MTEL Chemistry Test Breakdown

The Nature of Chemical Inquiry has four subareas with a total of 10 to 12 questions.

Scientific Inquiry and Processes and the Role of Observation and Experimentation: design and testing of hypothesis and the importance of communication between scientists.
Gathering, Organizing, Reporting and Interpreting Data: methods and procedures for collecting, representing and interpreting data and the relationship between factors and the criteria used to report findings to other scientists.
Principles and Procedures of Measurements: units, devices and methods, sources of errors and important figures, notations, and data used.
Safe and Legal Use of Equipment, Materials and Chemicals: methods and procedures for storage, identification, dispensing and disposing of chemicals, investigating accidents and injuries, and proper use of safety equipment.

Matter and Atomic Structure has six subareas with a total of 15 to 17 questions.

Matter: identify and analyze chemical and physical properties of and changes in matter, understand elements, compounds and mixtures, and the differences between physical and chemical changes.
Atomic Structure, Quantum Theory and Subatomic Particles: features of major models, interactions and relationship between electrons, protons and neutrons and the configurations of atoms and ions.
The Periodic Table: organization of the numbers and properties of the elements, trends within periods and groups, predicting properties based on the position on the table, and mining the table for information.
Kinetic Theory, Phase Changes and Gas Laws: motion of particles in solids, liquids and gases, heating and cooling curves and designing and solving problems in gas law.
Chemical Notation and Representations: using the IUPAC rules of nomenclature, use of Lewis structures, and identifying molecular geometry with them.
Nuclear Transformation: characteristics of the decay of radioactive elements, natural radioactivity and artificial transmutation, half life radioactive particles, nuclear mass defect and binding energy.

Energy, Chemical Bonds and Molecular Structure has five subareas with a total of 13 to 15 questions.

Thermodynamics and Calorimetry: 3 laws of thermodynamics, enthalpy and entropy changes, spontaneous reactions, temperatures of systems the difference between heat and temperature.
Energy Relationships in chemical bonding and reactions: energy changes and problem-solving during the making and breaking of bonds and interpreting diagrams of chemical reactions.
Bonds Between Atoms: characteristics of ionic, covalent and metallic bonds; formation and behavior of chemical bonds and predicting the properties of a substance based on its atomic bonds.
Characteristics and Interactive Forces of Molecules: predicting interactions, identifying properties, molecular structure of water and the relationship of properties to intermolecular forces.
Organic Compounds: IUPAC nomenclature, composition and structure and the difference between structural, geometric and optical isomers.

Chemical Reactions has five subareas with a total of 13 to 15 questions.

Reaction Rates and Measurement Methods: collision theory, reaction mechanisms, order of reactions and solving rate problems.
Chemical Equilibrium: concentration, pressures, temperature and catalysts, Le Chatelier’s principles, and solving problems dealing with constants of soluble salts.
Acid-Based Chemistry: theories, principles and applications, operational and conceptual definitions, acid-base titration, hydronium ion concentration, and the strengths of acids.
Redox Reactions and Electrochemistry: oxidation numbers, predicting reactions, and analyzing components of electrochemical and electrolytic cells.
The Nature of Organic Reactions: analyzing rates of reactions based on bond types and strengths and combustion, addition, substitution, polymerization, oxidation, and esterification.

Quantitative Relationships has four subareas with a total of 10 to 12 questions.

Mole Concept: Avogadro’s number, gram-atomic mass, number of moles, and volume of a substance.
Mole Concept and Chemical Formulas: solving percentage and composition problems and finding empirical and molecular formulas.
Quantitative Relationships shown in Chemical Equations: interpreting notation, balancing equations and solving stoichiometric problems.
Solutions and Colloidal Suspensions: properties of solutions, solving solution problems, and factors that influence solubility.

Interaction of Chemistry, Society and the Environment has five subareas with a total of 13 to 15 questions.

Historical and Contemporary Context of the Study of Chemistry: events, theories, experiments, and people and societal involvement.
Practical Applications of chemical theory to Other Sciences: potential industrial, home, and genetic applications.
Applications of Nuclear Reactions: use of radioisotopes, parts of a nuclear reactor, disposal of nuclear waste, and advantages and disadvantages of nuclear technology.
Releasing Chemicals into the Environment: effects of acid rain, greenhouse effect, ozone depletion and smog, eutrophication and groundwater contamination, and methods to prevent damage to the environment.
Relationship between chemistry, society, technology and other sciences: impact on society, science investigates and technology helps solves problems and local, national and international ethical issues.