Hi guys! I'm taking AP Chem next year and I'm slightly stressed about its exam format. Can someone explain what sections it has, how many questions, and the time allotted for each? Thanks in advance!
Absolutely, happy to help with this information.
The AP Chemistry Exam consists of two main sections that aim to challenge your understanding of fundamental chemistry concepts and your ability to solve problems quantitatively in chemistry. It tests your skills in areas such as using models, scientific explanations, and experimental investigations.
The first section, called the "Multiple-Choice Section," is 1 hour and 30 minutes long. It consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, covering a wide range of topics. This section is divided into two parts:
- The first part has discrete questions; these are stand-alone questions that are not associated with any stimuli.
- The second part has questions associated with stimuli (a text passage, diagram, graph, or table).
The second section is the "Free-Response Section." This is a 1 hour and 45 minutes section with 7 questions. This section tests your ability to solve problems using an extended chain of reasoning. The questions will often have multiple parts, and you'll have a bit of discretion about which order to answer them in. This section is divided into two parts:
- The first part consists of 3 long free-response questions, and you have 60 minutes to complete this part. A scientific calculator is required.
- The second part consists of 4 short free-response questions, and you're given 45 minutes to answer these questions. A scientific calculator is permitted in this part as well.
Keep in mind, practice is key for this type of exam. The more familiar you are with the format and expected responses, the better you'll perform. Good luck!
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