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AP® Chemistry Unit 2 Review and Practice Test

Compound Structure and Properties

Struggling with compound structure and properties? Our AP® Chem Unit 2 review explains key concepts clearly. Practice with MCQs and full-length tests to identify your strengths and areas to improve.

Master AP Chemistry Unit 2 with Expert Review and Practice

Boost your understanding of AP Chem Unit 2 with a thorough review of compound structure and properties. Our resources include clear explanations, focused practice tests, and progress checks for both MCQs and FRQs. These will help you spot your strengths and weaknesses. By regularly practicing and tracking your progress, you can reinforce key concepts, build confidence, and prepare well for the Unit 2 AP Chemistry test.

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Engaging Video Lessons

Our video lessons focus on the main ideas of Unit 2 AP Chemistry, allowing you to build a strong foundation. Each video explains challenging concepts in a clear and easy-to-understand way. This helps you visualize molecular structures, bonding, and interactions.

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Interactive Study Guides

UWorld’s AP Chemistry Unit 2 study guide offers a clear way to review important topics in compound structure and properties. It divides concepts into manageable sections that include summaries, diagrams, and key points. Use it with AP Chem Unit 2 practice tests to monitor your progress and pinpoint areas that need more focus.

Practice

Practice Key Concepts with AP Chemistry Unit 2 MCQs

Strengthen your understanding of compound structure and properties with focused AP Chemistry Unit 2 MCQs. These multiple-choice questions help you apply important concepts from the unit and test your problem-solving skills. Practicing these questions alongside AP Chemistry Unit 2 FRQ exercises prepares you for both the conceptual and application sections of the exam.
Try these sample practice questions with detailed answer explanations:
Compound Structure and Properties Practice Tests

Question

Which of the following diagrams best represents a solid with metallic bonds?

Atomic Nucleus

A. First Metallic bond
B. Second Metallic bond
C. Third Metallic bond
D. Fourth Metallic bond

Explanation

Weakly bond electrons

Substances can be classified by their molecular bonding characteristics and physical properties. Metallic bonds form when two or more metal atoms share valence electrons. The valence electrons in a metallic solid are weakly bound, allowing them to move freely among all metal atoms in the solid. As such, metallic compounds can be conceptualized as an array of metal nuclei surrounded by a delocalized "sea of electrons."

Because the valence electrons in metallic bonds can move freely between metal atoms, metallic bonds are nondirectional and remain intact, regardless of orientation. This characteristic causes metallic solids to be ductile and malleable when placed under stress. This feature also causes metals to have a high melting point and to be electrically conductive in both solid and liquid states.

The diagram in Choice C best represents a solid with metallic bonds because it depicts delocalized valence electrons moving freely among atomic nuclei.

(Choice A) This diagram best represents an ionic solid held together by ionic bonds (ie, strong electrostatic attractions between oppositely charged ions).

(Choice B) This diagram best represents a solid held together by a network of covalent bonds. Covalent-network compounds are large groups of repeating structures interconnected by covalent bonds. These networks function like one large multiatomic molecule.

(Choice D) This diagram best represents a molecular solid consisting of discrete molecules. The atoms in each molecule are covalently bonded, but the molecules themselves are aggregated together in the solid by weak, noncovalent, intermolecular interactions between neighboring molecules.

Things to remember:
Metallic bonds form when two or more metal atoms share weakly bound valence electrons that can move freely among all metal atoms joined in a metallic solid. Metallic compounds can be conceptualized as an array of metal nuclei surrounded by a delocalized "sea of electrons."

Question

Structural formula of ethanol (C₂H₅OH).

The structure of ethanol, CH3CH2OH, is represented by the Lewis diagram above. Which of the following statements best describes the C–H and C–C bonds in an ethanol molecule?

