AP Chemistry For Dummies

by Peter J. Mikulecky, Michelle Rose Gilman, Kate Brutlag

Overview

A practical and hands-on guide for learning the practical science of AP chemistry and preparing for the AP chem exam

Gearing up for the AP Chemistry exam? AP Chemistry For Dummies is packed with all the resources and help you need to do your very best. Focused on the chemistry concepts and problems the College Board wants you to know, this AP Chemistry study guide gives you winning test-taking tips, multiple-choice strategies, and topic guidelines, as well as great advice on optimizing your study time and hitting the top of your game on test day.

This user-friendly guide helps you prepare without perspiration by developing a pre-test plan, organizing your study time, and getting the most out or your AP course. You'll get help understanding atomic structure and bonding, grasping atomic geometry, understanding how colliding particles produce states, and so much more.

To provide students with hands-on experience, AP chemistry courses include extensive labwork as part of the standard curriculum. This is why the book dedicates a chapter to providing a brief review of common laboratory equipment and techniques and another to a complete survey of recommended AP chemistry experiments. Two full-length practice exams help you build your confidence, get comfortable with test formats, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and focus your studies.

You'll discover how to

• Create and follow a pretest plan
• Understand everything you must know about the exam
• Develop a multiple-choice strategy
• Figure out displacement, combustion, and acid-base reactions
• Get familiar with stoichiometry
• Describe patterns and predict properties
• Get a handle on organic chemistry nomenclature
• Know your way around laboratory concepts, tasks, equipment, and safety
• Analyze laboratory data
• Use practice exams to maximize your score

Additionally, you'll have a chance to brush up on the math skills that will help you on the exam, learn the critical types of chemistry problems, and become familiar with the annoying exceptions to chemistry rules. Get your own copy of AP Chemistry For Dummies to build your confidence and test-taking know-how, so you can ace that exam!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470389768
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	12/10/2008
Series:	For Dummies Books
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	260,294
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.80(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Peter J. Mikulecky, PhD and Kate Brutlag teach Math and Science at Fusion Learning Center/Fusion Academy in Solana Beach, CA.

Michelle Rose Gilman is the Founder of Fusion Learning Center. Members of this team have authored AP Biology For Dummies, ACT For Dummies, Pre-Calculus For Dummies, Chemistry Workbook For Dummies and GRE For Dummies.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Thriving Inside the Test Tube: How to Prepare for the Exam 5

Chapter 1: Knowing What You’re Up Against: The AP Chemistry Exam 7

Chapter 2: Preparing Yourself for the Exam 15

Part II: Building Matter from the Ground Up: Atoms and Bonding 21

Chapter 3: Looking Under the Atomic Hood: Atomic Structure 23

Chapter 4: Answering Questions about Atomic Structure 41

Chapter 5: Working and Playing Together: Bonding 47

Chapter 6: Answering Questions on Bonding 59

Chapter 7: Doing Atomic Geometry: Molecular Shapes 63

Chapter 8: Answering Questions on Molecular Shapes 75

Part III: Colliding Particles to Produce States 81

Chapter 9: Putting a Finger to the Wind: Gases 83

Chapter 10: Answering Questions on Gases 91

Chapter 11: Condensing Particles: Solids, Liquids, and Solutions 97

Chapter 12: Answering Questions on Solids, Liquids, and Solutions 115

Part IV: Transforming Matter in Reactions 127

Chapter 13: Reacting by the Numbers: Reactions and Stoichiometry 129

Chapter 14: Answering Questions on Reactions and Stoichiometry 143

Chapter 15: Going Nowhere: Equilibrium 153

Chapter 16: Answering Questions on Equilibrium 161

Chapter 17: Giving and Taking in Solution: Acids and Bases 167

Chapter 18: Answering Questions on Acids and Bases 177

Chapter 19: Transferring Charge: Oxidation-Reduction 183

Chapter 20: Answering Questions on Oxidation-Reduction 197

Chapter 21: Knowing Speed from Spontaneity: Kinetics and Thermodynamics 207

Chapter 22: Answering Questions on Kinetics and Thermodynamics 223

Part V: Describing Patterns and Predicting Properties 233

Chapter 23: Knowing Chemistry When You See It: Descriptive Chemistry 235

Chapter 24: Answering Questions on Descriptive Chemistry 243

Chapter 25: Living with Carbon: Organic Chemistry 251

Chapter 26: Answering Questions on Organic Chemistry 267

Part VI: Getting Wet and Dirty: Labs 271

Chapter 27: Knowing Your Way around the Lab: Equipment and Procedures 273

Chapter 28: Taking the Tour: Recommended AP Experiments 281

Part VII: Measuring Yields: Practice Tests 299

Chapter 29: Practice Test One 301

Chapter 30: Practice Test Two 323

Part VIII: The Part of Tens 349

Chapter 31: Ten Math Skills to Bring with You to the Exam 351

Chapter 32: Ten Critical Types of Chemistry Problems 357

Chapter 33: Ten Annoying Exceptions to Chemistry Rules 365

Index 371