AP CHEMISTRY LOs (2020 - )
Here you’ll find the 91 official Learning Objectives (LOs) as defined by the College Board’s, May 2019 AP Chemistry Course and Exam Description (CED)
UNIT 01 - ATOMS, ELEMENTS & PERIODICITY
| 1.1 Calculate quantities of a substance or its relative number of particles using dimensional analysis and the mole concept |
| 1.2 Explain the quantitative relationship between the mass spectrum of an element and the masses of the element’s isotopes |
| 1.3 Explain the quantitative relationship between the elemental composition by mass and the empirical formula of a pure substance |
| 1.4 Explain the quantitative relationship between the elemental composition by mass and the composition |
| 1.5 Represent the electron configuration of an element or ions of an element using the Aufbau principle |
| 1.6 Explain the relationship between the photoelectron spectrum of an atom or ion and: a. The electron configuration of the species. b. The interactions between the electrons and the nucleus |
| 1.7 Explain the relationship between trends in atomic properties of elements and electronic |
| 1.8 Explain the relationship between trends in the reactivity of elements |
UNIT 02 - CHEMICAL BONDING I
| 2.1 Explain the relationship between the type of bonding and the properties of the elements participating in the bond |
| 2.2 Represent the relationship between potential energy and distance between atoms, based on factors that influence the interaction strength |
| 2.3 Represent an ionic solid with a particulate model that is consistent with Coulomb’s Law and the properties of the constituent ions |
| 2.4 Represent a metallic solid and/or alloy using a model to show essential characteristics of the structure and interactions |
| 2.5 Represent a molecule with a Lewis diagram |
| 2.6 Represent a molecule with a Lewis Diagram that accounts for resonance between equivalent structures of that uses formal charge to select between nonequivalent structures |
| 2.7 Based on the relationship between Lewis diagrams, VSEPR theory, bond orders, and bond polarities: a. Explain structural properties of molecules b. Explain electron properties of molecules |
UNIT 03 - CHEMICAL BONDING II & GASES
| 3.1 Explain the relationship between the chemical structures of molecules and the relative strength of their intermolecular forces when: a. The molecules are of the same chemical species. b. The molecules are of two different chemical species |
| 3.2 Explain the relationship among the macroscopic properties of a substance, the particulate-level structure of the substance, and the interactions between these particles |
| 3.3 Represent the differences between solid, liquid and gas phases using a particulate-level model |
| 3.4 Explain the relationship between the macroscopic properties of a sample of gas or mixture of gases using the ideal gas law |
| 3.5 Explain the relationship between the motion of particles and the macroscopic properties of gases with: a. The kinetic molecular theory (KMT). b. A particulate model. c. A graphical representation |
| 3.6 Explain the relationship among the non-ideal behaviors of gases, interparticle forces and/or volumes |
| 3.7 Calculate the number of solute particles, volume or molarity of solutions |
| 3.8 Using particulate models for mixtures: a. Represent interactions between components. b. Represent concentrations of components. |
| 3.9 Explain the relationship between the solubility of ionic and molecular compounds in aqueous and non-aqueous solvents, and the intermolecular interactions between particles |
| 3.10 Explain the relationship between a region of the electromagnetic spectrum and the types of molecular or electronic transitions associated with that region |
| 3.11 Explain the properties of an absorbed or emitted photon in relationship to an electronic transition in an atom or molecule |
| 3.12 Explain the amount of light absorbed by a solution of molecules or ions in relationship to the concentration, path length, and molar absorptivity |
UNIT 04 - CHEMICAL REACTIONS
| 4.1 Identify evidence of chemical and physical changes in matter |
| 4.2 Represent changes in matter with a balanced chemical or net ionic equation: a. For physical changes. B. For given information about the identity of the reactants and/or product. c. For ions in a given chemical reaction |
| 4.3 Represent a given chemical reaction of physical process with a consistent particulate model |
| 4.4 Explain the relationship between the macroscopic characteristics and bond interactions for: a. Chemical processes b. Physical processes |
| 4.5 Explain changes in the amounts of reactants and products based on the balanced reaction equation for a chemical process |
| 4.6 Identify the equivalence point in a titration based on the amounts of the titrant and analyte, assuming the titration reaction goes to completion |
| 4.7 Identify a reaction as acid-base, oxidation-reduction, or precipitation |
| 4.8 Identify species as Brønsted-Lowry acids, bases, and/or conjugate acid-base pairs, based on proton-transfer involving those species |
| 4.9 Represent a balanced REDOX reaction equation using half-reactions |
UNIT 05 - CHEMICAL KINETICS
| 5.1 Explain the relationship between the rate of a chemical reaction and experimental parameters |
| 5.2 Represent experimental data with a consistent rate law expression |
| 5.3 Identify the rate law expression of a chemical reaction using data that show how the concentrations of reaction species change over time |
| 5.4 Represent an elementary reaction as a rate law expression using stoichiometry |
| 5.5 Explain the relationship between the rate of an elementary reaction and the frequency, energy, and orientation of molecular collisions |
| 5.6 Represent the activation energy and overall energy change in an elementary reaction using a reaction energy profile |
| 5.7 Identify the components of a reaction mechanism |
| 5.8 Identify the rate law for a reaction from a mechanism in which the first step is rate limiting |
| 5.9 Identify the rate law for a reaction from a mechanism in which the first step is not rate limiting |
| 5.10 Represent the activation energy and overall energy change in a multi-step reaction with a reaction energy profile |
