---
title: "AP Chem Long FRQs (LEQ): Scoring, Strategy & Examples"
description: "The AP Chemistry long FRQs are 3 questions worth 10 points each in the 105-minute free-response section. Get the point breakdown, pacing plan, and strategies."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-chem/ap-chemistry-exam/ap-chem-frq-long/study-guide/ap-chem-frq-long"
type: "study-guide"
subject: "AP Chemistry"
unit: "*AP Chemistry Exam"
lastUpdated: "2026-06-12"
---

# AP Chem Long FRQs (LEQ): Scoring, Strategy & Examples

## Summary

The AP Chemistry long FRQs are 3 questions worth 10 points each in the 105-minute free-response section. Get the point breakdown, pacing plan, and strategies.

## Guide

## Overview

The [AP Chem](/ap-chem "fv-autolink") LEQ (officially the long free-response questions) refers to FRQs 1-3 on the AP Chemistry exam: three multi-part questions worth 10 points each. They appear in Section II, which gives you 105 minutes for all 7 free-response questions (3 long + 4 short) and counts for 50% of your exam score. Since the long questions hold 30 of the 46 free-response points, they alone are worth roughly a third of your entire AP score.

Quick naming note: AP Chem doesn't have an "essay" the way AP History does. Students borrow the LEQ label, but these are problem-solving questions with parts labeled (a) through (g) or (h). Expect a mix of calculations, written explanations, drawings ([Lewis structures](/ap-chem/key-terms/lewis-structures "fv-autolink"), [particle diagrams](/ap-chem/key-terms/particle-diagrams "fv-autolink"), graphs), and data analysis, with parts that often build on each other. You can use a scientific or graphing calculator on both sections, and you get the periodic table and equations sheet for the whole exam.

## How the AP Chem Long FRQs Are Scored

Each long FRQ is worth 10 points, and points are awarded part by part using a scoring guideline, not holistically. Here's where these questions sit in the exam:

| Fact | Detail |
|:---|:---|
| Questions | FRQs 1, 2, and 3 |
| Points | 10 points each (30 total) |
| Section II timing | 105 minutes for all 7 FRQs |
| Section II weight | 50% of the exam score |
| Tools | Calculator allowed; periodic table and equations sheet provided |
| Format | Hybrid digital (you view questions on screen and write responses) |

There's no single fixed rubric grid across questions, but released scoring guidelines follow consistent patterns. Here's the typical point breakdown within a 10-point long FRQ (this is a pattern, not an official rule):

| Point type | Typical share | What earns it |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Calculation points | 4-5 points | Correct setup, correct substitution, correct answer with units and sig figs |
| Explanation/justification points | 3-4 points | Stating the right principle, applying it to this specific system, reaching a valid conclusion |
| Representation points | 1-2 points | Correct Lewis structures, particle diagrams, balanced equations, or graphs |

Two scoring features work in your favor. First, setup points exist. Writing $\Delta G^{\circ} = \Delta H^{\circ} - T\Delta S^{\circ}$ with values correctly substituted earns points even if your arithmetic goes sideways. Second, consequential credit means that if you carry a wrong answer from part (b) into part (c) but your method in (c) is correct, you still earn the points in (c).

The task verbs tell you exactly what graders want. Calculate means show mathematical steps with substituted numbers, units, and significant figures. Explain means give evidence and reasoning for how or why something happens. Justify means support a claim with evidence and reasoning. Represent/Draw means use the appropriate diagram, equation, or graph. Determine, estimate, identify, predict, and make a claim show up too; each demands a slightly different kind of answer, so read the verb before you write anything.

## How to Write the AP Chem LEQ, Step by Step

Budget about 20 minutes per long FRQ. That leaves roughly 10 minutes for each of the four short FRQs and a small buffer. The points-per-minute math works out: long questions hold 10 points each, short ones hold 4.

### Step 1: Scan all three questions first (2 minutes)

The three long FRQs vary in style. Typically one leans calculation-heavy and another leans explanation-heavy. Spend two minutes scanning all three and start with your strongest type. You answer questions in any order, and momentum is real.

### Step 2: Read the whole question and mark it up (2-3 minutes)

Read every part before solving part (a). The parts connect: (a) might ask you to balance an equation that feeds (b)'s [stoichiometry](/ap-chem/unit-4/stoichiometry/study-guide/GjwCuhOQRvWLb4rKjYD2 "fv-autolink"), and (c)'s explanation might hinge on (b)'s result. Seeing the architecture up front prevents wrong turns.

As you read, circle every numerical value, underline condition phrases like "at [equilibrium](/ap-chem/unit-7/reaction-quotient-le-chateliers-principle/study-guide/JFx1InPfZCZ9SugPKDCE "fv-autolink")" or "at [298 K](/ap-chem/key-terms/k "fv-autolink")" (they tell you which equations apply), and jot the formulas you'll need in the margin. A useful rule from years of released FRQs: no information is extraneous. If you're stuck, look for the data you haven't used yet.