A. The C–H bonds are ionic bonds, whereas the C–C bond is a nonpolar covalent bond.
B. The C–H bonds are polar covalent bonds, whereas the C–C bond is a nonpolar covalent bond.
C. The C–H bonds are nonpolar covalent bonds, whereas the C–C bond is a polar covalent bond.
D. The C–H and C–C bonds are all nonpolar covalent bonds.

Explanation

Electronegativity difference

The type of bond formed between two atoms generally depends on the relative difference in electronegativity between the atoms involved. A large difference in electronegativity promotes electron transfer between atoms, which causes ionic bond formation (usually between a metal and a nonmetal). A small difference in electronegativity promotes electron sharing between atoms, which causes covalent bond formation (usually between two nonmetals).

If the electronegativities of two atoms in a covalent bond are significantly different, the electrons in the bond are shared unequally between the atoms, which results in a dipole and produces a polar covalent bond. Conversely, if the electronegativities of two atoms in a covalent bond are similar, the result is a nonpolar covalent bond.

Hydrocarbon bonds (ie, bonds involving only C and H) are examples of nonpolar covalent bonds. Although carbon is a little more electronegative than hydrogen, a C–H bond is essentially nonpolar because the electronegativity difference is small. Similarly, C–C bonds are nonpolar covalent bonds because atoms of the same element have no difference in electronegativity.

(Choice A) The C–H bonds are not ionic bonds because C and H are both nonmetals and do not have a large enough difference in electronegativity to cause ion formation.

(Choices B and C) The differences in electronegativity between the atoms of a C–C bond and a C–H bond are too small for either bond to be considered polar. In ethanol, only the C–O and O–H bonds can be considered polar.

Things to remember:
The difference in electronegativity between two bonded atoms determines the polarity of the bond between the atoms. Larger differences in electronegativity cause larger dipole moments (ie, greater polarity). When the electronegativities of two atoms in a covalent bond are similar, the bond is nonpolar.

Question

Bond Bond Length (pm)
C–N
C=N 138
C≡N

Based on the bond length in the table above, which of the following are the most probable bond lengths of the C–N and C≡N bonds, respectively?

A. 116 pm, 143 pm
B. 116 pm, 138 pm
C. 143 pm, 116 pm
D. 143 pm, 138 pm

Explanation

Bond order and bond length

A covalent bond forms when two atoms share electrons. Single, double, or triple bonds can form between two atoms, depending on the how many electron pairs are shared (ie, the bond order). Bond length is the distance between the nuclei of the atoms in the bond, which depends largely on the bond order. As the bond order increases, there is more electron density between the atoms, which draws the atoms closer together and decreases the bond length.

The table in the question states that a C=N double bond (bond order = 2) has a bond length of 138 pm. Because bond length decreases as bond order increases, a C–N single bond (bond order = 1) should be longer than 138 pm, but a C≡N triple bond (bond order = 3) should be shorter than 138 pm. Therefore, 143 pm and 116 pm are plausible bond lengths for a C–N single bond and a C≡N triple bond, respectively.

(Choice A) When comparing the bond length of a single and triple bond between the same two atoms (eg, C–N and C≡N), the single bond will be longer than the triple bond.

(Choices B and D) A double and a triple bond between the same two atoms (eg, C=N and C≡N) cannot have the same bond length because a triple bond has more electron density pulling the atoms closer together than in a double bond.

Things to remember:
Bond length depends largely on the bond order (ie, number of bonds between two atoms). As the bond order increases, there is more electron density between the atoms, which draws the atoms closer together and decreases the bond length.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

AP Chemistry Unit 2 focuses on understanding how compounds are structured and how these structures influence properties and behavior. Key topics include:

  • Types of chemical bonds
  • Intramolecular force and potential energy
  • Structure of ionic solids
  • Structure of metals and alloys
  • Lewis diagrams
  • Resonance and formal charge
  • VSEPR and hybridization

Effective preparation includes revising key concepts, practicing problem-solving, and giving extra attention to weak areas. A structured approach helps ensure you are ready for the exam.

