The Most Common Topics on the AP Chemistry Exam

The Most Common Topics on the AP Chemistry Exam

When gearing up for the AP Chemistry exam, it's essential to focus on the key areas that often take center stage. While the exam is comprehensive, certain topics have historically been emphasized more than others.

Here's a breakdown of the most common subjects:

  • Thermodynamics: Understand the principles of energy transfer, enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy.
  • Chemical Kinetics: Grasp the rates of chemical reactions, factors influencing reaction speeds, and potential energy diagrams.
  • Equilibrium: Dive deep into the concept of dynamic equilibrium, Le Chatelier’s principle, and equilibrium constant expressions.
  • Acid-Base Reactions: Familiarize yourself with pH, pOH calculations, acid-base titrations, and buffer systems.
  • Atomic Structure and Periodicity: Get a solid handle on electron configurations, atomic theories, and periodic trends.
  • Chemical Bonding: Delve into the intricacies of ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding, as well as molecular shapes and polarity.
  • Stoichiometry: Master the art of mole-mole, mole-mass, and mass-mass calculations, and understand limiting reactants and percent yield.
  • Solutions and Solubility: Understand the properties of solutions, concentration calculations, and factors affecting solubility.

Each year might bring slight variations, but a solid grasp of these core topics will significantly bolster your chances of achieving a top score on the exam.

For more information about AP Chemistry be sure to download The Ultimate Guide to AP Chemistry by Pivot Tutors

Back to blog