Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test

Transcription

1 Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test Test Format Section 1: Multiple Choice Section 2: Free Response 90 minutes 55 minutes 40 minutes 75 questions Questions 1-3 Questions 1-6 No calculator Calculator Okay No Calculator Periodic Table Periodic Table + Formulas 50% of AP Score 50% of AP Score About the Multiple Choice The first questions are matching: answer choices may be used once, more than once, or not at all. The rest are the typical 5-answer choice multiple choice questions questions will involve some computation. However, the numbers will be simple to manipulate because you are not allowed to use a calculator. There is NO penalty for wrong answers. Therefore, you should answer every question. About the Free Response Questions 1-3 are calculation intensive, and you are allowed to use a calculator. o Question 1 is always equilibrium. o Question 2 and 3 can be any other topic, frequently gas laws, kinetics, or thermodynamics. Questions 4-6 are more conceptual, and you are not allowed to use a calculator. o Question 4 is always predicting reaction question. o Questions 5 and 6 can be any other topic, frequently quantum mechanics/bonding, solutions, and electrochemistry. One of the five questions will be lab-related. (It won t be question 4.) Show all your work to earn partial credit. The Exam Readers want to know how you re thinking about the problem. Be concise and precise about any explanations. The Exam Readers don t want a lot of fluff or vague/general answers. Write legibly and logically. The Exam Reader will love you. Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 1 of 8

2 Step 1: Review the Content Memorize everything that you should have memorized! Everything I Should Know for the AP Test But Don t Know Yet! Names of elements and ions Solubility Rules Gases that form Strong acids and bases Prepare a Cheat Sheet for Every Topic Don t try to re-learn everything in the chapter. Spend around 30 minutes / chapter. Aim for ½- to 1-paged Cheat Sheets. Include: o Key terms and formulas o Major ideas and concepts o Samples of major problem types Get a Test Preparation Book Look for a Test Preparation book with good (realistic) practice tests. Every test preparation book has different features. Figure out what you want: good review content, good test-preparation tips, laboratory summaries. Don t use a Test Prep book to learn the content. Book Book Information Mr. Ku s Ratings Cracking the AP Chemistry Exam The Princeton Review List Price: $18.99 ISBN: Problems very realistic to AP test. Kaplan AP Chemistry Kaplan List Price: $17.99 ISBN: X 2 Good organization. Diagnostic Test helps focus study. AP Chemistry CliffsNotes List Price: $29.99 ISBN: X 2 Bonus CD with book contents. Helpful Reactions and Laboratory review sections. Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 2 of 8

3 Book Book Information Mr. Ku s Ratings 5 Steps to a 5: AP Chemistry McGraw Hill List Price: $18.95 ISBN: Great Diagnostic Test. has Rapid Review and Common Errors to Avoid pointers. Many typos in. AP Chemistry for Dummies For Dummies by Wiley List Price: $16.99 ISBN: Few examples in. Missing some key content. Helpful Laboratory Review. AP Powerpack: AP Chemistry Sparknotes List Price: $14.95 ISBN: Includes Exams, SparkCharts, and Flashcards. N/A The Best Test Preparation for AP Chemistry Research & Education Associates (REA) List Price: $18.95 ISBN: Disorganized. and unrealistic. AP Chemistry Barron s List Price: $18.99 ISBN: Problems are not realistic to AP test. AP Achiever: AP Chemistry McGraw-Hill List Price: $34.38 ISBN: Based on Chang s Chemistry textbook. Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 3 of 8

4 Book Book Information Mr. Ku s Ratings Arco: Master AP Chemistry Peterson s ISBN: Practice Tests Includes helpful AP Tips in margins. Helpful guide for how colleges give credit. AP Test Prep Series: AP Chemistry Pearson/Prentice Hall ISBN: Based on LeMay/Brown s Chemistry: The Central Science textbook. Common Misconceptions highlighted. Fast Track to a 5 Preparing for the AP Chemistry Examination McDougal-Littell List Price: $36.25 ISBN: Based on Zumdahl s Chemistry textbook. AP Tips highlighted. Few Problems in. Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 4 of 8

