AP® Chemistry Crash Course Book + Online

Adrian Dingle, Derrick C. Wood

• Publisher: Research & Education Association
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9780738685526
• Topic: Study Aids
• Subtopic: Advanced Placement

REA's Crash Course for the AP® Chemistry Exam - Gets You a Higher Advanced Placement® Score in Less Time

Crash Course is perfect for the time-crunched student, the last-minute studier, or anyone who wants a refresher on the subject.

Are you crunched for time? Have you started studying for your Advanced Placement® Chemistry exam yet? How will you memorize everything you need to know before the test? Do you wish there was a fast and easy way to study for the exam AND boost your score?

If this sounds like you, don't panic. REA's Crash Course for AP® Chemistry is just what you need. Our Crash Course gives you:

Targeted, Focused Review - Study Only What You Need to Know
Fully revised for the 2014 AP® Chemistry exam, this Crash Course is based on an in-depth analysis of the revised AP® Chemistry course description outline and sample AP® test questions. It covers only the information tested on the new exam, so you can make the most of your valuable study time. Our targeted review focuses on the Big Ideas that will be covered on the exam. Explanations of the AP® Chemistry Labs are also included.

Expert Test-taking Strategies
This Crash Course presents detailed, question-level strategies for answering both the multiple-choice and essay questions. By following this advice, you can boost your score in every section of the test.

Take REA's Online Practice Exam
After studying the material in the Crash Course, go to the online REA Study Center and test what you've learned. Our practice exam features timed testing, detailed explanations of answers, and automatic scoring analysis. The exam is balanced to include every topic and type of question found on the actual AP® exam, so you know you're studying the smart way.

Whether you're cramming for the test at the last minute, looking for extra review, or want to study on your own in preparation for the exams - this is the study guide every AP® Chemistry student must have.

When it's crucial crunch time and your Advanced Placement® exam is just around the corner, you need REA's Crash Course for AP® Chemistry!

PART I

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1

Keys for Success on the AP Chemistry Exam

The textbooks that are typically used in college-level general chemistry courses contain thousands of facts and concepts packed into (at least) several hundred pages. If the AP Chemistry exam tested all of that information, earning a good score on the exam would be a daunting one.

Studying for the AP Chemistry exam requires you to be a pragmatic learner who can delineate the important (tested) material from the material that is “interesting to know.” This book will help you to become more focused in your study, and help you to streamline your efforts. Your chances of scoring well on the exam will be enhanced by pinpointing what is absolutely necessary and ignoring the “fluff.” The keys to success include the following:

1. The Content and Format of the AP Chemistry Exam

The Advanced Placement Chemistry curriculum is based on the content of an introductory chemistry course taught at the college level. The topics taught in the class reflect major topics that are presented in a number of college-level textbooks. The curriculum of the course also includes some inquiry-based laboratory situations, application of what the College Board calls scientific practices and chemical calculations.

In order to succeed on the exam, students need to master the basic concepts of chemistry and apply these concepts to various situations in a traditional test format. The content of the exam is based on the following six “big ideas”:

1. The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangements of atoms. These atoms retain their identity in chemical reactions. (See Part II: Atoms and Elements.)

2. Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by the structure and the arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and the forces between them. (See Part III: Bonding.)

3. Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons. (See Part IV: Chemical Reactions.)

4. Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the molecular collisions. (See Part V: Rates of Reaction.)

5. The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter. (See Part VI: Chemical Thermodynamics.)

6. Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition, sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations. (See Part VII: Equilibrium.)

The AP Chemistry exam is 3 hours in length and consists of a 90-minute multiple-choice question section and a 90-minute free-response question section. There are 60 multiple-choice questions and 7 free-response questions.

Section I. 60 multiple-choice questions (90 minutes) – 50% of the grade

In this section of the exam, NO calculator is allowed, but access to the periodic table and an equations and constants sheet is allowed.

Section II. 7 free-response questions (3 “long” questions and 4 “short” questions, with multiple parts) (90 minutes) – 50% of the grade In this section of the exam, a calculator is allowed along with access to the periodic table and an equations and constants sheet.

2. The Multiple-Choice Questions

Multiple-choice questions test the knowledge, understanding, and application of the “big ideas” and science practices in the AP Chemistry course. For example:

When the chemical equation below is completed and balanced, what statement best describes the reaction?

(A) 1 mole of pentane is consumed and 6 moles of water are produced.

(B) 1 mole of pentane is produced and 6 moles of water are consumed.

(C) 1 mole of pentane is consumed and 1 mole of water is produced.

(D) 1 mole of pentane is produced and 1 mole of water is consumed.

The correct answer is (A). The equation represents a combustion reaction that will produce carbon dioxide and water. When balanced the equation is:

It is essential to know these basic ideas when confronted by this type of question. This book will give you the content that you need to know to successfully answer the questions.

In addition, calculation-based chemistry questions are also part of this section. However, since no calculator is allowed, some multiple-choice questions will ask you to select the correct mathematical setup, or require you to do some simple arithmetic or estimation. For example:

At 25°C, 300 milliliters of an ideal gas exerts a pressure of 740 mm Hg. What is the volume of the gas under conditions of 0°C and 760 mm Hg?

(A) 2.68 mL

(B) 26.8 mL

(C) 268 mL

(D) 2680 mL

The correct answer is (C). Using the combined gas law formula, remembering to convert temperatures to Kelvin and plugging in values, the following mathematical setup is determined:

Solving for V₂ gives

. Although you have no calculator, you should see that 300 mL is being multiplied by two numbers that are slightly less than

, and, as such, the answer must be slightly less than 300 mL; 268 mL is the correct answer choice. Estimation should allow you to find the correct answer without the need for a calculator (i.e., without the need to find the exact answer).

Multiple-Choice Question Formats

There are two types of multiple-choice questions that make up the majority of Section I of the AP Chemistry exam, with Type II making up a maximum of 50% of the exam.

Type I. Traditional multiple-choice questions with answer choices (A) through (D). There is only one correct answer. For example:

Atoms of element X have the electron configuration shown below.

The compound most ...