ACS General Chemistry Practice Test

The exam is comprehensive and typically covers topics from both General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II. Key areas include:

• Atomic Structure and Electronic Configuration
• Stoichiometry (Molar Mass, Limiting Reactants, Percent Yield)
• Gases, Liquids, and Solids (States of Matter, Intermolecular Forces)
• Thermodynamics (Enthalpy, Entropy, Gibbs Free Energy)
• Kinetics (Reaction Rates)
• Equilibrium (Chemical and Solubility)
• Acids and Bases (pH, Buffers, Titrations)
• Electrochemistry and Nuclear Chemistry

Generally, you need to answer at least 50% of the questions correctly to pass. However, final scores are often based on a percentile ranking that compares your performance to a national sample, and your professor may use a curving method.

The ACS Examinations Institute provides a General Chemistry Study Guide that includes over 600 practice problems, divided by first and second term material.

• Use the official ACS study guide.
• Take Prephow ACS General Chemistry practice exams to build stamina and get used to the pacing.
• Focus on high-yield topics like stoichiometry, equilibrium, and thermodynamics, but make sure you have a broad conceptual base.

Students tend to struggle most with stoichiometry, equilibrium calculations, and conceptual questions about bonding and molecular geometry. Acid-base chemistry and equilibrium problems also trip people up regularly because they involve multiple steps and you need to apply several concepts together. The silver lining is that these are predictable weak areas, so focused practice on these topics pays off.

This depends on your institution's policy. Most schools let you take it once as a final exam, but some allow retakes. Check with your professor or chemistry department about their specific retake policy. If you do get to retake it, the first attempt gives you valuable information about which topics need more study time.

You'll typically have access to a periodic table and a list of constants (like gas constant R, Avogadro's number, and Planck's constant) during the test. You won't be able to bring in your own reference materials or calculator, though the specific tools allowed can vary by institution. Check with your professor about what's allowed at your school.