Highland High School
AP Chemistry Summer Assignment
2013-2014
Welcome! You are enrolled in AP Chemistry and are in for a fun and challenging year.
There will be new curriculum with lots of inquiry labs, interactive notes, thought provoking
demonstrations, and fun! Although many people are familiar with the Advanced Placement
program at your school, others have not been involved before and could use some background
information.
About the Advanced Placement Program:
Advanced Placement is a nation-wide program that has been in existence for over 50
years. One of the major functions of an Advanced Placement course is to prepare students for
the Advanced Placement Exam, which is given in May of each year in various subject areas.
Although the course of study is well-prescribed, the exam itself is prepared by a testing service
in New Jersey and kept secret from students and teachers until it is actually given. Exams are
graded on a scale of 1 to 5: 5 being the highest, and 1 the lowest. Those who score a "3" or
above are considered to have "passed" the exam, and should receive credit (credits amount
vary) from most colleges in the United States.
About the AP Chemistry Course:
Since this is a college level course taught in high school, it is very demanding, both in
time and effort required. Much of the work involves solving math-type problems, and students
should be enrolled in Pre-Calculus (or higher) at the same time they are taking AP Chemistry
(or have earned a strong A in Math Topics 4). Homework is assigned each day during the year,
with the last 2-3 weeks before the AP Exam being used for review. The amount of work outside
of class depends upon the student and his/her background; however, students should be
prepared to spend anywhere from 30-60 minutes each night after school just on their AP
Chemistry homework. Those students who are heavily involved in after school activities
and/or jobs will have to learn to budget their time very carefully (which is a valuable life-long
skill).
Why Take AP Chemistry (and stick with it!)?
There are several reasons why a student might want to take AP Chemistry including
(but not limited to) the following:
1. AP Chemistry will challenge you to the limits of your academic ability. In the past
you may have found classes "too easy" and, therefore, not stimulating you to do your best.
This will not be the case in AP Chemistry.
2. AP Chemistry gives you the opportunity to earn college credit while still enrolled in
high school. This will save time and money. Students who completed AP Chemistry in high
school and were required to take general chemistry in college (for whatever reason) found the
college course an easy review and achieved top grades while others around them were
frustrated and struggled in a class which was too large and/or the instructor was unavailable
for help!
3. AP Chemistry looks great on your transcript. More and more colleges and
universities are looking for ways a student has distinguished himself/herself in high school.
Being a "straight A" student no longer carries the weight it once did, and many 4.0 students
are denied entry at the college of their choice. Taking AP Chemistry is a way of distinguishing
yourself in high school.
4. As difficult as AP Chemistry is, you will find that it will never be as easy to learn
college freshman-level chemistry as it is now! Here are several reasons:
a. High school classes are smaller than college classes. It is not unusual for freshman
college classes to have 200+ students. In this situation, it becomes nearly impossible to ask a
question during class, or get any individual attention after class. In AP Chemistry, we always
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take time for questions and answers, and I am almost always available during lunch or after
school for help.
b. Most college professors don't regard teaching a freshman level course a priority. It
gets in the way of their research and they treat you and the course as a nuisance. At Highland
High School, teaching is our #1 priority!
c. At times, freshman-level chemistry is a "weed-out" class where grades and difficulty
level are adjusted so that only a small number of students are successful and allowed to move
on to higher level courses. At Highland High School, we don't have those kinds of pressures
and all students are encouraged to become successful.
Why (oh, why) a Summer Assignment?
AP Chemistry is a fast-paced course in which time is of the essence! Remember, you
will be taking a college level course, NOT an advanced high school class. AP Chemistry is also
considered a second year course, therefore you are expected to know, understand, and apply
certain concepts right from the start. The attached assignment is designed for you to review
and study the very basic foundational concepts of chemistry on your own. This will save
several weeks at the beginning of the year which will allow us to "hit the ground running" and
develop higher level thinking skills sooner rather than later. Saving a few weeks time at the
beginning will provide us with more time for more difficult and advanced topics such as
kinetics and equilibrium. I guarantee you will be appreciative of the extra time on those areas!
Please know that each problem is carefully chosen so as not to waste your time with
"busy work". The assignments are broken down into days and chapters to provide you with a
structure that is easy to follow and won't seem like you need to complete the whole assignment
in one day. Take your time. Pace yourself. Complete each assignment for the sake of
reviewing and re-learning the material, NOT to get it done. In no time you will have
reviewed/relearned what you needed to.
How Can I Get Help?
On July 1st, the answer key to the Summer Assignment will be posted so you may check your
work. Go to hhschemistry.weebly.com and click on AP Chemistry. In the drop down menu
there is a page for the Summer Assignment. On this page there is a link where you can access
the summer assignment (in case you or a friend lost it), the reference tables, and the answer
key. If at any time you find you need help, please email me at by using the contact request
form on the home page of the website, or at karen.konfederak@gilbertschools.net.
Want to stay in touch during the summer? Sign up with Remind101 to receive the latest news,
reminders, or new items posted to hhschemistry.weebly.com. Send a text to (765) 780-0870
and type @kfed in the subject line.
So…..
Now that I have scared you (hopefully not!), I will say that there is fun to be had in this
course, as well as the satisfaction of challenging yourself to the limits of your academic ability.
I hope you have a great summer - don't forget your summer assignment - and I'll see you on
August 7th! Here is my summer contact information should you need help or have questions:
Email: karen.konfederak@gilbertschools.net.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Karen Konfederak
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AP Chemistry Summer Assignment
Please note: This assignment is a requirement and NOT extra credit. It will be
counted as a completion grade.
