Contemplanda
Contemplanda course syllabus
AP® Chemistry
A Contemplanda online course.
This course follows the College Board's published AP Chemistry framework.
AP® Chemistry gives students a college-level foundation for further coursework in chemistry. The College Board's framework covers atomic structure and properties, compound structure and properties, the properties of substances and mixtures, chemical reactions, kinetics, thermochemistry, equilibrium, acids and bases, and thermodynamics and electrochemistry. Its main goal is a conceptual understanding of chemical principles that students can apply to future coursework and phenomena, and it has students view chemical phenomena at the macroscopic, microscopic, sub-microscopic, and symbolic levels.
The College Board describes AP Chemistry as the equivalent of a college-level general chemistry course. Its framework asks students to describe, interpret, and analyze models; design experiments and analyze data; represent data and chemical systems; use mathematical routines to solve problems; and justify scientific claims with evidence and reasoning.
The College Board's AP Chemistry framework has nine units, arranged in a sequence frequently found in college courses and textbooks, and the AP Exam assesses all nine. The framework sets out what colleges and universities expect students to know and be able to do to qualify for college credit or placement.
Course at a glance
- Course title
- AP Chemistry
- Publisher
- Contemplanda
- Framework
- Follows the College Board's published AP Chemistry framework
- Structure
- 11 units over two semesters: 9 content units (1, 2, 3, and 4 in semester 1; 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 in semester 2) and 2 practice AP exams
- Lessons
- 108 lessons
- Credit
- Not awarded by Contemplanda
- Enrollment
- Through the student's school
- Course page
- www.contemplanda.com/courses/ap-chemistry
Credit and enrollment
Contemplanda does not award high school credit. A student who wants credit for the course should ask their own school whether it will accept it.
Under College Board rules, a course may carry the AP designation on a student's transcript only if it is authorized through the College Board's AP Course Audit.
Schools order course seats for their students by writing to info@contemplanda.com, and a student enrolls through their school.
Students enrolled through Contemplanda Direct sign in at direct.contemplanda.com. A student whose school delivers the course signs in on the school's own portal instead.
How the course works
- Practice comes one question at a time and continues until the student answers four in a row correctly. After a wrong answer, the practice keeps drawing questions.
- Many questions have hints that open one step at a time. When a question has one, the next hint is offered after a wrong answer. An answer given after opening a hint counts in full toward the practice streak and the mastery levels, but the top level, mastered, also requires at least one graded question answered correctly without opening a hint.
- Answers take many forms: items sorted into categories; items matched in pairs; steps put in order and items ranked by a property; electron configurations written and orbital diagrams filled in; molecules drawn in a structure editor; energy diagrams of reactions built from given energy changes; chemical equations balanced with whole-number coefficients; points and intervals marked on a graph; ICE tables completed for equilibrium problems; checks on written free-response answers, made from given choices; and multiple-choice and numeric answers.
- Most figures in the lessons are live graphs that the student can pan and zoom.
- Every figure has a written text description.
Recommended preparation
The College Board expects students to have successfully completed an introductory high school chemistry course and Algebra II, or an equivalent course, before AP Chemistry.
Units and lessons
Every published lesson, by semester and unit.
Topic numbers are the College Board's: topic 6.3 is unit 6, topic 3.
Semester 1
College Board unit 1: Atomic Structure and Properties
Assessed on the AP Exam
The mole concept and dimensional analysis as the link between the mass of a substance and the number of particles in it; mass spectra and the masses of an element's isotopes; how the elemental composition of a sample by mass relates to the empirical formula of a pure substance and to the composition of a mixture; ground-state electron configurations and photoelectron spectra; and how periodic trends in the properties and reactivity of the elements follow from electronic structure.
Atomic structure and properties
Topics 1.1 to 1.8- 1Atoms, molecules, and chemical representations
- 21.1 Moles and molar mass
- 31.2 Mass spectra of elements
- 41.3 Elemental composition of pure substances
- 51.4 Composition of mixtures
- 61.5 Atomic structure and electron configuration
- 71.6 Photoelectron spectroscopy
- 81.7 Periodic trends
- 91.8 Valence electrons and ionic compounds
College Board unit 2: Compound Structure and Properties
Assessed on the AP Exam
The types of chemical bonds and how they relate to the properties of the bonded elements; the relationship between potential energy and the distance between atoms; particulate models of ionic solids, metals, and alloys; Lewis diagrams, resonance, and formal charge; and how Lewis diagrams, VSEPR theory, bond order, and bond polarity explain the structure and electron properties of molecules.