5 Quantum/ Trends Bonding/Shapes Gases IMFs/ States of Matter Solutions Stoichiometry Kinetics Equilibrium - Gas Equilibrium - Acid/Base Equilibrium - Solubility Thermodynamics Electrochemistry Organic Chemistry Other Step 2: Practice AP Problems Gather as many AP Problems as possible. Two kinds of study: (1) Focus on one topic at a time; (2) Work on set of problems from different topics. Learn to see patterns in the questions. Focus on learning the content, not merely getting the problem correct. Make a list of content questions you have. Practice Timing: 15 minutes for questions 1-3, 10 minutes for questions l abc 7d 5l 3 6de 1 8 6abc l 3abc 6 3d ab 6c 3d 6d 2a 3ab B 6 2 5l 1, ad 2 6cd 8b 5l 6ab 3c,5l 8 2 3e 3abc 1 7 3de 8c 2003B 7 5l 2,3ab 1 3cd cd 8ab 8cde 7ab 5l B 2 3 1,8abc 5l 7 6 8d c 6 7ab 2,5l 3 1 8abc 8d 7d 2005B 8abc 6 8de 5l b 6abc 3a 6d 5l B 7 6 5l 1 3 2ab abcd 6fg 5l 6e B 2,6 1abf 5l 1cde abc 5def 6 2l 3def 1 3c 3ab 2008B 3,5l bc 6ab 2l 6c 3a 3de B 3 2l l B l 2 l indicates a lab-related question Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 5 of 8

6 Step 3: Study Problems Deeply Study in Groups Go through the Scoring Guidelines in Detail Don t just look for the correct answer. Look at how points are awarded. Notice what gets partial credit and what doesn t. Analyze Your Performance for Each Problem Understand What does it say? Plan What do I do? Solve How do I do it? Review What did I learn? What topic(s) are asked in this question? How do you know? Where can you find this topic in the textbook? What are the key terms in the question? What do they mean? What do all the values / equations in the question represent? How can they be used? Can you visualize what s going on in the question? What are you asked to find? What information do you need to find it? What key concepts do you need to use to answer the question? What formulas do you need to answer the question? Are there other ways to solve this question? Did you feel confident attacking this question? Did you get stuck anywhere? Why? What mistakes did you make? Are there tricks or traps in the question? Did you confuse any ideas? Did you use the wrong formula? What topics and ideas do you need to review/memorize? What kind of problems do you need more practice with? What questions about this topic do you need to ask for help? The Goal: Mastery of a Problem so you can Solve New Problems Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 6 of 8

7 Practice Problem: 2005 #1 HC3H5O2 (aq) C3H5O2 (aq) + H + (aq) Ka = Propanoic acid, HC3H5O2, ionizes in water according to the equation above. a. Write the equilibrium-constant expression for the reaction. b. Calculate the ph of a M solution of propanoic acid. The methanoate ion, HCO2 (aq) reacts with water to form methanoic acid and hydroxide ion, as shown in the following equation. HCO2 (aq) + H2O (l) HCO2H (aq) + OH (aq) d. Given that [OH ] is M in a M solution of sodium methanoate, calculate each of the following. i. The value of Kb for the methanoate ion, HCO2 (aq) ii. The value of Ka for methanoic acid, HCO2H e. Which acid is stronger, propanoic acid or methanoic acid? Justify your answer. Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 7 of 8

8 Acid/Bases Cheat Sheet Key Terms and Formulas Sample Problems Major Ideas and Concepts Problem Take-Aways Understand: What does it say? Plan: What do I do? Solve: How do I do it? Review: What did I learn? Preparing for the AP Chemistry Test (Ku, 3/24/2011) Page 8 of 8