A subject with a huge bearing on science and development today, the field of chemistry has seen a massive influx of students choosing to opt to take it as a course. Being the load bearer of a majority of the industry of today, applied chemistry is something that you could consider as a future career.
What is the AP chemistry course?
Just like all the other AP courses, the AP chemistry tutoring course is put together by the College Board with the help of college professors. The syllabus is designed to teach advanced chemistry concepts to high school students.
This means that you will be learning concepts well above your grade. AP Chemistry is a blessing for the gifted and hard-working students and helps them to excel and grow the subject
Reasons:
1. Skills to be learned:
With numerous skills to be learned both theoretically and practically, there is almost no reason not to take the course if you enjoy science and chemistry in particular.
As mentioned previously, there are hundreds of skills that you can successfully pick up in the AP course and many topics to learn from as well as understanding how to maintain a lab record.
With multitudes of skills to be learned, there
2. GPA gains:
With a significant boost to your college GPA, there is quite a reason for you to want to take up this course. AP courses give you credits in the corresponding course you take up in college apart from extra experience.
This makes your college life a whole lot easier by reducing the effort required to complete these courses in later years.
Thus, GPA gains gotten from doing well in AP Chemistry are a significant reason to put the time and effort into taking up this course.
3. College bonus:
A good score on the AP test can get you into any college of your choice in the chemistry course. Apart from knowledge of the subject you get in the particular field which might interest you, it adds a lot of value to your college application which can make the process of finding a suitable college a lot easier for you.
With these major bonuses as well as hundreds of other advantages of varying importance, taking up the AP chemistry course can do wonders for you as a chemistry enthusiast.
What Does the Course Encompass?
The AP chemistry course covers several topics in advanced chemistry that you would learn:
- Unit 1: Atomic Structure and Properties: About the composition of atoms and the way scientists measure and categorize these particles. This unit comprises about 7 % to 9 % of the total score.
- Unit 2: Molecular and Ionic Compound structure and properties: How chemical bonds and structures help build up molecules and the properties they induce. This amounts to 7% to 9% of the total score as well.
- Unit 3: Intermolecular Forces and Properties: How intermolecular forces govern the phases around us and the formation of solids liquids and gases. Amounts to 18% to 22% of the score.
- Unit 4: Chemical Reactions: Differentiate between physical and chemical reactions and learning to write chemical reactions. Accounts for 7% to 9% of the score.
- Unit 5: Kinetics: How to observe chemical reactions and infer how it affects chemical reactions around it. Accounts for another 7% to 9% of the score for the test.
- Unit 6: Thermodynamics: About energy changes in reactions and how the transfer of energy can affect substances. Accounting for 7% to 9% again, it is an important topic to keep in mind.
- Unit 7: Equilibrium: How different factors affect the rate of a reaction and how disturbances in equilibrium affect systems. This accounts for another 7% to 9% of the score.
- Unit 8: Acids and Bases: Learning about pH and its effects and how acids and bases are classified. Accounting for 11% to 15% of the total scores, thus being more important for the purpose of the exam.
- Unit 9: Applications of Thermodynamics: This explains what kinds of conditions are favorable for different kinds of reactions. Accounts for 7% to 9%.
Conclusion
Hopefully, after reading through all the pros and cons of this course, you would have made up your mind. AP chemistry can be quite challenging but with the right attitude, it can be the first step to your endeavors in the field of chemistry.