UC A-G Section DLab ScienceWASC AccreditedPre-AP Program

Pre-AP Chemistry
AP Science Foundation

College Board Pre-AP Program · UC A-G Section D

Build the conceptual and quantitative foundation that AP Chemistry, AP Physics, and AP Biology demand. Master atoms, bonding, stoichiometry, and lab skills — guided by Dr. Fatima Al-Hassan.

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AP Resources

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Foundation

Quick LinksCollege Board Pre-AP VRS AP Resources AP Chemistry (next course)

UC A-G Section D · 1 Year

College Board Pre-AP Aligned

Four Course Sections

Pre-AP Chemistry builds the conceptual and quantitative foundation for every AP science course. Each section prepares you for what AP Chemistry tests on day one.

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Atomic Structure and Periodicity

Electron configuration, periodic trends, quantum model

› Quantum mechanical model of the atom
› Electron configuration and orbital diagrams
› Periodic trends: atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity

AP Prep Tip: The periodic table is not a list to memorize — it's a map of electron behavior. Once you understand electron configuration, every periodic trend becomes logical.

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Chemical Bonding and Properties

Ionic, covalent, metallic bonds, VSEPR, IMFs

› Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding types
› VSEPR theory and molecular geometry
› Intermolecular forces and physical properties

AP Prep Tip: VSEPR is one of AP Chemistry's highest-yield topics. Master it here — drawing Lewis structures and identifying geometry should become automatic before AP Chemistry.

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Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry

Balancing equations, mole concept, limiting reagents

› Balancing chemical equations by inspection
› The mole concept and Avogadro's number
› Limiting reagent and percent yield calculations

AP Prep Tip: The mole is the most important concept in chemistry. Students who truly understand what a mole means — not just the number — find stoichiometry straightforward.

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Laboratory Investigation Skills

Measurement, error analysis, safety, procedure writing

› Significant figures and unit analysis
› Experimental design and controlled variables
› Error analysis: percent error, sources of uncertainty

AP Prep Tip: Lab skills tested in AP Chemistry include titration, calorimetry, and spectroscopy. Pre-AP builds the foundational technique you'll need in those labs.

Your Next Courses

AP Readiness: What This Course Unlocks

Pre-AP Chemistry is the gateway to four of the most high-impact AP science courses. The concepts you master here directly transfer to each one.

4 AP Courses

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AP Course

AP Chemistry

The direct next step. Pre-AP Chemistry provides the atomic structure, bonding, and stoichiometry foundation that AP Chemistry builds on from day one.

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AP Course

AP Physics 1

Atomic-level understanding of energy transfer and forces connects directly to AP Physics 1 mechanics and electricity units.

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AP Course

AP Biology

Molecular biology — DNA, proteins, metabolism — is chemistry. Pre-AP Chemistry gives you the bonding and reaction framework AP Biology assumes.

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AP Course

AP Environmental Science

Chemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, water), acid rain, ozone chemistry — all demand the reaction literacy built in Pre-AP Chemistry.

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Pre-AP Program Aligned

Four Course Units

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UNIT 1

Unit 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

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Key Topics

Atomic model history: Dalton → Thomson → Rutherford → Bohr → quantum
Electron configuration notation (1s²2s²2p⁶...)
Orbital diagrams and Hund's rule
Periodic trends: atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity, electron affinity
Groups and periods: predicting element behavior
Isotopes, atomic mass, and mass spectrometry basics

Key Terms

Atomic number

Number of protons in an atom's nucleus; defines the element

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons

Electron configuration

Arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals (e.g., 1s²2s²2p⁶)

Orbital

Region of space where an electron is most likely to be found

Periodic trend

Pattern in a physical or chemical property that changes across the periodic table

Electronegativity

An atom's ability to attract shared electrons toward itself in a covalent bond

Practice Prompt

Explain why atomic radius decreases across a period (left to right) but increases down a group. Reference electron configuration and nuclear charge in your answer.