Compound structure and properties
Topics 2.1 to 2.7- 12.1 Types of chemical bonds
- 22.2 Intramolecular force and potential energy
- 32.3 Structure of ionic solids
- 42.4 Structure of metals and alloys
- 52.5 Lewis diagrams
- 62.6 Resonance and formal charge
- 72.7 VSEPR and hybridization
College Board unit 3: Properties of Substances and Mixtures
Assessed on the AP Exam
How the structures of molecules determine the strength of intermolecular and interparticle forces, and how those forces account for the properties of solids, liquids, and gases; the ideal gas law, the kinetic molecular theory, and the deviation of real gases from ideal behavior; the concentration of solutions and particulate models of mixtures; the separation of mixtures and the solubility of ionic and molecular compounds; and how matter interacts with light, including the regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, the properties of absorbed and emitted photons, and the relationship between the light a solution absorbs and its concentration.
Properties of substances and mixtures
Topics 3.1 to 3.13- 13.1 Intermolecular and interparticle forces
- 23.2 Properties of solids
- 33.3 Solids, liquids, and gases
- 43.4 Ideal gas law
- 53.5 Kinetic molecular theory
- 63.6 Deviation from ideal gas law
- 73.7 Solutions and mixtures
- 83.8 Representations of solutions
- 93.9 Separation of solutions and mixtures
- 103.10 Solubility
- 113.11 Spectroscopy and the electromagnetic spectrum
- 123.12 Properties of photons
- 133.13 Beer-Lambert law
College Board unit 4: Chemical Reactions
Assessed on the AP Exam
Evidence of physical and chemical changes and the bond interactions that account for them; balanced chemical and net ionic equations and particulate models of reactions; stoichiometry and the equivalence point of a titration; and the classification of reactions as acid-base, oxidation-reduction, or precipitation reactions, with acids and bases identified by proton transfer and redox equations balanced with half-reactions.
Chemical reactions
Topics 4.1 to 4.9- 14.1 Introduction for reactions
- 24.2a Net ionic equations: balancing chemical equations
- 34.2b Net ionic equations: ionic and net ionic equations
- 44.3 Representations of reactions
- 54.4 Physical and chemical changes
- 64.5 Stoichiometry
- 74.6 Introduction to titration
- 84.7 Types of chemical reactions
- 94.8 Introduction to acid-base reactions
- 10Free-response workshop: structures, reactions and calculations
- 114.9 Oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions
Semester 2
College Board unit 5: Kinetics
Assessed on the AP Exam
How the rate of a reaction depends on experimental conditions; rate laws found from experimental data and from how concentrations change over time; elementary reactions and the collision model; reaction energy profiles and activation energy; reaction mechanisms and the rate laws they predict, whether or not the first step is rate limiting; and how a catalyst changes the mechanism of a reaction.
Kinetics
Topics 5.1 to 5.11- 15.1 Reaction rates
- 25.2 Introduction to rate law
- 35.3 Concentration changes over time
- 45.4 Elementary reactions
- 55.5 Collision model
- 65.6 Reaction energy profile
- 75.7 Introduction to reaction mechanisms
- 85.8 Reaction mechanism and rate law
- 95.9 Pre-equilibrium approximation
- 105.10 Multistep reaction energy profile
- 115.11 Catalysis
College Board unit 6: Thermochemistry
Assessed on the AP Exam
The energy changes of endothermic and exothermic chemical and physical processes, and the energy diagrams that represent them; the transfer of thermal energy through molecular collisions; heat capacity and calorimetry; the energy of phase changes; the heat absorbed or released by a reaction, from the amount of substance that reacts and the molar enthalpy of reaction; and the enthalpy change of a reaction, calculated from bond enthalpies, from standard enthalpies of formation, and by Hess's law.
Thermochemistry
Topics 6.1 to 6.9- 16.1 Endothermic and exothermic processes
- 26.2 Energy diagrams
- 36.3 Heat transfer and thermal equilibrium
- 46.4 Heat capacity and calorimetry
- 56.5 Energy of phase changes
- 66.6 Introduction to enthalpy of reaction
- 76.7 Bond enthalpies
- 86.8 Enthalpy of formation
- 9Free-response workshop: kinetics and thermochemistry
- 106.9 Hess's law
College Board unit 7: Equilibrium
Assessed on the AP Exam
How reversible processes reach equilibrium, and how the relative rates of the forward and reverse reactions decide the direction a reaction proceeds; the reaction quotient and the equilibrium constant, including the overall constant of a multistep process, and the calculation of equilibrium constants and equilibrium concentrations; what the magnitude of an equilibrium constant shows about the concentrations at equilibrium; particulate models of systems at equilibrium; how a system at equilibrium responds to a stress, by Le Châtelier's principle and by comparing the reaction quotient with the equilibrium constant; and solubility equilibria and the common-ion effect.