Textbook: Chemistry: The Central Science. Revised 8th edition. Brown,
Lemay, and Bursten
To obtain a textbook, please visit the HHS bookstore Monday through
Thursday during the summer. Do not wait until the last minute
obtain your textbook and complete your assignment!!!!
Preface
DAY 1 Introduction to the textbook
Read "To the Student" (pp. xxv - xxvi)
Read "A Student's Guide to Using this Text (pp. xxviii - xxxii)
Email me at Karen.konfederak@gilbertschools.net if you have any questions.
Chapter 1 "Introduction: Matter and Measurement
DAY 1 The Study of Chemistry, Classification of Matter, Properties of
Matter
Read Sections 1.1 - 1.3 (pp. 1-12)
Book Problems: 11, 13, 16 (pg. 29)
DAY 2 Units of Measurement, Uncertainty in Measurement
Read Sections 1.4 - 1.5 (pp. 12-24)
Book Problems: 17, 18, 22, 29, 32, 34, 35, 37, 38 (pp. 29-30)
DAY 3 Dimensional Analysis
Read Sections 1.6 (pp. 24-28)
Book Problems: 43*, 45* (pg. 31)
Extra problem*: Apothercaries (druggists) use the following set of measures in the English
system:
20 grains ap = 1 scruple (exact)
3 scruples = 1 dram ap (exact)
8 dram ap = 1 oz ap (exact)
1 dram ap = 3.888 g
a. An aspirin tablet contains 5.00 x 102 mg of active ingredient. How many grains ap of
active ingredient does it contain? How many scruples?
b. What is the mass (in grams) of 1 scruple?
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Chapter 2 Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
DAY 1 The Atomic Theory of Matter, The Discovery of Atomic Structure,
The Modern View of Atomic Structure
Read Sections 2.1 - 2.3 (pp. 35-44)
Book Problems: 6, 11*, 13, 15, 17 (pp. 61-62)
DAY 2 The Periodic Table, Molecules and Molecular Compounds, Ions and
Ionic Compounds
Read Sections 2.4 - 2.6 (pp. 44-54)
Book Problems: 23, 25, 28, 35, 36, 38 (pp. 62-63)
DAY 3 Naming Inorganic Compounds
Read Sections 2.7 (pp. 54-60)
Book Problems: 41, 44, 45, 47, 50, 68 (pp. 63-65)
Chapter 3 Stoichiometry: Calculations with Chemical Formulas and Equations
DAY 1 Chemical Equations, patterns of Chemical Reactivity, Atomic and
Molecular Weights
Read Sections 3.1 - 3.3 (pp. 67-77)
Book Problems: 6, 13, 19 (pp. 95-96)
DAY 2 The Mole, Empirical Formulas from Analyses
Read Sections 3.4 - 3.5 (pp. 77-86)
Book Problems: 33*, 36*, 43, 52* (pp. 97-98)
DAY 3 Quantitative Information from Balanced Equations, Limiting Reactants
Read Sections 3.6 - 3.7 (pp. 86-94)
Book Problems: 63*, 73* (pp. 99-100)
*Show all work for any possible credit on these mathematical problems.
Memorize the charges for Groups 1A-8A on the periodic table provided as well as the
charges of Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Sn, Ag, Cd, Au, Hg. Also know: group names for
groups 1A, 2A, 7A, 8A, where the transition metals and metalloids are located, the formulas
and charges for the polyatomic ions listed on the lower left of the attached periodic table as
well as the ones on the back of it.
Know the prefixes listed on Table 2.6 (pg. 60).
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Familiarize yourself with the acid-naming scheme in Figure 2.23 (pg. 59) and the
Soluble/Insoluble Ions on the periodic table of ions. We will discuss these in detail when
school starts.
What to Know for the Third Day of School Test 
Significant figures, chemical/physical properties, atomic structure, ionic/molecular
compounds, naming compounds, formulas compounds, balancing chemical equations,
reaction types, dimensional analysis/stoichiometry, empirical/molecular formulas, limiting
reactants. Extra credit: less common/more complex formulas/names of substances.
Helpful hints:
 Each section has several Sample Exercises that are worked out with explanations. Each
Sample Exercise has a corresponding Practice Exercise that you can try. The answer is
provided. Work out the Practice Exercise to check your understanding of the concept
before trying the book problems. (The PE's are not required, however).
 Answers to all odd numbered book problems (and those even numbered problems in red)
are listed in the back of the book.
 For feedback on even-numbered problems with no answers, first do the odd-numbered
problem immediately preceding it. Then check your answer in the back of the book. If you
can do the odd-numbered problem, you can complete the assigned corresponding evennumbered problem.
 Temperature conversion: you can use the formulas in Chapter 2, or this handy-dandy
method. (Neither will be provided for the AP Chemistry Exam.)
"The 40 Method"
1. Add 40 to given T (either oC or oF)
2. If oC  oF, multiply by 1.8
If oF  oC, divide by 1.8
3. Subtract 40 from answer.
Try this with 32oF and convert to 0oC (or try 100 oC to oF ) to prove to
yourself that this works. It's easier than using the formulas!
 Make flashcards of the cations, anions, and polyatomic ions to help you memorize them.
Look for patterns with the charges listed on the periodic table as well as with the names of
the polyatomic ions.
Contact me if you need help/clarification at
karen.konfederak@gilbertschools.net . I'd be happy to call you
back if you leave me your phone number in the email.
 Check out hhschemistry.weebly.com for additional help! 
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