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Matter and Measurement

Classifying matter and the quantitative lab skills every later unit relies on: SI units, significant figures, dimensional analysis, and density. Topics: Classifying Matter, Properties and Changes, Measurement, Units, and the Nature of Science, Quantitative Reasoning.

Atomic Structure

The atom as the unit of matter: the development of atomic theory, subatomic particles, isotopes and average atomic mass, and the formation of ions. Topics: Atomic Theory and Models, Subatomic Particles and Atomic Symbols, Isotopes and Atomic Mass, Ions.

Electron Configuration and Periodicity

Electron arrangement in atoms and the periodic trends it produces, the predictive engine of chemistry. Topics: Light, Energy, and the Quantum Model, Electron Configurations, Periodic Trends.

Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

How and why atoms combine: ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding; Lewis structures; molecular shape and polarity. Topics: Bond Types and Electronegativity, Lewis Structures, Molecular Geometry and Polarity, Advanced Bonding Theory.

Chemical Nomenclature and Formulas

Naming compounds and writing formulas, a high-frequency, separately-diagnosable skill family that gates all of stoichiometry. Topics: Ionic Compounds, Molecular Compounds and Acids, Oxidation Numbers.

The Mole and Stoichiometry

The mole concept and the mass-mole-particle calculations at the heart of quantitative chemistry: molar mass, percent composition, formulas, balancing, mass-mass stoichiometry, limiting reactant, and yield. Topics: The Mole and Molar Mass, Composition and Formulas, Balancing Equations, Reaction Stoichiometry.

Chemical Reactions and Solution Stoichiometry

Recognizing reaction types and reactions in aqueous solution: precipitation, acid-base, and redox classification; net ionic equations; molarity; and titration calculations. Topics: Classifying Reactions, Aqueous Reactions, Acid-Base and Redox Reactions, Solution Stoichiometry.

Gases

The behavior of gases: the gas laws, the ideal gas law, kinetic-molecular theory, partial pressures, gas stoichiometry, and deviations from ideal behavior at high pressure and low temperature. Topics: The Gas Laws, The Ideal Gas Law, Gas Mixtures and Stoichiometry, Kinetic-Molecular Theory.

Thermochemistry

Energy changes in chemical and physical processes: heat, enthalpy, calorimetry, Hess's law, and bond energy. Topics: Energy and Heat, Enthalpy and Calorimetry, Hess's Law and Formation Enthalpies.

Intermolecular Forces, Liquids, and Solids

How intermolecular forces determine the properties of condensed phases: phase changes, heating curves, phase diagrams, and types of solids. Topics: Intermolecular Forces, Phase Changes and Diagrams, Solids.

Solutions and Their Properties

The dissolution process, solubility, concentration measures, and colligative properties. Topics: The Dissolution Process, Concentration, Colligative Properties.

Reaction Kinetics

How fast reactions go and why: reaction rates, collision theory, rate laws and integrated rate laws, reaction mechanisms, and catalysis. Topics: Reaction Rates and Collision Theory, Rate Laws, Mechanisms and Catalysis.

Chemical Equilibrium

Dynamic equilibrium and its quantitative treatment: equilibrium constants, the reaction quotient, ICE-table calculations, and Le Châtelier's principle. Topics: Equilibrium and the Equilibrium Constant, Equilibrium Calculations, Le Châtelier's Principle.

Acids, Bases, and Aqueous Equilibria

Acid-base chemistry and its equilibrium applications: definitions, pH, strength, Ka/Kb, neutralization, titration curves, buffers, salt hydrolysis, and solubility equilibria (Ksp). Topics: Acid-Base Definitions and pH, Weak Acid-Base Equilibria, Neutralization, Titration, and Buffers, Solubility Equilibria.

Thermodynamics: Entropy and Free Energy

Why reactions are spontaneous: entropy, the second and third laws, and Gibbs free energy, including the link between ΔG, K, and cell potential. Topics: Entropy and Spontaneity, Gibbs Free Energy.

Electrochemistry

Redox chemistry and its electrical applications: balancing redox reactions, galvanic and electrolytic cells, cell potentials, and the Nernst equation. Topics: Redox Reactions, Electrochemical Cells, Cell Potential and Conditions.

