AP Chemistry

Content Description: You’ll learn about the composition of atoms and ways scientists measure and categorize these building blocks of matter.

Prior Knowledge Required: Understanding of the basic structure of an atom, including the roles of protons, neutrons, and electrons, and have a foundational grasp of the periodic table, particularly electron configurations.

Content Description: You’ll discover the range of chemical bonds and how their structure can affect the properties of the molecules created.

Prior Knowledge Required: Familiarity with the types of chemical bonds (ionic and covalent), the ability to draw Lewis structures, and an understanding of molecular geometry using VSEPR theory.

Content Description: You’ll explore how atoms come together to create solids, liquids and gases, and how forces between particles govern the properties of everything around you.

Prior Knowledge Required: Know the different states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and have a basic understanding of intermolecular forces and how they influence the physical properties of substances.

Content Description: You’ll learn how to differentiate physical and chemical processes, and how to measure and express chemical reactions via chemical equations.

Prior Knowledge Required: Comfortable with balancing chemical equations, recognizing types of chemical reactions (synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, etc.), and performing basic stoichiometric calculations.

Content Description: You’ll explore various methods to observe changes that occur during a chemical reaction, the factors that influence reaction rate, and how it relates to a series of elementary reactions.

Prior Knowledge Required: Understand the factors that affect reaction rates, such as concentration, temperature, and catalysts, as well as have a basic familiarity with rate laws and the concept of reaction mechanisms.

Content Description: You’ll learn about energy changes in chemical reactions and how a transfer of energy can change a substance’s physical qualities.

Prior Knowledge Required: The basics of energy transfer in chemical reactions, including concepts like enthalpy and the conservation of energy, and be able to interpret and apply thermochemical equations.

Content Description: You’ll learn about how chemical reactions change over time, what causes substances to reach equilibrium, and how systems react when that equilibrium is disturbed.

Prior Knowledge Required: Understand dynamic equilibrium, Le Chatelier’s principle, and how to express and manipulate equilibrium constants in chemical reactions.

Content Description: You’ll learn more about pH, the qualities and properties of acids and bases, and how they interact in chemical reactions.

Prior Knowledge Required: Familiarity with the pH scale, the properties of strong and weak acids and bases, and basic calculations involving pH, pKa, and pKb.

Content Description: You’ll be introduced to the concept of “thermodynamic favorability’ for reactions, meaning how likely they are to occur given energy changes and environmental factors, and how chemical reactions can be used to generate electricity.

Prior Knowledge Required: Understand the concepts of enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy, and how these relate to the spontaneity of reactions, as well as the basics of redox reactions and how chemical reactions can generate electricity.