Practice with Dr. Fatima →

Curated Video Lessons

Electron Configuration — How to Write It (Tyler DeWitt)

YouTube

Periodic Trends: Atomic Radius, Ionization Energy, Electronegativity (Khan Academy)

YouTube

History of Atomic Theory (CrashCourse Chemistry)

YouTube

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UNIT 2

Unit 2: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

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Key Topics

Ionic bonding: electron transfer and lattice energy
Covalent bonding: electron sharing and Lewis structures
Metallic bonding: sea of electrons model
VSEPR theory: predicting molecular shape from electron pairs
Molecular polarity: combining bond polarity and geometry
Intermolecular forces: London dispersion, dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonding

Key Terms

Lewis structure

Diagram showing valence electrons, bonding pairs, and lone pairs in a molecule

VSEPR

Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion — model predicting molecular geometry from electron pairs

Polar covalent bond

Covalent bond where electrons are shared unequally due to electronegativity difference

Dipole moment

Measure of polarity in a bond or molecule; depends on charge and distance

Hydrogen bonding

Strong intermolecular force between H (bonded to F, O, or N) and a lone pair on F, O, or N

London dispersion forces

Weak IMFs caused by temporary dipoles in all molecules; only IMF in nonpolar molecules

Practice Prompt

Draw the Lewis structure for H₂O. Identify: (a) electron geometry, (b) molecular geometry, (c) bond angles, (d) is the molecule polar? (e) what is the dominant IMF between water molecules?

Practice with Dr. Fatima →

Curated Video Lessons

Lewis Structures Made Easy (Tyler DeWitt)

YouTube

VSEPR Theory and Molecular Geometry (Khan Academy)

YouTube

Intermolecular Forces — Chemistry Tutorial (Tyler DeWitt)

YouTube

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UNIT 3

Unit 3: Stoichiometry and Reactions

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Key Topics

Balancing chemical equations by inspection
The mole concept: 6.022 × 10²³ particles per mole
Molar mass and mole-to-gram conversions
Stoichiometric ratios from balanced equations
Limiting reagent identification and theoretical yield
Percent yield and sources of experimental error

Key Terms

Mole

SI unit for amount of substance; 6.022 × 10²³ representative particles

Avogadro's number

6.022 × 10²³; the number of particles in one mole of any substance

Limiting reagent

Reactant completely consumed first; determines maximum product that can form

Theoretical yield

Maximum amount of product calculated from stoichiometry, assuming 100% reaction

Percent yield

(actual yield / theoretical yield) × 100%; measure of reaction efficiency

Stoichiometry

Quantitative relationships between reactants and products in a chemical reaction

Practice Prompt

In the reaction N₂ + 3H₂ → 2NH₃, if you start with 4.0 mol N₂ and 9.0 mol H₂: (a) Identify the limiting reagent. (b) Calculate the theoretical yield of NH₃. (c) If 9.2 mol NH₃ is actually produced, what is the percent yield?

Practice with Dr. Fatima →

Curated Video Lessons

The Mole Concept Explained (Tyler DeWitt)

YouTube

Stoichiometry and Limiting Reagents (Khan Academy)

YouTube

Types of Chemical Reactions (Bozeman Science)

YouTube

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UNIT 4

Unit 4: Energy, States of Matter, and Solutions

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Key Topics

Endothermic vs. exothermic reactions and energy diagrams
Thermochemistry basics: heat, temperature, and specific heat capacity
Phase diagrams and changes of state
Solubility rules and 'like dissolves like' principle
Molarity and solution preparation
Hess's Law and enthalpy calculations

Key Terms

Enthalpy

Heat content of a system at constant pressure; ΔH < 0 for exothermic, > 0 for endothermic

Exothermic

Reaction that releases energy to the surroundings; products have lower energy than reactants

Endothermic

Reaction that absorbs energy from the surroundings; products have higher energy than reactants

Molarity

Concentration = moles of solute ÷ liters of solution; units are mol/L or M

Solubility

Maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a given temperature

Hess's Law

Total enthalpy change is the same regardless of the pathway taken; ΔH is a state function

Practice Prompt

The dissolution of NaOH in water releases heat. (a) Is this process exothermic or endothermic? (b) Draw an energy diagram for this reaction. (c) If dissolving 10.0 g of NaOH raises 100 mL of water by 11.8°C, calculate the enthalpy of dissolution in kJ/mol. (specific heat of water = 4.18 J/g°C)

Practice with Dr. Fatima →

Curated Video Lessons

Enthalpy and Exo/Endothermic Reactions (Tyler DeWitt)

YouTube

Hess's Law and Calorimetry (Bozeman Science)

YouTube

Solutions and Molarity (Khan Academy)

YouTube

Pre-AP Assessments

Three Assessment Types

Pre-AP Chemistry assesses conceptual understanding, quantitative reasoning, and scientific communication — the three pillars that AP Chemistry tests.