Nuclear Chemistry

Changes in the atomic nucleus: radioactivity, nuclear equations, half-life, and the energy released in fission and fusion. Topics: Radioactivity and Nuclear Equations, Half-Life and Nuclear Energy.

Organic Chemistry

An introduction to carbon chemistry: hydrocarbons, functional groups, isomerism, the major organic reaction types, and polymers. Topics: Hydrocarbons, Functional Groups and Isomerism, Organic Reactions and Polymers.

Atomic Structure and Properties

AP Exam weighting: 7-9%. Topics: Moles and Molar Mass, Mass Spectra of Elements, Elemental Composition of Pure Substances, Composition of Mixtures, Atomic Structure and Electron Configuration, Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Periodic Trends, Valence Electrons and Ionic Compounds.

Compound Structure and Properties

AP Exam weighting: 7-9%. Topics: Types of Chemical Bonds, Intramolecular Force and Potential Energy, Structure of Ionic Solids, Structure of Metals and Alloys, Lewis Diagrams, Resonance and Formal Charge, VSEPR and Hybridization.

Properties of Substances and Mixtures

AP Exam weighting: 18-22%. Topics: Intermolecular and Interparticle Forces, Properties of Solids, Solids, Liquids, and Gases, Ideal Gas Law, Kinetic Molecular Theory, Deviation from Ideal Gas Law, Solutions and Mixtures, Representations of Solutions, Separation of Solutions and Mixtures, Solubility, Spectroscopy and the Electromagnetic Spectrum, Properties of Photons, Beer-Lambert Law.

Chemical Reactions

AP Exam weighting: 7-9%. Topics: Introduction for Reactions, Net Ionic Equations, Representations of Reactions, Physical and Chemical Changes, Stoichiometry, Introduction to Titration, Types of Chemical Reactions, Introduction to Acid-Base Reactions, Oxidation-Reduction (Redox) Reactions.

Kinetics

AP Exam weighting: 7-9%. Topics: Reaction Rates, Introduction to Rate Law, Concentration Changes Over Time, Elementary Reactions, Collision Model, Reaction Energy Profile, Introduction to Reaction Mechanisms, Reaction Mechanism and Rate Law, Pre-Equilibrium Approximation, Multistep Reaction Energy Profile, Catalysis.

Thermochemistry

AP Exam weighting: 7-9%. Topics: Endothermic and Exothermic Processes, Energy Diagrams, Heat Transfer and Thermal Equilibrium, Heat Capacity and Calorimetry, Energy of Phase Changes, Introduction to Enthalpy of Reaction, Bond Enthalpies, Enthalpy of Formation, Hess’s Law.

Equilibrium

AP Exam weighting: 7-9%. Topics: Introduction to Equilibrium, Direction of Reversible Reactions, Reaction Quotient and Equilibrium Constant, Calculating the Equilibrium Constant, Magnitude of the Equilibrium Constant, Properties of the Equilibrium Constant, Calculating Equilibrium Concentrations, Representations of Equilibrium, Introduction to Le Châtelier’s Principle, Reaction Quotient and Le Châtelier’s Principle, Introduction to Solubility Equilibria, Common-Ion Effect.

Acids and Bases

AP Exam weighting: 11-15%. Topics: Introduction to Acids and Bases, pH and pOH of Strong Acids and Bases, Weak Acid and Base Equilibria, Acid-Base Reactions and Buf fers, Acid-Base Titrations, Molecular Structure of Acids and Bases, pH and pKa, Properties of Buf fers, Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation, Buffer Capacity, pH and Solubility.

Thermodynamics and Electrochemistry

AP Exam weighting: 7-9%. Topics: Introduction to Entropy, Absolute Entropy and Entropy Change, Gibbs Free Energy and Thermodynamic Favorability, Thermodynamic and Kinetic Control, Free Energy and Equilibrium, Free Energy of Dissolution, Coupled Reactions, Galvanic (Voltaic) and Electrolytic Cells, Cell Potential and Free Energy, Cell Potential Under Nonstandard Conditions, Electrolysis and Faraday’s Law.

Structure, Bonding, and Representations

Drawing, bonding, charge, resonance, orbital, and functional-group language for organic molecules. Topics: Organic Representations, Bonding and Hybridization, Formal Charge and Resonance, Functional Groups.

