Do you know the differences between and endothermic and exothermic processes? Can you balance a redox reaction? The AP ® Chemistry exam tests topics and skills discussed in your Advanced Placement Chemistry course. If you score high enough, your AP Chemistry score could earn you college credit!
Check out our AP Chemistry Guide for the essential information you need for the exam:
The AP Chemistry exam takes 3 hours and 15 minutes to complete. The exam consists of two sections: a multiple-choice section and free-response section. Starting with the Spring 2023 exam, a scientific or graphing calculator is recommend for both sections of the exam per the AP Exam Calculator Policy .
Timing |
Number of Questions |
% of Exam Score |
|
Section 1 |
90 minutes |
60 multiple choice questions |
50% |
Section 2 |
105 minutes |
3 long-form free-response questions |
50% |
The topics of the AP Chemistry Exam are grouped into nine Units.
Check out our AP Chemistry Prep and ASAP Chemistry books for a comprehensive content review
The AP Chem multiple-choice sections contains discrete questions or question sets, in which students are provided with a stimulus or a set of data and a series of related questions.
Grading: This section is scored by a computer.
AP Chemistry free response questions assess your ability to:
Grading: You get most of your points on this section for showing the process that got you to the answer. The graders give partial credit when you show them that you know what you’re doing. The responses are scored by a committee of high school and college teachers and are graded according to a standard set at the beginning of the grading period by the chief faculty consultants.
Tables containing commonly used equations and constants in chemistry are provided with the AP Chemistry exam and can be used on both the multiple-choice and free-response questions. Test takers are also provided with a periodic table of the elements. Check out The College Board's AP Chem Course and Exam Description for more information.
Score |
Meaning |
Percentage of Test Takers |
5 |
Extremely qualified |
12.5% |
4 |
Well qualified |
17.0% |
3 |
Qualified |
24.5% |
2 |
Possibly qualified |
23.6% |
1 |
No recommendation |
22.5% |
Source: College Board
AP classes are great, but for many students they’re not enough! For a thorough review of AP Chemistry content and strategy, pick the AP prep option that works best for your goals and learning style.
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