CHEMISTRY
SELF-PACED COURSE
1. About this Course
This course covers all of the
The CLEP examination places a major emphasis on understanding the structure and states of matter, reaction types, equations and stoichiometry, equilibrium, kinetics, thermodynamics. It also explores descriptive and experimental chemistry as well as fosters the ability to interpret and apply this material to new and unfamiliar problems.
This exam contains approximately 75 questions to be answered in 90 minutes.
The “Chemistry” course is completely self-paced. There are no prerequisites to take this course, and it is entirely free. Any student who wants to save time and money while completing freshman year in college can take it.
This course is organized into nine topical chapters or modules that contain short video lessons,
During this CLEP examination, an online scientific (
2. About Ruben Savizky
Professor Ruben M. Savizky, Ph.D., a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from The Cooper Union in 1998, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in chemistry from Yale University in 2000 and 2005, respectively.
Prof. Savizky’s graduate work involved the synthesis of small molecule inhibitors for RNA-protein interactions, particularly those involved in HIV-1 replication. He started his independent career as an assistant professor at The Cooper Union in
His teaching efforts have twice been recognized by the student body, as the recipient of the Student’s List letter in 2008 and in 2009. In 2011 he also began teaching courses in instrumental analysis, chromatography, quality analysis and quality control for the Bnai Zion Immigrant Training Program (now the Cooper Union Retraining Program for Immigrant Engineers).
Prof. Savizky has also taught numerous courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and medicinal chemistry at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (now the Tandon School of Engineering), the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine and Columbia University. In
In 2015 Prof. Savizky and The Cooper Union released their first massively open online course (MOOC), in order to help high school students obtain college credit in the subject of chemistry.
Since 2005, Prof. Savizky has supervised over twenty research projects in a number of areas, including: pharmaceutical and medicinal chemistry (synthesis of
These research projects have led to collaborations with a number of local universities such as Polytechnic University (now NYU-Poly), New York University and Columbia University, as well as with the private sector (Process NMR Associates, located in Danbury, CT). Some of this work has been presented at national meetings and conferences, including the 47th Experimental NMR Conference in 2006, the 232nd meeting of the American Chemical Society in 2006, the 47th Annual Eastern Analytical Symposium in 2007 and Pittcon in 2010.
Furthermore, Prof. Savizky was instrumental in arranging a project funded by Science House that involved spectroscopic analysis of chocolate. This provided Cooper Union’s undergraduate students with an opportunity to carry out sophisticated analyses following their sophomore year. The results of the students’ findings were presented at an event hosted at The Cooper Union, Chocolatefest 2010, and were filmed as a segment for ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.
For five years, Prof. Savizky has led high school students in
3. Required Knowledge and Skills
The CLEP exam requires you to demonstrate the following knowledge as indicated:
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Recall - remember specific facts; demonstrate straightforward knowledge of information and familiarity with terminology.
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Application - understand concepts and reformulate information into other equivalent terms; apply knowledge to unfamiliar and/or practical situations; use mathematics to solve chemistry problems.
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Interpretation - infer and deduce from data available and integrate information to form conclusions; recognize unstated assumptions.
4. Course Modules
Following are the main topics of the exam’s questions, mostly based on the College Board's description of the course:
Module 1: Structure of Matter and the Periodic Table
1.1. Atomic Theory and Atomic Structure
1.2. Nomenclature
1.3. Evidence for the Atomic Theory
1.4. Atomic Masses
1.5. Isotopes and Mass Spectrometry
Practice Question #1
1.6. Nuclear Chemistry
1.7. Energy and the Electromagnetic Spectrum
1.8. Electron Energy Levels
1.9. Pauli Exclusion Principle
Practice Question #2
1.10. Periodic Relationships
Practice Question #3
Practice Question #4
Practice Question #5
1.11. Chemical Reactivity
1.12. Understanding Relationships in the Periodic Table
Module 2: Equations and Stoichiometry
2.1. Moles
Practice Question #6
2.2. Limiting Reagents and Yield
Practice Question #7
2.3. Balancing Reactions
Practice Question #8
2.4. Aqueous Solutions
Module 3: Phases of Matter
3.1. Precipitation
3.2. Gases
3.2.1 Laws of Ideal Gases
3.2.2 KMT
Practice Question #9
3.2.3 Interpretation of KMT
Practice Question #10
3.2.4 Moles
3.2.5 KE and Boltzmann
3.2.6 Graham’s Law
Practice Question #11
3.2.7 Deviations from Ideal Gas Laws
Practice Question #12
3.3. Liquids and Solids
3.3.1 Kinetic Molecular Comparison of Phases
Practice Question #13
3.3.2 Phase Diagrams
Practice Question #14
3.3.3 Critical Points
3.3.4 Crystal Structures
Practice Question #15
3.4. Solutions
3.4.1 Ideal Solutions
3.4.2 Concentration
Practice Question #16
3.4.3 Solutions: Colligative Properties
Module 4: Bonding and Intermolecular Forces
4.1. Chemical Bonding
4.1.1 Types of Bonds
4.1.2 Relationship to Structure and Properties
4.1.3 Polarity of Bonds
4.1.4 More on Polarity
4.2. Molecular Geometry
4.3. Bonding and Molecules
4.3.1 Molecular Models
4.3.2 Valence Bond Theory and Hybridization
Practice Question #17
4.3.3 Molecular Orbital Theory
Practice Question #18
4.4. Effects of Attractions on Properties
Practice Question #19
Module 5: Equilibrium
5.1. Equilibrium Constant
Practice Question #20
5.2. Quantitative Treatment
5.2.1 Kp and Kc
Practice Question #21
5.2.2 Equilibrium Constants for Reactions
Practice Question #22
Module 6: Kinetics and Thermodynamics
6.1. State Functions
Practice Question #23
6.2. Calorimetry and Heat Capacity
6.3. Chemical Kinetics
6.4. Rate Laws
6.5. Determination of a Rate Law
Practice Question #24
6.6. Temperature and Rates
6.7. Activation Energy
6.8. Catalyst
Practice Question #25
6.9. Mechanisms and Rate-Determining Step
Module 7: Acids and Bases
7.1. Equilibrium for Acids and Bases
7.2. Calculations for Weak Acids and Bases
7.3. Understanding the Mechanism of a Reaction
Practice Question #26
Practice Question #27
7.4. Solubility Equilibrium
7.5. Acids and Bases: Definitions
7.6. Coordination Complexes
7.7. Constants for Complex Ions
7.8. Common Ion Effect
Module 8: Electrochemistry
8.1 Oxidation Numbers
Practice Question #28
8.2 Electrons in Redox Reactions
8.3 Electrochemistry
Practice Question #29
8.4 Quantitative Electrolysis
Module 9: Descriptive Chemistry
9.1 Chemistry of the Main Groups and Transition Elements
9.2 Organic Chemistry
Module 10: Experimental Chemistry
10.1 Experimental Chemistry
5. How CLEP Works
Developed by the College Board, CLEP (College-Level Examination Program®) is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program.
CLEP’s credits are accepted by 2,900 colleges and universities, according to the College Board. These tests assess college-level knowledge in 33 subject areas.
Modern States Education Alliance is the non-profit organization behind these edX-style courses. Its project is called “Freshman Year for Free” and its mission is to make college more accessible and affordable through free, high-quality online education.