing the test structure will help you think about how to pace yourself during the AP® Chemistry exam, but most of your focus should be on studying the actual chemical content of the exam. There are many topics in AP® Chemistry, and you will need some tool or checklist to make sure that you are studying everything.
The most specific list of AP® Chemistry topics are the learning objectives of AP® Chemistry. These objective are listed in the AP® Chemistry Course and Exam Description and briefly summarize everything there is to know for the AP® Chemistry exam. For example, learning objective 1.17 states: “The student is able to express the law of conservation of mass quantitatively and qualitatively using symbolic representations and particulate drawings. This means that you should be able to create and analyze sketches that correctly describe chemical reactions at the atomic level. Here’s an example from the CollegeBoard.
Of the 4 diagrams below, can you identify the best depiction of oxygen gas reacting with hydrogen gas to form water vapor? To answer this question, you must know the molecular form of hydrogen and oxygen gasses and recognize that there should be two hydrogen gas (H2) molecules for each oxygen gas (O2) molecule. Only option C correctly displays all of this information.
Think of the learning objectives as a checklist while you study. It will help you keep track and not forget an important topic. There is no reason to memorize any part of the learning objectives, but save a copy that you can consult when necessary. If you cannot demonstrate mastery of any of the learning objectives, it is definitely an area you should study.
Essential Knowledge Statements
In addition to making a handy checklist, the learning objectives are also the best entry point for more detailed information and organization within the AP® Chemistry curriculum. Each learning objective is composed of exactly one essential knowledge statement and one or more science practices. Here is an example of what the essential knowledge statements have to offer.
Learning objective 1.17 also tells us to reference essential knowledge 1.E.1 (as well as Science Practice 1.5) which states: “Physical and chemical processes can be depicted symbolically; when this is done, the illustration must conserve all atoms of all types.” This general statement is further outlined with sub-points. You probably don’t need to read the whole statement right now, but keep in mind that organizing similar topics into groups will maximize the efficiency of your studying. There are, however, some special notes included with the essential knowledge that are definitely worth a look.
Exclusion Statement
Exclusion statements tell you what won’t be on the exam. For example, in regards to electrochemistry, the CollegeBoard states that: “The Nernst equation is beyond the scope of this course and the AP® Exam.” Watching out for statements like this can save you a lot of time, but make sure to read the accompanying rationale as well. The given rationale, in this case, is “Qualitative reasoning about the effects of concentration on cell potential is part of the course. However, inclusion of algorithmic calculations was not viewed as the best way to deepen understanding of the big ideas.” This rationale helps refine what is and is not included in the exclusion statement. While it is true that you don’t have to worry about knowing the Nernst equation or performing calculations with it, you do need to know the qualitative trend between concentration and cell potential. There’s no way to learn everything about chemistry in one class (or one lifetime!) so use the essential knowledge statements and their content notes to focus your studies and spend your time wisely.
Math on the AP® Chemistry Exam
Don’t let the ban on calculators in the multiple choice section fool you –there is quite a bit of math everywhere on the AP® Chemistry exam. You probably won’t have numerically complex questions, but you will need to perform calculations and use a great deal of math sense. Here are a couple of examples from the CollegeBoard to show you what I mean.
You’re not being asked for specific masses for the chemicals in the vessel after the reaction, but you still need to compare the exact molar masses for potassium (39.10 g/mol) and chlorine gas (70.90 g/mol) to get the correct answer. Trying to simplify math by approximating the molar mass of chlorine gas as twice as large as potassium, will lead to answer A. Only by considering the exact molar masses will you notice that all of the potassium metal will be consumed, and chlorine gas will be in excess at the end of the reaction. When we also consider the potassium chloride product, we can see that the answer is C.
In this case, there are no calculations needed per se, but it is necessary to identify numerical trends. The most general method for solving this problem is to determine which column of data makes a straight line when graphed as a function of time. You could sketch a graph for each column, but a faster way is to notice that only the natural log of the pressure is changing by the same amount every 100 seconds. Only a linear graph would have this property, so you can tell that the middle column of data will make a straight line without needing to graph. When the natural log of pressure v time is linear, that signifies that the reaction is first order reaction (B).
Make sure that you always ask yourself how mathematical reasoning can be applied to any topic. You can focus on learning objectives that include science practices 2 and 6 to develop the mathematical and data analysis skills required for the AP® Chemistry exam.
Gathering Your Resources for the AP® Chemistry Exam
Now that you know what you will be studying, the next step is collecting the tools and resources that will help you study best. In addition to your textbooks, there are also many web articles, tutorial videos, and practice questions available online. It can take some searching to find good information that fits the AP® Chemistry curriculum (remember to check the essential knowledge and exclusion statements), but you can likely find resources that fit your learning style. Here’s a starter list of resources.
