New York · NYSEDSyllabus
Chemistry syllabus, dot point by dot point
Every dot point in the New York Chemistrysyllabus, with a focused answer for each one. Click any dot point for a worked explainer, past exam questions, and links to related dot points. Written by Claude Opus 4.8, Anthropic's latest AI.
Atomic Concepts and the Periodic Table
Module overview →- How are electrons arranged in energy levels, and what is the difference between a ground state and an excited state?Electron configuration and energy levels: write Regents electron configurations, distinguish ground state from excited state, and explain how electrons absorb and emit specific amounts of energy as photons.9 min answer →
- How do atoms become ions, and how does nuclide notation record the particles in an atom or ion?Ions and nuclide notation: explain how positive and negative ions form by losing or gaining electrons, and interpret nuclide symbols to count protons, neutrons and electrons.8 min answer →
- Why is the atomic mass on the periodic table rarely a whole number, and how do isotopes explain it?Isotopes and average atomic mass: define isotopes, and calculate the weighted average atomic mass of an element from the masses and natural abundances of its isotopes.9 min answer →
- How do atomic radius, ionization energy and electronegativity change across a period and down a group?Periodic trends: describe and explain the trends in atomic radius, ionization energy, electronegativity and metallic character across a period and down a group, using Table S where appropriate.9 min answer →
- What are atoms made of, and how do the three subatomic particles determine an atom's identity and charge?Atomic structure: describe the charge, relative mass and location of protons, neutrons and electrons, and use atomic number and mass number to count the particles in an atom.9 min answer →
- How is the periodic table organized, and how does an element's position tell you its properties?The periodic table and its organization: explain periods, groups and the periodic law, and classify elements as metals, nonmetals or metalloids using position and physical properties.9 min answer →
Chemical Bonding
Module overview →- How does the electronegativity difference between two atoms decide whether a bond is ionic, polar covalent or nonpolar covalent?Electronegativity and bond polarity: use electronegativity differences from Table S to classify bonds as ionic, polar covalent or nonpolar covalent.9 min answer →
- What forces act between molecules, and how do they explain boiling points and the unusual behavior of water?Intermolecular forces: describe hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole forces and weak dispersion forces, and use them to explain trends in boiling point and the properties of water.9 min answer →
- How do you draw a Lewis electron-dot structure, and why is a molecule like water polar but carbon dioxide nonpolar?Lewis structures and molecular polarity: draw Lewis electron-dot diagrams for simple atoms, ions and molecules, and decide whether a molecule is polar or nonpolar from its bonds and shape.9 min answer →
- How does bonding explain the very different properties of salt, sugar and metals?Properties of ionic, molecular and metallic substances: relate melting point, electrical conductivity, hardness and solubility to the type of bonding and structure.9 min answer →
- What holds atoms together, and how do ionic, covalent and metallic bonds differ?Types of chemical bonds: distinguish ionic, covalent and metallic bonding in terms of electron transfer or sharing, and relate bond type to the elements involved.9 min answer →
Kinetics, Equilibrium, Acids and Bases
Module overview →- What defines an acid and a base on the Regents, and what does the pH scale tell you?Acids, bases and the pH scale: identify Arrhenius acids and bases, interpret the pH scale, and relate a change in pH to a change in hydrogen ion concentration.9 min answer →
- What is dynamic equilibrium, and how does Le Chatelier's principle predict the effect of a stress on a system?Equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle: describe dynamic equilibrium and predict the shift in a system when concentration, temperature or pressure is changed.9 min answer →
- What happens when an acid reacts with a base, and what is a salt?Neutralization and salts: write neutralization reactions of an acid with a base to form a salt and water, and identify the salt produced.9 min answer →
- How does a potential energy diagram show activation energy, the heat of reaction and the effect of a catalyst?Potential energy diagrams: interpret potential energy diagrams to identify activation energy, the activated complex and the heat of reaction, and show how a catalyst changes the diagram.9 min answer →
- What must happen for a reaction to occur, and what factors make a reaction go faster?Reaction rates and collision theory: use collision theory to explain how concentration, temperature, surface area and a catalyst affect the rate of a reaction.9 min answer →
