AP Chemistry Course Description 2014-2015
AP Chemistry is a college-level course that is equivalent to 6-8 hours of college credit. This credit can be
claimed by taking the AP Chemistry exam on Monday May 4th, 2015 at 8 a.m.(Environmental Science is
given at the same time; Psychology is given that afternoon). Different colleges and universities have
different standards for awarding Chemistry credit to students; it is in the student’s best interest to check
criteria for individual institutions if they plan to claim credit. The cost of the AP exam was $89 last year.
University of Texas
A&M
Sam Houston State
Minimum Score
Required*
4
3
4
4
Courses Covered (number of hours)*
CH 301, CH 302, CH 204 (8 hours)
CHEM 101 (4 hours)
CHEM 101, CHEM 102 (8 hours)
CHM 138/118, CHM 139/119 (8 hours)
Approximate
Cost, 2013**
$4000
$2900
$5800
$1200
*This information was obtained from the Collegeboard website; some universities may also require the submission of a lab notebook
**This information was obtained from each university’s website and may have changed, or may vary from major to major
Lastly, you can find scores for other institutions at https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/search-credit-policies
AP Chemistry enables students to undertake second-year chemistry courses as a college freshman or to
register in courses in other fields where general chemistry is a prerequisite. This course is structured around
the six big ideas articulated in the AP Chemistry curriculum framework provided by College Board. A
special emphasis will be placed on the seven science practices, which capture important aspects of the
work that scientists engage in, with learning objectives that combine content with inquiry and reasoning
skills.
Six Big Ideas
I.
Structure of matter
II.
Properties of matter—characteristics, states, and forces of attraction
III.
Chemical reactions
IV.
Rates of chemical reactions
V.
Thermodynamics
VI.
Equilibrium
Seven Science Practices
1) The student can use representations and models to communicate scientific phenomena and solve
scientific problems.
2) The student can use mathematics properly.
3) The student can engage in scientific questions to extend thinking or to guide investigations within the
context of the AP course.
4) The student can plan and implement data collection strategies in relation to a particular scientific
question.
5) The student can perform data analysis and evaluation of evidence.
6) The student can work with scientific evaluations and theories.
7) The student is able to connect and relate knowledge across various scales, concepts, and
representations in and across domains.
Textbook and Lab Books
 Zumdahl, Steven and Susan Zumdahl. Chemistry, Eighth Edition.
 The College Board. AP Chemistry Guided Inquiry Experiments: Applying the Science Practices.
Required Materials
 Three-ring binder and paper/spiral for lecture notes
 Two composition books or notebooks (one for homework, one for labs)
 Pencil and pen (all formal lab work must be done in pen)
 Graphing calculator
Grading
80% Tests, Projects, FRQ’s, Formal Lab Reports
10% Homework
10% Quizzes, Informal Labs
Late Work
Daily work, homework, projects, informal labs, and formal labs will not be accepted late. Tests (including
FRQ’s) must be taken on the day that they are scheduled, regardless of prior absence.
Retests/Corrections
 Exams (excluding final exams)
o If an AP Chemistry student passes an exam but would like to raise his or her grade for that
exam, he or she can do corrections for up to half of the missed credit back.
 Corrections = correct answer and the reasoning for it, written in complete sentences
with all work shown, on another sheet of paper. Must demonstrate understanding in
order to qualify for points back. Must be correct.
 One exam can be corrected in a six weeks.
o One exam can be retaken in a six weeks. Exam retakes are available to any student. The
highest grade will be taken.
 All retests and corrections must be done before or after school. They cannot be taken home.
Students have up to four days after receiving their score back to retake/correct.
The AP Chemistry Exam
 Section 1: 60 multiple choice questions (4 answer choices each) in 90 minutes
 Section 2: 7 FRQs (3 long, 4 short) in 90 minutes
 A scientific or graphing calculator is permitted on the free-response section. Students have a
periodic table of the elements and a formula and constants chart to use on the entire exam.
Instructor Contact Information
Jessica Mirrielees
Conference Time: 3rd Period Conference, 5th Period Chemistry Team Planning Period
JMirrielees@misd.org
Remind101 832-564-3245 @msmirriAPC
Web Page: http://classroom.misd.org/default.aspx?Jessica%20Mirrielees/Home
Improving Performance on the AP Chemistry Examination (from Collegeboard)
Be Specific, Answer the Question
Students need to make sure they answer the question asked. The whole question should be read before
and then again after answering. Students should then make sure they relate their answer to the specific
question asked and include chemical species in the answer.
If a question asks for a justification, one should be provided. For example, question 8, part (e) from the 2004
examination provided students with samples of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide gas at defined
conditions and asked them to relate the (i) average kinetic energies, (ii) root mean square speed, and (iii)
number of molecules of the samples and to justify their answers. Each part of the question had a point value
of one. Therefore, a student who had the correct relationship but did not justify the answer did not receive
the point for that part.