Acids, Bases, and Electronic Effects

Reusable pKa, nucleophile/electrophile, induction, resonance, and noncovalent reasoning. Topics: Acid-Base Reasoning, Electronic Effects, Nucleophiles and Electrophiles, Intermolecular Forces.

Isomerism, Conformation, and Stereochemistry

Constitutional isomers, conformations, cyclohexanes, chirality, stereochemical labels, and stereoisomer relationships. Topics: Constitutional Isomerism and Nomenclature, Conformational Analysis, Configuration Labels, Stereoisomer Relationships.

Mechanisms, Energy, and Reaction Strategy

Curved-arrow electron flow, intermediates, energy profiles, rate laws, selectivity, and reaction-category reasoning. Topics: Curved-Arrow Mechanisms, Reaction Energy and Rates, Selectivity and Rearrangements, Reaction Strategy.

Alkanes, Cycloalkanes, and Radical Chemistry

Saturated hydrocarbons, strain, combustion, radical halogenation, and radical mechanisms. Topics: Alkanes and Cycloalkanes, Radical Reactions.

Alkenes and Alkynes

Pi-bond structure, addition selectivity, synthesis, reduction, oxidation, and cleavage. Topics: Alkene Addition Reactions, Alkyne Reactions, Pi-Bond Synthesis and Strategy.

Substitution and Elimination

Alkyl halide reactions, SN1/SN2/E1/E2 mechanisms, substrate/reagent/solvent effects, and competition. Topics: SN2 Reactions, SN1 Reactions, E1 and E2 Reactions, Substitution-Elimination Competition.

Spectroscopy and Structure Determination

Mass spectrometry, IR, NMR, UV-visible patterns, and combined structure-elucidation problems. Topics: Mass Spectrometry, Infrared Spectroscopy, NMR Spectroscopy, Combined Structure Determination.

Conjugation and Aromaticity

Conjugated systems, diene reactivity, aromatic criteria, antiaromaticity, and heteroaromatic electron counting. Topics: Conjugated Systems, Aromaticity.

Aromatic Reactions

Electrophilic and nucleophilic aromatic substitution, directing effects, benzylic chemistry, and aromatic synthesis. Topics: Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution, Aromatic Synthesis.

Alcohols, Phenols, Ethers, Epoxides, and Sulfur Compounds

Oxygen and sulfur functional groups, oxidation/reduction, substitution, protection, and epoxide chemistry. Topics: Alcohols and Phenols, Oxidation and Reduction, Ethers and Epoxides, Sulfur Compounds and Protecting Groups.

Aldehydes and Ketones: Carbonyl Addition

Carbonyl polarity, aldehyde and ketone nomenclature, nucleophilic addition, hydride, organometallic, and derivative-forming reactions. Topics: Carbonyl Structure and Reactivity, Aldehyde and Ketone Additions.

Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives: Acyl Substitution

Carboxylic acids, nitriles, acid derivatives, reactivity order, interconversion, reductions, and addition-elimination mechanisms. Topics: Carboxylic Acids and Nitriles, Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution.

Enols, Enolates, and Condensations

Alpha acidity, enolate formation, alpha substitution, aldol and Claisen chemistry, conjugate addition, and carbon-carbon bond synthesis. Topics: Enols and Enolates, Aldol Reactions, Claisen and Related Condensations, Conjugate Addition.

Amines and Heterocycles

Nitrogen functional groups, amine basicity, amine synthesis and reactions, diazonium chemistry, and heterocycle patterns. Topics: Amine Properties and Synthesis, Amine Reactions, Heterocycles.

Multistep Synthesis and Retrosynthesis

Multistep synthesis planning, reagent choice, functional-group interconversion, protecting groups, route comparison, and strategy. Topics: Multistep Synthesis and Retrosynthesis.

Bioorganic Molecules and Materials

Bioorganic molecules and materials: the structures and characteristic reactions of carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides and proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids; the orbital-symmetry treatment of pericyclic reactions (cycloadditions, electrocyclizations, and sigmatropic rearrangements) that builds on the conjugation and Diels-Alder work; and the formation, classification, and structure-property relationships of synthetic polymers. Topics: Biomolecules, Pericyclic Reactions, Polymers and Materials.