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ACS General Chemistry Exams

Everything about the American Chemical Society General Chemistry standardized exams — format, topics, norms and the best study resources.

The ACS General Chemistry exams are standardized finals written by the ACS Division of Chemical Education Examinations Institute and used by universities across the United States. If your course uses an ACS exam as its final, this page tells you exactly what to expect — and how to prepare.

📄 Current Exam Editions

GC21 — Full Year

The currently-normed standard full-year exam (2021). 70 questions, 110 minutes.

GC24 — Full Year

The newest full-year edition (2024). Same 70-question format.

First-Term & Second-Term

Separate exams for one-semester courses, including the new GC25F with partial-credit scoring.

📝 Exam Format

  • 70 multiple-choice questions in 110 minutes (~1.5 min per question)
  • No penalty for guessing — answer every question
  • Norm-referenced scoring: GC21 mean ≈ 37.8/70 · 50 correct ≈ 80th percentile · 60 correct ≈ 95th percentile
  • Non-programmable calculators allowed; periodic table printed in the booklet
  • Paper-and-pencil administration at your university

📚 Topics Covered

First-Term Material

  1. Atomic structure & isotopes
  2. Electronic structure & periodic trends
  3. Mole & formula calculations
  4. Stoichiometry
  5. Solutions & aqueous reactions
  6. Thermochemistry (Hess’s law)
  7. Bonding, VSEPR & intermolecular forces
  8. States of matter & gas laws

Second-Term Material

  1. Solutions & aqueous reactions II
  2. Chemical kinetics
  3. Equilibrium
  4. Acids, bases & buffers
  5. Solubility equilibria
  6. Thermodynamics (ΔG, spontaneity)
  7. Electrochemistry
  8. Nuclear chemistry

🏛️ Official Sources

ACS Exams Institute

The official home of ACS exams — current editions, norms and administration info.

Visit Official Site →

📖 Official Study Guide

Preparing for Your ACS Examination in General Chemistry — 600+ practice problems. Exam questions closely mirror this guide.

Study Materials →

🛒 Practice Exam Bundles

Official study guide + timed online practice exam bundles (first-term & second-term).

First-Term Bundle →

Second-Term Bundle →





🆓 Free Practice Tests

Practice Test Geeks

Free ACS practice test with percentile tables based on GC21 norms + test-day checklist.

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Practice Test Master

Free practice organized by ACS exam domains with estimated topic weights.

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🎯 How to Prepare

  1. Get the official study guide — students consistently report the real exam mirrors its questions.
  2. Take the $10 official online practice exam — the closest thing to the real test.
  3. Master stoichiometry & equilibrium — together they’re ~25-30% of the exam.
  4. Practice under time pressure — 1.5 minutes per question leaves no room for slow algebra.
  5. Learn the provided periodic table — know what’s given so you don’t memorise redundantly.

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