Advanced Standing Exam - Guidelines for upperclassmen
Advanced Standing Exam - Guidelines for first term freshmen
Differences between 5.111 and 5.112

This exam is only offered once a year just before the beginning of the fall term. This year the exam is being offered on Wednesday, August 28th, 2013 (8:00am-11:00am, Walker Gym 50-340).

General Instructions
The Advanced Standing Exam in Chemistry is administered at the same time, and is the same exam as the Advanced Standing Exam for incoming freshmen. Note that an upperclassman or a second term freshman must complete a petition requesting permission to take the exam and stating that you have not taken the exam before or attended 5.111/5.112/3.091 at any time. Your advisor and the Academic Administrator in the Chemistry Education Office (6-205), Jennifer Weisman, must sign this petition. (Please make sure your advisor's room number is on the petition.) Once completed and signed, please submit your petition to the Schedules Office (5-111). The deadline for submission of the petition is August 12, 2013.

Please go to http://web.mit.edu/registrar/classrooms/exams/ase_exams.html to print out the petition form.

You will have 3 hours to complete the exam. Bring a writing implement, an acceptable calculator and your MIT ID. Water will be provided in the exam room.

Results of the Exam
All examination results are reported to the Registrar. A second term freshman must receive a C or better to receive credit for 5.111, and hence to fulfill the chemistry portion of the General Institute Requirements. However, only a passing grade will appear on your transcript. If you are an upperclassman, the grade you receive, even if it is a failing one, will remain on your permanent transcript. An upperclassman must receive a D or better to receive credit for 5.111. Your exam results will be mailed to your advisor.

Purpose and Features of the Exam
Like most MIT subjects, chemistry is oriented toward problem-solving rather than memorization. Nearly all of the problems on the Advanced Placement Exam involve calculations or analysis of information. None involve mere memorization. For example, there are no questions like: "Name the metals that are liquids at room temperature" or "What color is lead chromate?" In preparing for this exam, spend your time learning to solve problems of the type listed below quickly and accurately.

Many of the problems on the exam have numerical answers. Most of the credit for solving a particular problem will be given for providing the correct answer together with a clear demonstration of how the answer was obtained. Correct logic that leads to an incorrect numerical answer will receive some credit, but usually no more than 30-50% of the point value of the problem. The exam will be accompanied by a list of required physical constants and equations as well as a periodic table of the elements. Bring a scientific calculator (no graphing calculator) with you to the exam and a writing implement. Sophisticated calculators with extensive memory, as well as cellular phones and smartphones, will not be allowed. You may not use notes or books during the exam. You will be allowed 3 hours of time to work the exam.

Exam Content
The content of the Advanced Standing Exam parallels the major topics of Chemistry 5.111 and 5.112, which are taught from lectures, workbooks, and class notes, as well as from a textbook.

Exam Preparation:
5.111 and 5.112 content can be found at MITOpenCourseWare (OCW). Here you will be able to review topics, watch lecture videos (5.111 only) and work practice problems. Although, not an exact guide, these sites and the textbook practice problems will be a useful approximation of the types of questions you will answer on the advanced standing exam.

OCW Class Sites:
• 5.111 Fall 2008: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/chemistry/5-111-principles-of-chemical-science-fall-2008/

• 5.112 Fall 2005: http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/chemistry/5-112-principles-of-chemical-science-fall-2005/

Textbook:
The textbook for 5.111 and 5.112 for Fall 2012 is Atkins, Chemical Principles, 5th edition, Houghton Mifflin 2009, ISBN#978-1429219556. The fourth edition was used previously (ISBN# 978-1429209656). Practice problems from both editions are listed below.

Questions from Chemical Principles, 5th Edition

Questions from Chemical Principles, 4th Edition