The Exam
Put your knowledge of chemistry to the test with the AP Chemistry Exam. You could earn college credit before you even set foot on campus.
About the Exam
The three-hour exam includes a 90-minute multiple-choice section and a 95-minute free-response section.
Please note: You will be provided with a periodic table for both sections of the exam, and a list of commonly used equations and constants for the free-response section. You can use a calculator during the first part of the free-response section. Read more about calculators and commonly used equations.
Section I: Multiple-Choice
There are 75 questions on the multiple-choice section. Since there is variation among AP Chemistry courses, the exam is designed to cover a greater breadth of material than most students would find in their individual courses. Thus, it is expected that you may encounter some topics that are unfamiliar to you.
Section II: Free-Response
The free-response section includes three quantitative problems (one on chemical equilibrium), one question that requires you to write balanced equations for chemical reactions and answer a short question about each reaction, and two essay questions. Each exam will have a laboratory-based question; this question can appear either as one of the quantitative questions in Part A or as one of the essay questions in Part B.
The free-response section gives you the chance to demonstrate your quantitative problem-solving skills, knowledge of chemical reactions, and ability to reason and explain ideas in a logical and coherent fashion. As you complete the free-response section, remember that you can use a calculator only during the 55 minutes allotted for the three quantitative problems. For more information on calculators, see the calculator policy for the AP Chemistry Exam.
Scoring the Exam
The multiple-choice section and free-response section are each weighted as 50 percent of the final exam grade.