### Step 3: Work calculations with visible logic

Start each calculation by stating what you're finding ("moles of HCl:"). Show the formula, the substitution, and the answer with units. Units do double duty here. They earn points, and they catch errors (if you're solving for [molarity](/ap-chem/key-terms/molarity "fv-autolink") and your units come out in grams, something broke upstream).

Before you write your final answer, check significant figures. Circle the given measurement with the fewest sig figs at the start of the problem. It takes five seconds and protects a point. If you're given 0.250 M and 25.0 mL, your answer needs three sig figs.

If part (c) says "using your answer from part (b)" and you couldn't solve (b), make up a chemically reasonable value, label it clearly, and keep going. Consequential credit means correct method with a carried error still scores.

### Step 4: Write explanations as three-sentence arguments

For "explain" and "justify" parts, use this structure: state the chemistry principle, connect it to this specific [system](/ap-chem/key-terms/system "fv-autolink"), then conclude. Here's an example of a full-credit [entropy](/ap-chem/unit-9/gibbs-free-energy-thermodynamic-favorability/study-guide/hCJVI2XJaSGmj1c3zvrO "fv-autolink") explanation:

> "The entropy increases because the reaction produces 3 moles of gas from 2 moles of gas. More gas particles means more possible arrangements of the particles, which corresponds to higher entropy."

Notice the chain: observation ([mole](/ap-chem/key-terms/mole "fv-autolink") change) connects to principle (entropy reflects arrangements) and lands on a conclusion. Compare that to "entropy increases because the reaction is more disordered," which restates the question without explaining anything.

More words don't earn more points. A precise three-sentence answer routinely scores full credit while a paragraph of vocabulary misses the mark. And never explain in a circle ("the reaction is [exothermic](/ap-chem/key-terms/exothermic-reaction "fv-autolink") because it releases [heat](/ap-chem/unit-6/heat-capacity-calorimetry/study-guide/jShImkrhZMnPWxlEjdwN "fv-autolink")" is the question restated, not an answer).

### Step 5: Check pace at the 15-minute mark

If you're only on part (c) of an 8-part question after 15 minutes, speed up. Condense explanations and show less intermediate arithmetic. A complete attempt at all parts scores better than perfect work on half the question, because every part has its own points.

## Common Long FRQ Patterns

The same question archetypes appear year after year. Recognizing them lets you predict what's coming.

### Equilibrium questions

A typical progression: write the equilibrium expression, calculate K from data, find [equilibrium concentrations](/ap-chem/unit-7/magnitude-equilibrium-constant/study-guide/dvXT7PLceyYd2QH8KiV4 "fv-autolink"), explain what happens when conditions change, then recalculate. When a "what happens if" part appears, don't just name Le Chatelier. Writing "Le Chatelier's principle" alone earns nothing. Writing "adding heat to this exothermic reaction shifts equilibrium toward reactants to absorb the added heat, decreasing [product](/ap-chem/unit-7/representations-equilibrium/study-guide/wLQChBkGSKiEP5xvlXB8 "fv-autolink") concentration" earns the point.

### Thermodynamics questions

These chain concepts together: find $\Delta H^{\circ}$ from bond energies or [Hess's law](/ap-chem/unit-6/hess-law/study-guide/p9ryCGfaOvpZj0Qye5eT "fv-autolink"), reason about the sign of $\Delta S^{\circ}$ from states of matter, compute $\Delta G^{\circ}$ and decide favorability, then discuss temperature dependence or connect to K through $\Delta G^{\circ} = -RT \ln K$. Sign errors are the classic point-killer. Breaking bonds is endothermic (positive); forming bonds is exothermic (negative). Say it to yourself before you substitute anything.

### Laboratory questions

These describe an experiment and ask you to compute yield, find percent error, diagnose error sources, and suggest improvements. "Human error" earns 0 points, every time. Be mechanistic: "some CO2 escaped during the transfer, decreasing the measured mass and lowering the calculated yield" earns credit because it names what went wrong and traces the effect on the result.

### Acid-base titration questions

The classic arc: initial pH, pH at several points, equivalence point, indicator choice, buffer behavior. Keep the equivalence-point map handy. Strong acid/strong base lands at pH 7, [weak acid](/ap-chem/unit-8/acid-base-reactions-buffers/study-guide/aXiB6ONME0VEX1JR9Kwh "fv-autolink")/strong base lands above 7, strong acid/weak base lands below 7. That single fact drives the indicator-selection part.

