AP Chemistry
What the AP Chemistry exam covers, how it's scored, the nine units it's built on, and how to practice your way to a 5.
AP Chemistry is a college-level introductory chemistry course and exam covering nine units, from atomic structure and bonding to kinetics, thermodynamics, equilibrium and acids and bases. The exam runs 3 hours and 15 minutes: a 60-question multiple-choice section and a 7-question free-response section, scored from 1 to 5. It's taken in May, and many colleges grant credit for a 3 or higher — confirm your target college's policy.
Two sections, nine units
The exam splits evenly between multiple choice and free response, and questions are drawn from the nine units of the course. A calculator, periodic table and formula sheet are provided throughout.
60 questions, 90 minutes.
Discrete questions and sets tied to data, models and lab scenarios — worth half your score. Reasoning about particles, energy and reactions matters as much as recall, and many items lean on graphs and tables.
7 questions, 105 minutes.
Three long-form and four short-form questions that reward multi-step calculation, clear chemical reasoning and experimental design — the other half of your score. A calculator and periodic table are allowed here.
One 1–5 score.
The two sections combine into a single 1–5. A 3 is "qualified"; a 4 or 5 is strong. Credit policies are set by each college — confirm yours.
Practice it, unit by unit.
Reading about chemistry isn't the same as working AP-style problems and learning from every miss. Start free and practice by unit.
What AP Chemistry covers
- Unit 1 — Atomic Structure and Properties
- Unit 2 — Compound Structure and Properties (Bonding)
- Unit 3 — Properties of Substances and Mixtures
- Unit 4 — Chemical Reactions
- Unit 5 — Kinetics
- Unit 6 — Thermodynamics
- Unit 7 — Equilibrium
- Unit 8 — Acids and Bases
- Unit 9 — Applications of Thermodynamics
How to study for AP Chemistry
- Practice one unit at a time, then mix units like the exam does.
- Drill the free-response — especially multi-step calculations and lab design.
- Master the math: moles, stoichiometry, equilibrium and thermodynamics.
- Review every miss until the concept, not just the answer, is clear.
- Sit timed sets to build pace across both sections.
AP Chemistry questions
What's on the AP Chemistry exam?
How is AP Chemistry scored?
What is a good AP Chemistry score?
How hard is AP Chemistry?
When is the AP Chemistry exam?
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