CollegeBoard Materials for AP® Chemistry
AP® Chemistry Course and Exam Description – Complete curriculum guide with sample problems. Also includes:
• AP® Chemistry Equation and Formulas – This list will be provided for you with your exam. Don’t assume that being given equations means they don’t need to be studied. Make sure that you know what all the variables mean and what situations require these equations.
• Periodic Table – Some periodic tables include more information than others, so you want to be accustomed to what will and won’t be provided on the periodic table issued by the CollegeBoard.
Past Free Response Question – These are a great resource for becoming familiar with the written portions of the exam.
Videos
Bozeman Science – These videos are organized in the same way as the AP® Chemistry curriculum and covers major topics in each of the Big Ideas.
Khan Academy – These videos are not directly tied to the AP® Chemistry curriculum, but still cover many of the same topics.
Albert.io AP® Chemistry Posts
We also have a large catalog of AP® Chemistry posts that cover core content, study guides, book reviews, and more. You can browse all of the posts here, but here are a couple of popular examples
The Best AP® Chemistry Review Books of 2016
One Month AP® Chemistry Study Guide – This post provides a sample AP® Chemistry study guide that you can modify to fit into any time frame. This free guide is a great for refreshing key concepts that show up frequently on the exam
Testing Yourself Before the AP® Chemistry Exam
Because the CollegeBoard places a heavy emphasis on skills in AP® Chemistry, you will have to do a fair amount of practice questions and tests in addition to reading textbooks and notes or watching videos. Old free response questions can be found on the CollegeBoard’s website; multiple choice questions can be found in review books, Albert.io’s AP® Chemistry section and other online sources. The exam has gone through changes over time, so try to find recent examples if possible. Older exams are still useful, but make sure the content fits the current AP® Chemistry curriculum.
Conditions
The goals of your studies include both learning content and becoming accustomed to real exam conditions. The current multiple choice section gives you 90 minutes to answer 60 questions, so try to replicate that at some point during your studies. You may find it easier to relax these conditions during your first study sessions. If you have access to more than one practice exam, you can use the first for general studying, and save the rest for timed practice. You should always have at least a general idea of how long it takes to answer a given number of questions, but a time limit may not be helpful for the first practice test. You will eventually want to be able to answer multiple choice questions in a minute or less (on average), but it might be best to focus first on answering questions correctly and then focus on answering questions quickly and correctly.
Accuracy
Take note of which questions you answered correctly and incorrectly, as well as which questions were more difficult to answer. If any of your correct answers were guesses (which you should always do when you do not know the answer; the AP® Chemistry exam does not penalize incorrect answers.), those questions require further study as well. It is also helpful to note if the questions felt easy or difficult. If a question was difficult, it may require further study even if you answered it correctly. If you incorrectly answered a question that felt was easy, that may reflect insufficient test-taking skills or a fundamental misunderstanding of the topic at hand. Remember that the goal of studying is not just learning but also developing confidence in your knowledge.
Timing
It is also important to know how long it takes to answer questions. In addition to preparing you for a timed exam, timing yourself can give insight into your comprehension of chemistry. If you had to reread the question repeatedly or had to try several strategies before finding the correct one, you need to study the topic more.
Some questions just take more time, and extra studying won’t change that. Learn to recognize these questions by sight. Each multiple choice question is worth the same, so there is no downside to answering the easiest questions first and returning to the harder questions at the end. Just be sure to record your answers carefully if you are skipping questions.
Analyzing Your Results
Knowing what topics and question types give you trouble will help you revise and optimize your study plans. Categorizing your mistakes is a great way to identify the trends that can help focus your studies. For the AP® Chemistry exam, we recommend categorizing your questions using (at least) the following methods:
1. State why you answered specific questions incorrectly.
It’s not always fun to focus on your mistakes, but mistakes and failure often teach more than success. Try summarizing the main issue in one phrase or sentence. For example, “I couldn’t remember if 3d orbitals were filled before or after 4s orbitals,” “I had a hard time picturing all the ions in solution” and “I confused endothermic with exothermic” are all simple descriptions of why a question was answered incorrectly. If you notice that similar issues occur frequently, that will identify an area to revisit.
For example, if you frequently could not find the relationship between physical properties, go over your equation sheet and focus on which quantities are directly and inversely proportional and try using flash cards to remember trends that aren’t summarized in equations. If you “couldn’t remember how to convert from moles reacted to electrons transferred” or “divided by molar mass instead of multiplying” then you definitely want to practice a lot of stoichiometry problems. The statements generated by this method do not always yield large patterns, but it’s guaranteed to give you a few things to consider.
