AP Chemistry Syllabus
Instructor: Jaishri Venkatsubramaniam
Classroom: 401
Email: jvenkat@somersetacademy.com
Phone: 954-442-0233 x 401
Useful website: apcentral.collegeboard.com
I. Course Description: This course is designed to be the equivalent of the general chemistry
course usually taken during the first college year. Students in this course will attain a
depth of understanding of fundamentals and a general competence in dealing with
chemical problems. This course will contribute to the development of the students’
abilities to think clearly and to express their ideas orally and in writing with clarity
and logic. (Paraphrased from the College Board’s course description handbook in
chemistry).
II. Text Book: used for the course is “Chemistry, the Central Science, by Brown, LeMay
and Bursten”. Student can take the Chemistry , by Raymond Chang book at home as
reference.
III. Materials: Composition notebook, scientific calculator, lab notebook (will be
purchased when class starts); lab goggles (highly recommended); 1 box of gloves; 1
roll of paper towels)
IV. Study Habits: The material in this course must be studied and learned daily as it is
presented because the units build upon one another. It is essential that students spend
time outside of class doing homework and reading textbook. The amount of time spent
outside of class depends on the student’s background. Practice problems will be
provided daily. Extra problems will be given as homework. If student does not
understand a concept, he or she should see me as soon as possible.
V. Tutorial Times: I am available at the following times: Thursdays from 3:00 – 5p,
Monday and Wednesday 2:30 p – 3:30p
VI. Grading policy: We will follow broward County grading policy. Therefore tests will
carry 55% of total grade. 20% will come from quizzes, 15% from lab reports and 10%
from HW and classwork.
VII. HW: Regular homework will be assigned through teacher website, textbook resources
or handouts.
VIII. Test: After every unit, a test will be given covering the contents of that unit. All
exams including Midterm, Mock Exam and Final will be graded using College
Board’s developed tool for AP exams.
IX. Quizzes: At the end of each and every class students will have a quiz based on the
material previously covered not excluding material covered in the same class.
Instructor will go over quiz material at the beginning of the next class.
X. Lab work: Student created laboratory reports will be turned in within 7 days following
the conclusion of each laboratory investigation. Late reports (with penalty) will be
accepted within next 2 calendar days after the due date.
XI. Make-up work: It is student’s responsibility to get the make-up work from the
instructor and notes from classmates every time he/she misses the class. Students will
be responsible to take any quiz or test scheduled on the day they return from an
absence if no new material was covered in regard to that quiz/test. Student who
actually miss quizzes and tests need to expect to make them up the day they return. If
there are extenuating circumstances, the student must individually approach the
instructor and make other arrangements.
XII. Tardy policy and classroom policies: We will follow all policies set in place by
Somerset Academy High School. Due to specific nature of the course “NO FOOD
ALLOWED in the classroom” policy is must.
XIII. Honors code: Cheating is the act of gaining an unfair advantage, or misrepresenting
one’s knowledge. It includes, but is not limited to:
o Wrongfully using or taking the ideas or work of another. For example:
§ Giving or receiving unauthorized aid from another person on
assignments, papers, quizzes, tests, or examinations.
§ Plagiarizing.
§ Getting advance information about quizzes, tests, or examinations.
o Using or consulting unauthorized materials or using unauthorized devices on
papers, quizzes, tests or examinations.
o Using any portion of a paper or project to fulfill the requirements of more
than one course, unless the student has received prior permission to do so.
o Intentionally misrepresenting the need for extra time on any assignments,
papers, quizzes, tests or examinations, in order to gain more information.
o Choosing to be absent on the due date of a paper, project, quiz or test.
o Lying about any of the above.
Violating the honor code will result in a “0” (zero) for the work in question at a
minimum. In addition, incidences of cheating can jeopardize admission to the National
Honor Society and one’s ability to get college recommendations.
Course outline and pacing guide
Unit 1: Basic Chemical Principles.