  • Review AP Chem Unit 2 notes and video lessons
  • Practice unit 2 progress check FRQs and MCQs
  • Use diagrams and molecular models to visualize structures
  • Focus on challenging topics where you need extra practice

Several free resources can supplement your study and help reinforce Unit 2 concepts. These are great for students who want additional explanations and practice.

Consider exploring:

  • Khan Academy: For information on bonding, molecular structure, and intermolecular forces.
  • College Board AP Classroom: For sample questions and unit guides.
  • Bozeman Science and Tyler DeWitt YouTube channels: For video lessons concentrating on specific topics.

Unit 2 questions appear in multiple-choice and free-response formats, testing both conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.

  • Multiple-choice questions (MCQs): Test understanding of compound structure, properties, and related calculations.
  • Free-response questions (FRQs): Assess application of compound structure, predicting properties, and problem-solving with evidence.

Students commonly make mistakes when they misunderstand ideas or hurry through problems. Knowing these common errors can help them do better.

  • Mixing up molecular polarity with bond polarity
  • Using VSEPR theory wrong to guess a molecule’s shape.
  • Ignoring intermolecular forces when explaining physical properties
  • Not giving detailed enough explanations for free-response questions’ reasoning. 

The best way to avoid these mistakes is to practice regularly with UWorld’s AP Chemistry Unit 2 Review.. Our in-depth explanations help you understand tricky concepts and reinforce correct problem-solving strategies.

To prepare yourself for the AP Chemistry Unit 2 exam, concentrate on gaining a solid understanding of the principles and putting them into practice. And follow the listed steps:

  • Go over your notes and use a study guide to arrange key subjects like molecular shape, bonding, and intermolecular forces. 
  • If you find some ideas difficult, watch videos to make them clearer. 
  • To monitor your progress, keep working through free-response and multiple-choice questions from Unit 2. 
  • Try to study at the same time every day. Give special attention to the topics that are hard for you, and slowly work on more difficult problems.
  •  Sources like UWorld can give you focused practice and thorough explanations, which will help you learn the subject and be ready for the test.
Improve your FRQ performance by focusing on clear explanations of reasoning and showing all steps in calculations. Practice regularly with unit 2 progress check FRQs and review common question types related to molecular geometry, bond polarity, and intermolecular forces. Split the questions into smaller parts and write clear, well-organized answers. UWorld’s FRQ explanations can show you how to handle difficult questions and be more accurate and thorough.
Unit 2 builds the foundation for a lot of essential concepts in AP Chemistry; naturally, it carries a good amount of weight on the exam. While the exact percentage varies each year, typically it is around 7-9% of the AP Chemistry exam. Understanding of this unit is crucial because the same concepts will appear again in later units, including chemical reactions, thermodynamics, and solutions.
You can find high-quality study guides through AP Classroom, UWorld, or downloadable PDFs online. Pairing a study guide with practice questions and video lessons ensures you reinforce your understanding, track progress, and approach the AP Chem Unit 2 test with confidence.
Indeed, you can find focused AP Chemistry Unit 2 practice tests on platforms such as UWorld and AP Classroom. These tests feature multiple-choice questions and free-response questions about compound structure, molecular geometry, and bonding. Regular practice helps you spot weak areas, reinforces what you’ve learned, and builds skills needed to succeed on the AP Chemistry Unit 2 test.
In Unit 2, some topics show up on the AP Chemistry exam more than others. Molecular geometry and VSEPR theory, the difference between bond polarity and molecular polarity, and intramolecular force and potential energy are key areas. Reviewing these ideas can improve your test scores, especially on the multiple-choice and free-response questions in Unit 2.
Practicing AP Chemistry Unit 2 questions actively is the best way to review. UWorld’s questions for this unit can help you understand compound structure and properties using exam-like MCQs and FRQs. Every question has detailed explanations that clarify tricky topics like bonding and molecular shapes. As you study, keep track of your progress and go back to the sections that need extra attention.
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