{"id":15045,"date":"2021-06-04T08:37:21","date_gmt":"2021-06-04T08:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=15045"},"modified":"2021-06-04T12:52:05","modified_gmt":"2021-06-04T12:52:05","slug":"ap-chemistry-multiple-choice-strategies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/ap-chemistry\/ap-chemistry-multiple-choice-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"AP Chemistry: Multiple Choice Strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although you might not like multiple-choice questions, there\u2019s no denying the fact that guessing is easier on a multiple-choice question than it is on an essay question or a problem set. On a multiple-choice problem<\/a>, the answer is always there in front of you; the trick is to find it amongst the forest of incorrect answers. Contrast this with Section II of the AP Chemistry exam. On that section, if you don\u2019t know how to work a problem, you have to write down what you know and hope that the mythical King of Partial Credit is feeling kindly toward you that day.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll talk more about Section II later. For now, let\u2019s talk about what you\u2019ll encounter on the AP Chemistry exam before you even see the first question. <\/span><\/p>\n

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AP Chemistry Exam: Helpful Information In An Unhelpful Format<\/h3>
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Imagine that your parents are forcing you to invite someone to a party that you are hosting. You don\u2019t actually like this person, but your parents are insistent, so you have no choice but to comply. You give the acquaintance directions to the party, but you intentionally make the directions vague and difficult to use, filled with bland phrases like \u201cTurn left at the light and then turn right a couple of miles down from there.\u201d Your hope is that you\u2019ve provided the required information but done so in a manner that will not help much. <\/span><\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t very nice of you, but it does provide a useful example. Before each section of the AP Chemistry exam, you will be given some information that you can use throughout the section. This information is presented just like those directions in the story above. It\u2019s useful, but it doesn\u2019t go out of its way to be easy to use. The periodic table presented before Section I is a stripped-down version that consists primarily of letters, numbers, and blocks. Any additional information that might be found on a regular periodic table is NOT there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, if you\u2019re familiar with the periodic table, you probably don\u2019t need any of that extra information anyway. In other words, if you know enough about the periodic table to understand the periodic table at the front of the test, then you probably won\u2019t need that periodic table very often. <\/span><\/p>\n

So, in the end, the facts given at the front of the section are a bit of a wash. Still, keep in mind that they are there. There might be a question or two that require you to grab some specific information\u2014such as the atomic number\u2014from the periodic table, in which case having the table there is very handy. Most likely, though, there won\u2019t be any overt indication that you need to use the table. In other words, the question won\u2019t state, \u201cUse the periodic table to help you on this problem,\u201d or anything remotely like that. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now that the introductory material has been covered, let\u2019s talk about the 60 multiple-choice questions in Section I that you have 90 minutes to tackle. <\/span><\/p>\n

AP Chemistry Exam: The Stand-Alone Questions<\/h3>
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These questions make up the bulk of the AP Chemistry exam. Each Stand-Alone question covers a specific topic, and then the next Stand-Alone hits a different topic. Each stem provides you with the information you need to answer the problem. Here\u2019s a typical Stand-Alone: <\/span><\/p>\n\t

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If 100 mL of a 1 M HCl solution and 100 mL of a 5 M NaCl solution are mixed, what is the final molarity of the chloride (Cl<\/span>\u2013 <\/span>ion)?<\/span><\/p>\n

A. 1 M <\/span><\/p>\n

B. 2 M <\/span><\/p>\n

C. 3 M <\/span><\/p>\n

D. 4 M<\/span><\/p>\n

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You get some information to start with, and then you\u2019re expected to answer the question. The number of the question, 46, makes no difference since there\u2019s no order of difficulty on the AP Chemistry exam. Tough questions are scattered between easy and medium questions with no pattern or reason. <\/span><\/p>\n

Your ability to answer the Stand-Alones is going to make the greatest impact on your Section I score. This question type deserves some attention, yet it\u2019s easier to talk about what isn\u2019t in the Stand-Alone questions than what is there. Consider the following points: <\/span><\/p>\n