Answers need to be specific and refer to the chemical species in the question. Question 6(a) of the 2003
exam asked: For each of the following use appropriate chemical principles to explain the observation.
Include equations as appropriate.
a. In areas affected by acid rain, statues and structures made of limestone (calcium carbonate) often show
signs of considerable deterioration.
A common answer was that an acid-base neutralization reaction occurred. No further explanation or
chemical equation was given. This general answer does not address the question, does not include
references to the specific chemical species (the limestone and acid rain), and does not include a chemical
equation in the answer as requested. A more detailed explanation is required to receive the full two points.
One point was given for indicating acid rain has a relatively high [H+], and the second point was given for
indicating that calcium carbonate solid reacts with the acid rain to form gaseous carbon dioxide.
Another example is question 7(a) of the 2004 examination. It provides the observation that at 25°C and 1
atm, F2 is a gas, whereas I2 is a solid. The student is asked to account for this observation using appropriate
chemical principles and to include specific information about both substances. An answer that attributed the
difference in the phases as being due to the difference in boiling points received no points since the
question asked was not answered. Chemical principles were not used in this answer. The students needed
to address the difference in intermolecular forces that account for the difference in boiling points. Also, the
students needed to mention both the fluorine and the iodine in the answer to receive both points.
Justification vs. Definitions and Trends
Many questions in the free-response section of the examination require a justification of the student's
answer or an observation. According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, justify is defined as "to prove
or show to be just, right, or reasonable," while a definition is "a statement or meaning of a word or word
group." While a definition could be part of a justification answer, providing a generic definition alone is not
sufficient. The justification should include reference to the species in the question.
For example, question 7 in the 2002 free-response section provided a proposed mechanism for the
depletion of ozone in the stratosphere. Part (b) asked the student to clearly identify the catalyst in the
mechanism and to justify the answer. Many students were able to identify the catalyst, but few were able to
provide a correct justification. A correct justification would be "Cl is a reactant in Step I and reappears as a
product in Step II." A common answer was the definition of a catalyst as something that speeds up a
reaction or something that is added to the reaction that doesn't affect the end products. Neither of these are
correct justifications for the example in the question. Part (c) of the question asked the student to clearly
identify the intermediate in the mechanism and to justify the answer. As in part (b), students were able to
identify the intermediate but were unable to justify it. The correct justification would be "ClO appears as a
product in Step I and is consumed as a reactant in Step II." A common answer was that the intermediate is
in the middle step. Student answers to both of these questions usually lacked specificity in relating the
justification to the species and mechanism given in the question. They did not explain correct reasoning as
to why the Cl is the catalyst and ClO is the intermediate.
Often students use a periodic trend to justify an answer requesting the student to use chemical principles. A
trend is defined in Webster's as "a line of general direction or movement." It is an observation, not a
justification. An example is found on question 6 from the 2002 examination. This question provided four
statements and asked the student to use principles of atomic structure and bonding to explain each one,
making sure to include references to both substances. The first statement is that the atomic radius of lithium
is larger than that of beryllium. An answer containing only the trend that the atomic radius decreases as you
go across the periodic table received no credit. A correct explanation addressed the larger number of
protons in beryllium than lithium and stated that while the electrons of both beryllium and lithium are in the
same shell, the electrons in beryllium have has a stronger attraction to the nucleus since it has more
protons.
Vocabulary
Students need to know and to use chemical vocabulary. Students often use chemical terms inappropriately.
They also will use words like "happy" to describe atoms. Atoms are inanimate objects that can't have
feelings. Students who write about "happy" atoms receive no credit without further explanation as to what
they mean by "happy" chemically.
Students also need to distinguish common words that they use. For example, the difference between bigger
and smaller versus heavier and lighter in reference to mass comparisons can cause problems. Students
confused these terms on the carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide question (number 8) of the 2004
examination. They also need to understand the difference between intermolecular and intramolecular.
Students confused these terms on question 8(b) of the 2003 examination, which asked students to explain
the differences for the heats of vaporizations for organic molecules containing three carbon atoms.
Additionally, students should not use shorthand notations unless they are universal. Some students use
notations from class that have no meaning to the Reader. Therefore, they receive no credit.
Write in Sentences
A one-word justification is not sufficient. Students should write in complete thoughts and therefore
sentences. The Reader is not a mind reader, and fragmented answers may not always be interpreted by the
Reader as the student intended. To prevent this from occurring, students should write their thoughts in
complete sentences, including a subject and verb. The subject should be stated, preferably without the use
of pronouns. Students should refrain from using the word it. They often use the word it without providing the
Reader with a clear reference. Therefore, they receive no points.
Review Answers
Proofreading and editing should be encouraged. Students should make sure they have answered the
question asked. They should check to make sure their thoughts are clear and complete.