Equilibrium
Topics 7.1 to 7.12- 17.1 Introduction to equilibrium
- 27.2 Direction of reversible reactions
- 37.3 Reaction quotient and equilibrium constant
- 47.4 Calculating the equilibrium constant
- 57.5 Magnitude of the equilibrium constant
- 67.6 Properties of the equilibrium constant
- 77.7 Calculating equilibrium concentrations
- 87.8 Representations of equilibrium
- 97.9 Introduction to Le Châtelier's principle
- 107.10 Reaction quotient and Le Châtelier's principle
- 117.11 Introduction to solubility equilibria
- 12Free-response workshop: equilibrium
- 137.12 Common-ion effect
College Board unit 8: Acids and Bases
Assessed on the AP Exam
The pH and pOH of water and of solutions of strong acids and bases; the equilibria of weak acids and bases; mixtures of acids and bases, and acid-base titrations; how the structure of a molecule or ion determines the strength of an acid or base; the relationship between pH and pKa; buffers, the pH of a buffer solution, and buffer capacity; and the effect of pH on the solubility of a salt.
Acids and bases
Topics 8.1 to 8.11- 18.1 Introduction to acids and bases
- 28.2 pH and pOH of strong acids and bases
- 38.3 Weak acid and base equilibria
- 48.4 Acid-base reactions and buffers
- 58.5 Acid-base titrations
- 68.6 Molecular structure of acids and bases
- 78.7 pH and pKa
- 88.8 Properties of buffers
- 98.9 Henderson-Hasselbalch equation
- 108.10 Buffer capacity
- 118.11 pH and solubility
College Board unit 9: Thermodynamics and Electrochemistry
Assessed on the AP Exam
Entropy and entropy change; whether a physical or chemical process is thermodynamically favored, and why a favored reaction may not occur at a measurable rate; the relationship between thermodynamic favorability and equilibrium; the enthalpy and entropy changes of dissolution; how coupled reactions and external sources of energy drive thermodynamically unfavorable processes; galvanic and electrolytic cells, standard cell potentials, and cell potentials under nonstandard conditions; and electrolysis and Faraday's law.
Thermodynamics and electrochemistry
Topics 9.1 to 9.11- 19.1 Introduction to entropy
- 29.2 Absolute entropy and entropy change
- 39.3 Gibbs free energy and thermodynamic favorability
- 49.4 Thermodynamic and kinetic control
- 59.5 Free energy and equilibrium
- 69.6 Free energy of dissolution
- 79.7 Coupled reactions
- 89.8 Galvanic (voltaic) and electrolytic cells
- 99.9 Cell potential and free energy
- 109.10 Cell potential under nonstandard conditions
- 11Free-response workshop: acids, bases and electrochemistry
- 12Free-response practice set: all seven questions
- 139.11 Electrolysis and Faraday's law
AP practice exam 1
- Practice exam 1, part 1: multiple choice
- Practice exam 1, part 2: multiple choice
- Practice exam 1, part 3: free response
- Practice exam 1, part 4: free response
- Practice exam 1, part 5: scoring and corrections
Covers units 1 to 9.
AP practice exam 2
- Practice exam 2, part 1: multiple choice
- Practice exam 2, part 2: multiple choice
- Practice exam 2, part 3: free response
- Practice exam 2, part 4: free response
- Practice exam 2, part 5: scoring and corrections
Covers units 1 to 9.
Science practices
The College Board names six science practices for AP Chemistry, which students develop during the course and which form the basis of many tasks on the AP Exam. The multiple-choice section assesses Practices 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6, and the free-response section assesses all six.
1Models and Representations
Describing models and representations, including across scales.
- 1.A
- Describe the components of and quantitative information from models and representations that illustrate particulate-level properties only.
- 1.B
- Describe the components of and quantitative information from models and representations that illustrate both particulate-level and macroscopic-level properties.
2Question and Method
Determining scientific questions and methods.
- 2.A
- Identify a testable scientific question based on an observation, data, or a model.
- 2.B
- Formulate a hypothesis or predict the results of an experiment.
- 2.C
- Identify experimental procedures that are aligned to a scientific question (which may include a sketch of a lab setup).
- 2.D
- Make observations or collect data from representations of laboratory setups or results, while attending to precision where appropriate.
- 2.E
- Identify or describe potential sources of experimental error.
- 2.F
- Explain how modifications to an experimental procedure will alter results.
3Representing Data and Phenomena
Creating representations or models of chemical phenomena.