Assessment Coach →

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Assessment Type

Stoichiometry Problem Set

Multi-step quantitative chemistry problems requiring dimensional analysis, mole conversions, and limiting reagent calculations.

Skills Assessed

Dimensional analysis with units throughout

Mole-to-gram and gram-to-mole conversions

Limiting reagent identification from mass data

Percent yield calculation and error discussion

Pro Tip

Always write units at every step. If units cancel correctly, your setup is almost certainly right.

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Assessment Type

Lab Report

Formal scientific writing that translates experimental data into a structured report with hypothesis, procedure, data, analysis, and conclusion.

Skills Assessed

Hypothesis formation: 'If... then... because...' structure

Data tables with proper units and significant figures

Percent error calculation and source identification

Conclusion connecting results to chemical principles

Pro Tip

The discussion section is where you earn marks. Connecting your numbers back to atomic/molecular theory shows real understanding.

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Assessment Type

Conceptual Explanation

Explain a chemical phenomenon — like why water boils at 100°C but methane at -161°C — entirely in terms of atomic and molecular behavior.

Skills Assessed

Identify the relevant atomic/molecular property

Explain the mechanism at the particle level

Predict how changing one variable would affect the outcome

Connect macroscopic observation to microscopic cause

Pro Tip

The best conceptual explanations never just name a concept — they describe what atoms and molecules are DOING. 'Hydrogen bonding' is not an explanation; 'the H on O forms a bond with a lone pair on an adjacent O, requiring more energy to overcome' is.

AP Preparation Habits

Six Habits That Build AP Readiness

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Habit 1

Dimensional analysis every time

Never skip units. Set up every calculation as a chain of fractions — units that cancel confirm your approach is correct.

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Habit 2

Understand the mole deeply

The mole isn't just a number. It's a counting unit that connects atomic mass (amu) to laboratory mass (grams). This bridge is the heart of stoichiometry.

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Habit 3

Draw Lewis structures for everything

Before you can predict geometry, polarity, or IMFs, you need a correct Lewis structure. Make this automatic — draw one for every new molecule you encounter.

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Habit 4

Connect macroscopic to molecular scale

When water boils, ask: what are the molecules doing? When a solid dissolves, ask: what forces are breaking and forming? Chemistry is always about scale-crossing.

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Habit 5

Master significant figures

Sig figs appear on every AP exam. Know the rules cold: multiplication/division (fewest sig figs), addition/subtraction (fewest decimal places).

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Habit 6

Practice unit conversions

Convert freely between g ↔ mol ↔ molecules. If you hesitate, AP Chemistry will be painful. Pre-AP is the time to make this automatic.

Curated for Pre-AP Success

Practice Resources

🎯FREE · COMPREHENSIVE

Khan Academy Chemistry

Full chemistry curriculum organized by topic with practice problems and mastery tracking.

Open resource

🔬RECOMMENDED

Bozeman Science AP Chem

Paul Andersen's clear video explanations for every AP Chemistry topic — perfect for Pre-AP preview.

Open resource

📺ENGAGING

CrashCourse Chemistry

Hank Green's entertaining chemistry series covers all Pre-AP topics with memorable explanations.

Open resource

📚REFERENCE

ChemLibreTexts

Open-access chemistry textbook with detailed explanations, worked examples, and practice problems.

Open resource

🎥HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Tyler DeWitt (YouTube)

Best chemistry teacher on YouTube — makes complex concepts crystal clear with enthusiasm and humor.

Open resource

🌐UK A-LEVEL · AP ALIGNED

Chemguide.co.uk

Exceptionally clear written explanations of bonding, structure, and reactions — excellent conceptual reference.

Open resource

⚗️INTERACTIVE

PhET Simulations

University of Colorado interactive chemistry simulations — build atomic models, explore reactions, visualize molecules.

Open resource

AI-Powered Progress

32-Week Study Plan

Weeks 1–8

Phase 1: Atomic Structure and Periodic Table

Master atomic model history and the quantum mechanical model
Write electron configurations for any element from memory
Understand and predict periodic trends from electron configuration
Practice: isotope calculations and atomic mass from natural abundance

Weeks 9–16

Phase 2: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Draw Lewis structures for any molecule or polyatomic ion
Apply VSEPR to predict electron and molecular geometry
Determine molecular polarity by combining bond polarity and geometry
Rank compounds by boiling point using IMF strength

Weeks 17–24

Phase 3: Stoichiometry and Reactions

Balance chemical equations for all reaction types
Convert fluently between grams, moles, and molecules
Identify limiting reagent from mass data using mole ratios
Calculate theoretical and percent yield; analyze experimental error

Weeks 25–32

Phase 4: Energy, States of Matter, Solutions

Classify reactions as exothermic or endothermic from energy diagrams
Calculate enthalpy using q = mcΔT and Hess's Law
Apply solubility rules and prepare solutions of specified molarity
Complete a full-year review with Dr. Fatima before final assessments

Official & Curated

Resources Hub

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Official Source

College Board Pre-AP

Official Pre-AP Chemistry course description, framework, and sample assessments from College Board.

