The AP Chemistry exam runs for three hours and fifteen minutes and is built from two sections that count equally toward your score. Knowing the format before exam day means no surprises: you will know how many questions to expect, how long you have for each part, and exactly where your points come from.
The format also decides how your raw points become a 1 to 5 grade. Our AP Chemistry Score Calculator turns the points from either section into a predicted score, so you can test any practice exam as you study.
The two sections at a glance
| Section | Type | Questions | Time | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section I | Multiple choice | 60 questions | 1 hour 30 minutes | 50% |
| Section II | Free response | 7 questions | 1 hour 45 minutes | 50% |
| Total | 67 questions | 3 hours 15 minutes | 100% |
Because each section is worth exactly half of your score, the exam rewards students who are balanced. A great multiple choice round cannot fully cover a weak free response round, and the reverse is just as true.
Section I: Multiple Choice
Section I gives you 60 multiple choice questions in 1 hour and 30 minutes, which works out to about 90 seconds each. Some questions stand alone while others come in sets built around a shared diagram, data table, or experiment. You are given a periodic table, but no calculator is allowed on this section, so the math is kept simple enough to handle by hand or by estimating. This section is 50 percent of your score.
Section II: Free Response
Section II gives you 1 hour and 45 minutes for 7 free response questions worth 46 raw points in total, and it is the other 50 percent of your score. Here you show your work: you write out reasoning, balance equations, run calculations, and explain your results. A calculator is allowed on this section, along with a sheet of formulas and constants.
- 3 long-answer questions, worth 10 points each, that ask for multi-step reasoning and calculations.
- 4 short-answer questions, worth 4 points each, that focus on a single idea or skill.
What you are given
- A periodic table of the elements, on both sections.
- A sheet of formulas and constants, most useful on the free response section.
- A calculator on Section II only; Section I is done without one.
How the format turns into your score
Each section is scaled to the same size and added into a composite out of 100, which then maps to the 1 to 5 scale. We walk through that math in how the AP Chemistry composite score is calculated, and you can browse every related tool in AP Exam Scores.
Key takeaway
Two equally weighted sections, 60 multiple choice and 7 free response, over 3 hours 15 minutes. Balance is everything, because each half is worth 50 percent of your final 1 to 5 score.
See your score from any practice test
Enter your multiple choice and free response points for an instant 1 to 5 estimate, with a planner for the score you are aiming at.
Open the calculator