2. Categorize strengths and weaknesses by content areas.
As mentioned above, the learning objectives are specific pieces of chemistry curriculum which can be categorized as part of particular essential knowledge. These essential knowledge statements are grouped by “Enduring Understanding” statements, which in turn are grouped into the four “Big Ideas” of AP® Chemistry. For example, if you were studying how intermolecular forces control the properties of liquids and solids, that topic falls under Essential Knowledge 2.B.3 “Intermolecular forces play a key role in determining the properties of substances, including biological structure and interactions.” More broadly, this fits into Enduring understanding 2.B which focuses on forces between particles influence macroscopic properties. Finally, the CollegeBoard categorizes all of this as part of Big Idea #2 which covers how chemical and physical properties are explained by microscopic structure.
You should not make any attempt to memorize these classifications (you have enough to study), but this organization will make it easier to keep track of all of the topics that you need to study, and it will give you some ideas as to the types of connections the CollegeBoard wants you to make. Take note of which sections are giving you trouble and which ones you understand well.
3. Categorize strengths and weaknesses by science practices.
One thing to keep in mind as you study is that the AP® exam does not just focus on accumulated knowledge but also what you can do with this knowledge. These skills are summarized by the CollegeBoard as science practices, and can be found in the AP® Chemistry Course and Exam Description. There are seven science practices outlined by the CollegeBoard, and you want to be able to apply these practices within each domain (topic) in AP® Chemistry. Try to identify both the topics and the science practices in the questions you try, and keep track of strengths and weaknesses in science practices. As you study through topics, apply as many of the science practices to the topic at hand as possible, and pay special attention to your weakest one or two science practices. Science practices that require visualizing chemistry at the atomic scale or analyzing data are featured heavily on the AP® Chemistry exam,
4. Note format of questions and answers
Some AP® Chemistry questions have unusual prompts or answer choices. For example, there are multiple-choice questions that require numerical calculations, but the answer choices are not numerical values. Other questions require choosing a response that includes a specific answer and the correct rationale. The content of these questions will be covered in your course and studies, but the structure of the questions themselves may require deliberate study. If you have a hard time with a question but feel you understand the underlying material, think about alternative ways to phrase the question or answer choices that would be easier. Then compare your simplified version to the test question.
Adjusting Your Strategies for the AP® Chemistry Exam
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help you to refine your study habits. Many students only focus on their weak areas, but understanding both strengths and weaknesses is essential for optimal studying. Here are a few tips for using your strengths and weaknesses to your advantage.
1. Improve stronger areas as well as weaker areas.
The point-value of questions is not dependent on the difficulty of the topic. For efficient studying, your strongest topics have the advantage of being easier to learn and work with, whereas your weaker have more room for improvement. You will want to balance your studies among easy and difficult topics to maximize performance. After studying two or three weak sections, review a strong section. This ensures that you spend most of your time on bolstering weak areas while perfecting strong areas.
2. Relate strong content areas to weak ones.
All topics in chemistry are related in some way. If you find how difficult topics are similar to easy topics, you will master the material more efficiently. For example, if you can easily calculate how much heat is released when ethanol undergoes combustion, but you always mess up electrolysis problems, consider how similar these two ideas are. Both cases can be thought of as extensions to stoichiometry problems, especially if you imagine how heat and electrons can be represented in a balanced chemical equation or half reaction.
Making these kinds of connections are especially important in the AP® Chemistry exam. Many of the questions are grouped into sections that all refer to the same image, reaction, or data. Each question requires you to demonstrate mastery over a different learning objective applied to the same reference. Making these connections while you study will make these types of questions much easier to handle during the actual exam.
3. Use strong science practices to train weak content areas and vice versa.
Your strongest science practices likely correspond to strong thinking and learning skills. You can use these skills to learn difficult or unfamiliar material. For example, imagine that you excel at using visual representations and models (Science Practice 1), but you have difficulties grasping why atoms in the same row of the periodic table get smaller as we travel from left to right (even though the number of protons and electrons increases). You can draw a diagram of each element in a row of the periodic table and place the correct number of electrons into orbits like in the Bohr model. You will see that adding electrons doesn’t make the atom any bigger since they are occupying the same shell. In fact, the additional protons will create a stronger attractive force that pulls the electrons in closer.
Likewise, the science practices are most easily studied when applied to a particular content area. Attempting to strengthen weak practices while applying them to content that you are less confident with will be difficult to analyze. It will not be clear if a problem is related to the science practice or the content area. Start with your best content area so you can focus primarily on the science practice. When you feel more comfortable, try applying the practice to progressively weaker topics.
Wrapping Up
Using these ideas will greatly help in preparing for your AP® Chemistry exam. At this point, you might be wondering how you will find time to plan all this studying and actually study! Luckily, you don’t have to handle everything by yourself. Albert.io’s AP® Chemistry section already categorizes every question based on the curriculum set by the CollegeBoard, so all you have to do is pick your section and get to work. Take a look for yourself. Albert Chemistry questions meet and exceed the difficulty of the AP® Chemistry exam, so they are a great place to start your studies.
Start your AP® Chemistry Prep today
Looking for AP® Chemistry practice?
Kickstart your AP® Chemistry prep with Albert. Start your AP® exam prep today.
