AP Chemistry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 American high school students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and earn college-level credit in chemistry.
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[edit] The Course
AP Chemistry is a course geared toward highly motivated students with interests in chemical and physical sciences. AP Chemistry builds on concepts covered in a regular or "honors" chemistry course, using greater detail in concept exploration and laboratory investigation. This course prepares students to take the AP Chemistry exam toward the end of the academic year. AP Chemistry topics include atomic theory, chemical bonding, phases of matter, solutions, types of reactions, equilibrium, reaction kinetics, and thermodynamics.
[edit] Topics Covered
The exam covers common chemistry topics, including:
- Reactions
- States of Matter
- Structure of Matter
- Molecular Geometry
- Atomic theory
- Chemical bonding
- Nuclear chemistry
[edit] The Exam
The annual AP Chemistry examination, administered near the beginning of May, is divided into two major sections (multiple-choice questions and free response essays). The two sections are comprised of 75 multiple choice questions and 8 free response essay prompts that require the authoring of chemical equations, solution of problems, and development of thoughtful essays in response to hypothetical scenarios.
Section I, the multiple-choice portion, does not allow the use of a calculator, nor does it provide any additional reference material, other than a periodic table. 90 minutes are allotted for the completion of Section I.
Section II, the free response section, is divided into two sections: Part A, requiring the completion of one specific question and a choice of response between two other prompts, and Part B, containing three required questions and another pair from which to choose. Part A, lasting 40 minutes, allows the use of calculators, while Part B, lasting 50 minutes, prohibits the use of such tools. The required response in Part A concerns equilibrium related to solubility, acids and bases, or pressure/concentration. The first question of Part B is a chemical equation question in which 8 scenarios are presented and the student is required to pick 5 scenarios, authoring an unbalanced net ionic chemical equation for each scenario (including specific charges, if applicable). If time permits, students may edit their responses from Part A during the time allotted for responding to Part B, though without the use of a calculator.
While the use of calculators is prohibited during Section I and Section II, Part B, a periodic table, a list of selected standard reduction potentials, and two pages of equations and conventions are available for use during the entirety of Section II.
For the 2007 test, however, the short answer portion will be slightly longer, but will also no longer allow a choice between problems (i.e. the test-taker is obligated to complete all questions).[citation needed]
[edit] Grade Distribution
In the 2006 administration, 87,465 students took the exam from 6,493 schools. The mean score was a 2.86.
The grade distribution for 2006 was:
| Score | Percent |
|---|---|
| 5 | 17.0% |
| 4 | 18.4% |
| 3 | 22.4% |
| 2 | 17.7% |
| 1 | 24.5% |