- 3.A
- Represent chemical phenomena using appropriate graphing techniques, including correct scale and units.
- 3.B
- Represent chemical substances or phenomena with appropriate diagrams or models (e.g., electron configuration).
- 3.C
- Represent visually the relationship between the structures and interactions across multiple levels or scales (e.g., particulate to macroscopic).
4Model Analysis
Analyzing and interpreting models and representations on a single scale or across multiple scales.
- 4.A
- Predict and/or explain chemical properties or phenomena (e.g., of atoms or molecules) using given chemical theories, models, and representations.
- 4.B
- Explain whether a model is consistent with chemical theories.
- 4.C
- Explain the connection between particulate-level and macroscopic properties of a substance using models and representations.
- 4.D
- Explain the degree to which a model or representation describes the connection between particulate-level properties and macroscopic properties.
5Mathematical Routines
Solving problems using mathematical relationships.
- 5.A
- Identify quantities needed to solve a problem from given information (e.g., text, mathematical expressions, graphs, or tables).
- 5.B
- Identify an appropriate theory, definition, or mathematical relationship to solve a problem.
- 5.C
- Explain the relationship between variables within an equation when one variable changes.
- 5.D
- Identify information presented graphically to solve a problem.
- 5.E
- Determine a balanced chemical equation for a given chemical phenomenon.
- 5.F
- Calculate, estimate, or predict an unknown quantity from known quantities by selecting and following a logical computational pathway and attending to precision (e.g., performing dimensional analysis and attending to significant figures).
6Argumentation
Developing an explanation or scientific argument.
- 6.A
- Make a scientific claim.
- 6.B
- Support a claim with evidence from experimental data.
- 6.C
- Support a claim with evidence from representations or models at the particulate level, such as the structure of atoms and/or molecules.
- 6.D
- Provide reasoning to justify a claim using chemical principles or laws, or using mathematical justification.
- 6.E
- Provide reasoning to justify a claim using connections between particulate and macroscopic scales or levels.
- 6.F
- Explain the connection between experimental results and chemical concepts, processes, or theories.
- 6.G
- Explain how potential sources of experimental error may affect the experimental results.
Assessment
Graded questions are scored automatically, and all graded work counts toward the student's mastery record, which shows each skill as attempted, familiar, proficient, or mastered.
Contemplanda publishes no grade weighting for this course. A school that decides to grant credit for it also decides how the work counts toward a grade.
Academic integrity
Work in the course must be the student's own.
Answer keys for graded questions are never sent to the student's device.
Calculator
The College Board's framework asks students to solve problems using mathematical relationships, and the College Board recommends a scientific or graphing calculator for both sections of the AP Chemistry Exam. Students also have the periodic table and a sheet of equations and constants on the exam, and the course and exam description includes both.
During the school year, the College Board allows students to use computers or graphing calculators to analyze data and present their findings, but it does not require them to. Students may also use the web or app version of the Desmos graphing calculator during the year, but on the AP Exam the Desmos calculator must be the one built into the testing app.
A student preparing for the AP Exam should practice with a calculator of a kind allowed on it, such as the Desmos scientific calculator built into the exam's testing app.
The AP Exam
The AP Chemistry Exam assesses all nine units and all six science practices. It lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes and has two sections.
Section I: Multiple-choice questions
- Questions
- 60
- Time
- 90 minutes
- Share of score
- 50%
- Calculator
- Scientific or graphing calculator allowed
Section II: Free-response questions
- Questions
- 7
- Time
- 105 minutes
- Share of score
- 50%
- Calculator
- Scientific or graphing calculator allowed
Under the College Board's calculator policy, the Desmos scientific and graphing calculators are both built into the testing app, and students may also bring up to two permitted handheld calculators. A scientific or graphing calculator is allowed on both sections, and a four-function calculator is allowed but not recommended.
Three of the seven free-response questions are long questions worth 10 points each, and the other four are worth 4 points each.
Students answer the multiple-choice questions and read the free-response questions in the College Board's digital testing app, and they handwrite their free-response answers in a paper booklet.
Scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 5.
This is the exam format in effect from the May 2025 exam, as set out in the College Board's course and exam description for fall 2024 and its clarifications and corrections.
The AP Exam is given in schools in May.
A student who takes the AP Exam at a school other than the one where they take the course, or who takes the exam without taking the course, gets a join code from the AP coordinator at the school where they will test and joins an exam-only section there.
Materials and technology
- Where the course runs
- In a web browser, through Contemplanda Direct or inside a school's own platform
- AP Exam calculator
- Scientific or graphing calculator allowed
- Textbook
- None required. The course's own lessons are the text.
- Course framework
- apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-chemistry