Structure of Matter

Atomic Structure, including experimental evidence of atomic structure, quantum numbers and energy levels (orbitals), electron configurations, periodic trends.

Molecular Structure, including Lewis structures, three-dimensional molecular shapes, polarity.

Bonding, including ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds, relationships of bonding to properties and structures; intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole forces, dispersion (London) forces.

States of Matter

Gases, including the kinetic molecular theory, gas law relationships, molar volumes, density, and stoichiometry.

Liquids and Solids, including intermolecular forces in liquids and solids, types of solids, phase changes, and phase diagrams.

Solutions, including molarity and percent by mass concentrations, solution preparation and stoichiometry, factors affecting solubility of solids, liquids, and gases, qualitative aspects of colligative properties.

Reaction Types

Acids and Bases, including Brønsted-Lowry theory, strong and weak acids and bases, pH, titrations, indicators.

Oxidation-Reduction, including recognition of oxidation-reduction reactions, combustion, oxidation numbers, use of activity series.

Precipitation, including basic solubility rules.

Stoichiometry

Mole Concept, including molar mass, Avogadro’s number, empirical and molecular formulas.

Chemical Equations, including the balancing of equations, stoichiometric calculations, percent yield, and limiting reactants.

Equilibrium and Reaction Rates

Equilibrium Systems, including factors affecting position of equilibrium (LeChâtelier’s principle) in gaseous and aqueous systems, equilibrium constants, and equilibrium expressions.

Rates of Reactions, including factors affecting reaction rates, potential energy diagrams, activation energies.

Thermochemistry

Including conservation of energy, calorimetry and specific heats, enthalpy (heat) changes associated with phase changes and chemical reactions, heating and cooling curves, entropy.

Descriptive Chemistry

Including common elements, nomenclature of ions and compounds, periodic trends in chemical and physical properties of the elements, reactivity of elements and prediction of products of chemical reactions, examples of simple organic compounds and compounds of environmental concern.

Laboratory

Including knowledge of laboratory equipment, measurements, procedures, observations, safety, calculations, data analysis, interpretation of graphical data, drawing conclusions from observations and data.

Measure understanding of chemistry at a level  suitable for college preparation, independent of the  particular textbook used or instructional approach.

Format  of the Sat II Chemistry Test

-85 multiple-choice questions

-Approximately five questions on equation balancing and/or predicting products of chemical reactions, which are distributed among the various content categories.

Questions cover topics emphasized in most high school courses. Because of course differences, most students will find that there are some questions on topics with which they are not familiar.

Questions may require you to

-recall and understand the major concepts of chemistry and to apply the principles to solve specific problems in chemistry.

-organize and interpret results obtained by observation and experimentation and to draw conclusions or make inferences from experimental data, including data presented in graphic and/or tabular form.

On this Subject Test:

-a periodic table indicating the atomic numbers and masses of elements is provided for all test administrations.

-problem solving requires simple numerical calculations.

-the metric system of units is used.

NOTE: Calculator use is not permitted.

Recommended Preparation for the Sat II Chemistry Test

-One-year introductory chemistry course at the college-preparatory level

-Laboratory experience, which is a significant factor in developing reasoning and problem-solving skills and should help in test preparation even though laboratory skills can be tested only in a limited way in   a multiple-choice test

-Mathematics preparation that enables handling simple algebraic relationships and applying these to solving word problems

-Familiarity with the concepts of ratio and direct and inverse proportions, exponents, and scientific notation

Score

Total score: 200–to–800 scale.