- How does a titration find the unknown concentration of an acid or base?Titration: use titration data and the Table T titration relationship to calculate the unknown concentration of an acid or base.9 min answer →
Physical Behavior of Matter
Module overview →- How do you express the concentration of a solution as molarity, parts per million or percent by mass?Concentration and molarity: calculate molarity, parts per million and percent by mass using the concentration formulas on Table T.9 min answer →
- How do you calculate the heat absorbed or released when a substance warms, melts or boils?Heat and calorimetry: calculate heat changes using q = mC(delta-T) for temperature changes and q = mH for phase changes, with constants from Table B and formulas from Table T.9 min answer →
- What is happening to a substance's energy and particles at each stage of a heating curve?Heating and cooling curves: interpret heating and cooling curves, distinguishing changes in kinetic energy from changes in potential energy during phase changes.9 min answer →
- How do you read a solubility curve, and what makes a solution saturated, unsaturated or supersaturated?Solutions and solubility curves: classify solutions as unsaturated, saturated or supersaturated, and use the Table G solubility curves to determine how much solute dissolves at a given temperature.9 min answer →
- How does the kinetic molecular theory explain the differences between solids, liquids and gases?States of matter and kinetic molecular theory: describe the particle arrangement and energy in solids, liquids and gases, and state the assumptions of the kinetic molecular theory of an ideal gas.9 min answer →
- How do pressure, volume and temperature of a gas relate, and how do you use the combined gas law?The gas laws: use the combined gas law to relate the pressure, volume and Kelvin temperature of a fixed mass of gas, with STP from Table A.9 min answer →
Redox, Organic and Nuclear Chemistry
Module overview →- How do voltaic and electrolytic cells use redox reactions, and where do oxidation and reduction occur?Electrochemical cells: distinguish voltaic from electrolytic cells, and identify the anode, cathode and direction of electron flow in each.9 min answer →
- How do you write half-reactions and use them to show that electrons and charge are conserved in redox?Half-reactions and balancing redox: write oxidation and reduction half-reactions showing electron transfer, and balance them so that electrons lost equal electrons gained.9 min answer →
- What are the types of radioactive decay, and how do you balance a nuclear equation and use half-life?Nuclear chemistry: identify alpha, beta, positron and gamma radiation, balance nuclear equations, and use half-life with the Table T relationship and Table O data.9 min answer →
- Why is carbon special, and how are the hydrocarbon families organized and named?Organic chemistry and hydrocarbons: classify alkanes, alkenes and alkynes using their general formulas, and name simple hydrocarbons using Table P and Table Q.9 min answer →
- How do functional groups define classes of organic compounds, and what are the main organic reactions?Organic reactions and functional groups: identify organic classes from their functional groups using Table R, and recognize the main organic reactions such as combustion, substitution, addition, esterification and polymerization.9 min answer →
- How do you assign oxidation numbers, and how do they reveal what is oxidized and reduced?Oxidation numbers and redox reactions: assign oxidation numbers using the standard rules, and identify oxidation, reduction, and the oxidizing and reducing agents in a reaction.9 min answer →
The Mole and Stoichiometry
Module overview →- Why must a chemical equation be balanced, and how do coefficients express conservation of mass and charge?Balancing equations and conservation of mass: balance chemical equations by adjusting coefficients so atoms and charge are conserved, and interpret the coefficients as mole ratios.9 min answer →
- How do you write a correct chemical formula, and how do you find the percent by mass of an element in a compound?Chemical formulas and percent composition: write formulas for ionic and molecular compounds using oxidation numbers and Table E, and calculate percent composition by mass using Table T.9 min answer →
- How do the coefficients in a balanced equation let you calculate the mass or moles of one substance from another?Stoichiometric calculations: use mole ratios from a balanced equation to convert between moles and masses of reactants and products.9 min answer →
- How does the mole connect the mass of a sample to the number of particles it contains?The mole and molar mass: use the mole and gram-formula mass to convert between the mass of a substance, the number of moles, and the number of particles.9 min answer →
- How can chemical reactions be classified, and how do you predict the products of each type?Types of chemical reactions: classify reactions as synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement or combustion, and use Table J and Table F to predict whether a reaction occurs.9 min answer →