| 5.11 Explain the relationship between the effect of a catalyst on a reaction and changes in the reaction mechanism |
UNIT 06 - CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS I
| 6.1 Explain the relationship between experimental observations and energy changes associated with a chemical or physical transformation |
| 6.2 Represent a chemical or physical transformation with an energy diagram |
| 6.3 Explain the relationship between the transfer of thermal energy and molecular collisions |
| 6.4 Calculate the heat q absorbed or released by a system undergoing heating/ cooling based on the amount of the substance, the heat capacity, and the change in temperature |
| 6.5 Explain changes in the heat q absorbed or released by a system undergoing a phase transition based on the amount of the substance in moles and the molar enthalpy of the phase transition |
| 6.6 Calculate the heat q absorbed or released by a system undergoing a chemical reaction in relationship to the amount of the reacting substance in moles and the molar enthalpy of reaction |
| 6.7 Calculate the enthalpy change of a reaction based on the average bond energies of bonds broken and formed in the reaction |
| 6.8 Calculate the enthalpy change for a chemical or physical process based on the standard enthalpies of formation |
| 6.9 Represent a chemical or physical process as a sequence of steps |
| 6.10 Explain the relationship between the enthalpy of a chemical or physical process and the sum of the enthalpies of the individual steps |
UNIT 07 - CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM
| 7.1 Explain the relationship between the occurrence of a reversible chemical or physical process, and the establishment of equilibrium, to experimental observations |
| 7.2 Explain the relationship between the direction in which a reversible reaction proceeds and the relative rates of the forward and reverse reactions |
| 7.3 Represent the reaction quotient Qc or Qp, for a reversible reaction, and the corresponding equilibrium expressions Kc = Qc or Kp = Qp |
| 7.4 Calculate Kc or Kp based on experimental observations of concentrations or pressures at equilibrium |
| 7.5 Explain the relationship between very large or very small values of K and the relative concentrations of chemical species at equilibrium |
| 7.6 Represent a multi-step process with an overall equilibrium expression, using the constituent K expressions for each individual reaction |
| 7.7 Identify the concentrations or partial pressures of chemical species at equilibrium based on the initial conditions and the equilibrium constant |
| 7.8 Represent a system undergoing a reversible reaction with a particulate model |
| 7.9 Identify the response of a system at equilibrium to an external stress, using Le Châtelier’s principle |
| 7.10 Explain the relationships between Q, K, and the direction in which a reversible reaction will proceed to reach equilibrium |
| 7.11 Calculate the solubility of a salt based on the value of Ksp for the salt |
| 7.12 Identify the solubility of a salt, and/or the value of Ksp for the salt, based on the concentration of a common ion already present in solution |
| 7.13 Identify the qualitative effect of changes in pH on the solubility of a salt |
| 7.14 Explain the relationship between the solubility of a salt and changes in the enthalpy and entropy that occur in the dissolution process |
UNIT 08 - ACIDS & BASES
| 8.1 Calculate the values of pH and pOH, based on Kw and the concentration of all species present in a neutral solution of water |
| 8.2 Calculate pH and pOH based on concentrations of all species in a solution of a strong acid or a strong base |
| 8.3 Explain the relationship among pH, pOH, and concentrations of all species in a solution of a monoprotic weak acid or weak base |
| 8.4 Explain the relationship among the concentrations of major species in a mixture of weak and strong acids and bases |
| 8.5 Explain results from the titration of a mono- or polyprotic acid or base solution, in relation to the properties of the solution and its components |
| 8.6 Explain the relationship between the strength of an acid or base and the structure of the molecule or ion |
| 8.7 Explain the relationship between the predominant form of a weak acid or base in solution at a given pH and the pKa of the conjugate acid or the pKb of the conjugate base |
| 8.8 Explain the relationship between the ability of a buffer to stabilize pH and the reactions that occur when an acid or a base is added to a buffered solution |
| 8.9 Identify the pH of a buffer solution based on the identity and concentrations of the conjugate acid-base pair used to create the buffer |
| 8.10 Explain the relationship between the buffer capacity of a solution and the relative concentrations of the conjugate acid and conjugate base components of the solution |
UNIT 09 - CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS II & ELECTROCHEMISTRY
| 9.1 Identify the sign and relative magnitude of the entropy change associated with chemical or physical processes |
| 9.2 Calculate the entropy change for a chemical or physical process based on the absolute entropies of the species involved in the process |
| 9.3 Explain whether a physical or chemical process is thermodynamically favored based on an evaluation of ∆G° |
| 9.4 Explain, in terms of kinetics, why a thermodynamically favored reaction might not occur at a measurable rate |
| 9.5 Explain whether a process is thermodynamically favored using the relationships between K, ΔG°, and T |
| 9.6 Explain the relationship between external sources of energy or coupled reactions and their ability to drive thermodynamically unfavorable processes |
| 9.7 Explain the relationship between the physical components of an electrochemical cell and the overall operational principles of the cell |
| 9.8 Explain whether an electrochemical cell is thermodynamically favored, based on its standard cell potential and the constituent half-reactions within the cell |
| 9.9 Explain the relationship between deviations from standard cell conditions and changes in the cell potential |
| 9.10 Calculate the amount of charge flow based on changes in the amounts of reactants and products in an electrochemical cell |