## Techniques for Drawings and Graphs

Representations are worth real points, so don't treat them as throwaways. For Lewis structures, run the routine: count total [valence electrons](/ap-chem/unit-1/valence-electrons-ionic-compounds/study-guide/XTtinEfGPR0jEJmpUuBx "fv-autolink"), draw single bonds, complete octets, then convert lone pairs to [multiple bonds](/ap-chem/unit-2/vsepr-bond-hybridization/study-guide/OslsAmh8LcVoqbpnjPAu "fv-autolink") if needed. Graders look for the correct electron count and a reasonable geometry. For resonance, show the structure that differs, not three redrawn copies.

For particle diagrams, draw the species actually present. A strong acid in water should be all ions and no intact molecules. A weak acid should be mostly intact molecules with a few ions. For precipitation reactions, keep spectator ions dissolved and show the solid at the bottom.

For graph interpretation, read the axes first. On [titration](/ap-chem/unit-4/intro-titrations/study-guide/8XHQYjYki6GqAcrp18I2 "fv-autolink") curves, locate the initial pH, the buffer region (gradual change), and the equivalence point (steep jump). On [kinetics](/ap-chem/unit-5/reaction-rates/study-guide/4V94d3BwjoPaOOyQtDKQ "fv-autolink") plots, linearity reveals order: [A] vs. time linear means zero order, ln[A] vs. time linear means first order, 1/[A] vs. time linear means second order.

## Common Mistakes

- **Skipping a part because the previous answer felt wrong.** Consequential credit means correct method with a carried error still earns points. Use your value and keep moving.
- **Name-dropping principles instead of applying them.** "Le Chatelier's principle" or "Coulomb's law" with no connection to the specific system earns nothing. State the principle, then tie it to the actual species and conditions in the question.
- **Ignoring units and significant figures.** Scoring guidelines specifically reward proper units and sig figs on calculations. Circle the least-precise given value before you start.
- **Writing "human error" on lab questions.** It scores zero. Name a specific physical cause and trace its direction of effect on the calculated result.
- **Spending equal time on unequal parts.** "Write the balanced equation" is usually 1 point and deserves 30 seconds. "Calculate the pH at the equivalence point" might be 3 points and deserves several minutes. Match time to point value.
- **Answering the question you expected instead of the task verb on the page.** "Justify" demands evidence plus reasoning; "identify" wants a short, direct answer. Padding an "identify" wastes time, and a bare claim on a "justify" loses the point.

## Practice and Next Steps

The fastest way to improve on long FRQs is timed reps against real scoring guidelines. Work questions from the [AP Chem past exams collection](/ap-chem/past-exams), then score yourself line by line and notice which point types you keep missing (setup? sig figs? circular explanations?). For instant feedback, run questions through [Fiveable's FRQ practice with scoring](/ap-chem/frq-practice), and browse the [full FRQ question bank](/ap-chem/frqs) to drill specific patterns like equilibrium or titration.

The long FRQs are one piece of the exam, so balance your prep. Review the [short FRQs 4-7 guide](/ap-chem/ap-chemistry-exam/ap-chem-frq-short/study-guide/ap-chem-frq-short) for the 4-point questions and the [multiple-choice strategy guide](/ap-chem/ap-chemistry-exam/ap-chem-mcq/study-guide/ap-chem-mcq) for Section I. When you're a few weeks out, take a [full-length AP Chem practice exam](/ap-chem/practice-exam) under real timing, and use the [AP score calculator](/ap-chem/ap-score-calculator) to see how your FRQ points translate to a final score.

## FAQs

### How many points is each AP Chem long FRQ worth?

Each long free-response question (FRQs 1-3) is worth 10 points, for 30 of the 46 total free-response points. Since Section II counts for 50% of your exam score, the three long FRQs alone are worth roughly a third of your AP Chemistry score. Points are awarded part by part, so attempt every part even if earlier ones went badly.

### How much time should I spend on each AP Chem long FRQ?

About 20 minutes each. Section II gives you 105 minutes for 7 questions: 3 long FRQs at 10 points and 4 short FRQs at 4 points. Twenty minutes per long question and about 10 per short question matches the point values and leaves a small buffer for review.

### Is there an LEQ on the AP Chemistry exam?

Not in the essay sense. Students borrow the LEQ label from AP History, but AP Chem's long questions are multi-part problem-solving FRQs with parts (a) through (g) or (h). They mix calculations, short written explanations, and drawings like Lewis structures and particle diagrams, with no thesis or essay required.

### Can you get partial credit on AP Chem FRQs?

Yes, and it's substantial. Setup points reward writing the correct formula with values substituted even if the final number is wrong, and consequential credit means a correct method using an incorrect earlier answer still scores. That's why you should show every step and never skip a part because a previous answer felt off.

### Can you use a calculator on the AP Chem free-response section?

Yes. A scientific or graphing calculator is allowed on both sections of the AP Chemistry exam, and you're given the periodic table and equations sheet throughout. Practice with the same calculator you'll bring so unit conversions and log calculations are automatic. Try timed questions on [Fiveable's FRQ practice tool](/ap-chem/frq-practice) to build that fluency.

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