Book Sections and Topics:
1.1 Introduction to Chemistry
1.2,3 Classification and properties of matter
1.4-6 Measurements, Units and Dimension Analysis
2.1-3 History and Development of Atomic Structure
2.4 Atomic Masses
2.5-7 Introduction to the Periodic Table and Bonding
2.8 Inorganic Nomenclature
3.1-2 Chemical Equations and Chemical Reactions
3.3 Formula Mass and % Composition
3.4 Mole
3.5 Experimental Determination of Empirical Formulas
3.6-7 Stoichiometry and Limiting Reagents
Labs:
Experimental Determination of the Mole Ratio of a Chem. Reaction
Analysis of Commercial Bleach
Time: 2 Weeks Test – 9/20
Unit 2-Types of chemical equations:
4.1 Electrolytes and Process of Dissolving
4.2 Precipitation Reactions, Solubility Rules, Ionic Equations
4.3-4 Introduction to Acid Base and Redox Reactions
4.5-6 Solution Concentration, Stoichiometry, and Titrations
AP Equations
Electrochemistry
20.1 Oxidation and Reduction
20.2 Balancing Redox Equations
20.3 Voltaic Cells
20.4 EMF
20.5 Redox Spontaneity
20.6 Nernst Equation and Effect of Concentration on EMF
20.7 Electrolysis
Labs:
Voltaic Cells
Electrolytic Cells
Time – 4 weeks
Test- 10/19
Unit 3: Thermochemistry and Thermodynamics
5.1-3 Enthalpy
5.4 Enthalpies of Reaction
5.5 Calorimetry
5.6 Hess’s Law
5.7 Enthalpy of Formation
19.1 Spontaneity
19.2-4 Entropy
19.5-6 Gibbs Free Energy and Reaction Spontaneity
Labs:
Thermochemistry and Hess’s Law
Enthalpy of Formation of MgO
Time – 4 weeks Test- 11/15
Unit 4 Kinetics
14.1 Reaction Rates
14.2 Relative Rates based on Stoichiometry
14.3 Rate Laws and Effects of Concentration on Rate
14.4 Reaction Order, Concentration Plots, and Half Life
14.5 Temperature Effect on Rate, Collision Model, Activation Energy
14.6 Reaction Mechanisms
14.7 Catalysis
Labs:
Kinetics of a Reaction
Determination of Activation Energy for a Reaction
Time: 4 Weeks Test- 12/7
Unit 5: Equilibrium
15.1,2 Equilibrium and Equilibrium Constant
15.3 Heterogeneous Equilibrium
15.4,5 Calculations and Applications of Equilibrium
15.6 LeChatelier’s Principle
17.4,5 Solubility Equilibrium and Factors Affecting Solubility
17.6,7 Additional Aspects of Solubility
19.7 Free Energy and Equilibrium
Labs:
Determining Keq
Ksp of Calcium Hydroxide
Time: 3 Weeks Test- 1/9
Unit 6: Acid Base Equilibria
16.1,2 Acids, Bases, Strong, Weak and Conjugates
16.3 Autoionization of Water (Kw)
16.4 pH Scale
16.5 Strong Acids and Bases
16.6 Weak Acids and Ka
16.7 Weak Bases and Kb
16.8 Relationship of Ka to Kb
16.9 Acid Base Properties of Salt Solutions
16.10 Acid Base Properties as a Function of Structure
16.11 and Lewis Acids
17.1 Common Ion Effect
17.2 Buffers
17.3 Acid Base Titrations
Labs:
Determining Ka of and Acid
Determining Ka and Molar Mass Through Titrations
Time: 3 Weeks Test - Semester Exam
Unit 7 Atomic Structure and Periodicity
Sections 6.1 – 6.9, and 7.1 – 7.8
Labs:
Activity Series of Metals
Activity series of Halogens
Time- 2 weeks Test - 2/14
Unit 8: Chemical Bonding
Sections: 8.1 – 8.9, 9.1 – 9.6 (9.8 Magnetism)
Time: 2 Weeks Test - 3/1
Unit 9: Gases
Book Sections and Topics:
10.1-2Gases and Pressure
10.3 Gas Laws
10.4 Ideal Gas Law
10.5 Gas Densities and Stoichiometry with Gases
10.6 Partial Pressures and Mole Fractions
10.7 Kinetic Molecular Theory
10.8 Effusion and Diffusion
10.9 Real Gas Behavior
Labs:
Molecular Mass of a volatile Liquid
Vapor Pressure and Enthalpy of Vaporization of Water
Time: 1 Week Test - 3/15
MOCK AP EXAM – 3/20
Unit 10: Solids, Liquids and Solutions
Book Chapters 11 and 13
Sections 11.1 – 11.6, 11.8
Labs:
Molecular mass by Freezing Point Depression
Qualitative Analysis of Cations
Time: 2 Weeks Test - 4/8
Unit 11: Nuclear Chemistry
Unit 12: Organic and Biochemistry
2.9 Basic Organic Nomenclature
Book Chapter 25
Labs:
Synthesis of Esters
Time- 1 week
AP Exam- 5/6
After AP exam we will do any lab that is recommended by College Board but we did not
have time to do it before beginning of May.
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