Visit Pre-AP Central →

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The VR School

VRS AP Resources Center

All VR School AP and Pre-AP resources, study guides, and academic support.

Open AP Resources →

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Next Course

AP Chemistry at VRS

See the AP Chemistry course you are building toward — preview the units, FRQ types, and what a 5 requires.

Preview AP Chemistry →

Agentic AI Tutoring

Your Pre-AP Chemistry AI Tutor

Dr. Fatima Al-Hassan builds deep understanding before drilling formulas — so when you reach AP Chemistry, the math already makes sense. SofAI connects chemistry to every other AP you are studying.

⚛️ Why does electronegativity increase across a period?🔗 Walk me through drawing a Lewis structure step by step ⚗️ Help me understand the mole concept with a real example 🌡️ What is the difference between exothermic and endothermic?

Next Level

Pre-AP Chemistry is the Starting Line — AP Chemistry is the Race

Students who build genuine understanding in Pre-AP Chemistry find AP Chemistry approachable rather than overwhelming. The atomic model, Lewis structures, and stoichiometry you master here appear in AP Chemistry from week one. See what you are building toward.

Preview AP Chemistry Browse All Courses →

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Ready to Build Your AP Science Foundation?

Enroll in Pre-AP Chemistry at The VR School. WASC accredited. UC A-G Section D approved. College Board Pre-AP Program aligned.

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WASC Accredited · UC A-G Approved · College Board Pre-AP Program · 1 Year

Pre-AP Chemistry is the Starting Line — AP Chemistry is the Race

Pre-AP ChemistryAP Science Foundation

Four Course Sections

Atomic Structure and Periodicity

Chemical Bonding and Properties

Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry

Laboratory Investigation Skills

AP Readiness: What This Course Unlocks

AP Chemistry

AP Physics 1

AP Biology

AP Environmental Science

Four Course Units

Unit 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

Key Topics

Key Terms

Curated Video Lessons

Unit 2: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Key Topics

Key Terms

Curated Video Lessons

Unit 3: Stoichiometry and Reactions

Key Topics

Key Terms

Curated Video Lessons

Unit 4: Energy, States of Matter, and Solutions

Key Topics

Key Terms

Curated Video Lessons

Three Assessment Types

Stoichiometry Problem Set

Lab Report

Conceptual Explanation

Six Habits That Build AP Readiness

Dimensional analysis every time

Understand the mole deeply

Draw Lewis structures for everything

Connect macroscopic to molecular scale

Master significant figures

Practice unit conversions

Practice Resources

Khan Academy Chemistry

Bozeman Science AP Chem

CrashCourse Chemistry

ChemLibreTexts

Tyler DeWitt (YouTube)

Chemguide.co.uk

PhET Simulations

32-Week Study Plan

Phase 1: Atomic Structure and Periodic Table

Phase 2: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Phase 3: Stoichiometry and Reactions

Phase 4: Energy, States of Matter, Solutions

Resources Hub

College Board Pre-AP

VRS AP Resources Center

AP Chemistry at VRS

Your Pre-AP Chemistry AI Tutor

Pre-AP Chemistry is the Starting Line — AP Chemistry is the Race

Ready to Build Your AP Science Foundation?

Pre-AP ChemistryAP Science Foundation

Four Course Sections

Atomic Structure and Periodicity

Chemical Bonding and Properties

Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry

Laboratory Investigation Skills

AP Readiness: What This Course Unlocks

AP Chemistry

AP Physics 1

AP Biology

AP Environmental Science

Four Course Units

Unit 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

Key Topics

Key Terms

Curated Video Lessons

Unit 2: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Key Topics

Key Terms

Curated Video Lessons

Unit 3: Stoichiometry and Reactions

Pre-AP Chemistry
AP Science Foundation

Pre-AP Chemistry
AP Science Foundation