Use the tables on every question that allows them
The Reference Tables are not "extra help" — they're the expected source for the
majority of Part B and Part C questions. Your job is to recognize which table to
open. The official 2025 edition aligned with the new Physical Science: Chemistry exam is
also acceptable for the traditional exam.
Official source:
NYSED Reference Tables PDF
By table
Standard Temperature and Pressure
STP: 273 K (0 °C) and 101.3 kPa (1 atm). Every gas-law question starts here.
Physical Constants for Water
Heat of fusion (334 J/g), heat of vaporization (2260 J/g), specific heat (4.18 J/g·K).
Selected Prefixes
kilo (10³), centi (10⁻²), milli (10⁻³), micro (10⁻⁶), nano (10⁻⁹), pico (10⁻¹²).
Selected Units
Meter, kilogram, kelvin, mole, pascal, joule, liter, ppm, molarity — and what they measure.
Selected Polyatomic Ions
NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, CO₃²⁻, PO₄³⁻, OH⁻ and twenty more. Memorize the common five.
Solubility Guidelines for Aqueous Solutions
Which ionic compounds dissolve in water. Essential for predicting double-replacement reactions.
Solubility Curves at Standard Pressure
How much solute dissolves in 100 g of water at each temperature. Identify saturated/unsaturated/supersaturated.
Vapor Pressure of Four Liquids
Propanone, ethanol, water, ethanoic acid. A liquid boils when its vapor pressure equals atmospheric pressure.
Heats of Reaction at 101.3 kPa and 298 K
ΔH values for common reactions. Negative = exothermic, positive = endothermic.
Activity Series
Metals (top = most reactive) and nonmetals. Predicts every single-replacement reaction.
Common Acids
HCl, HNO₃, H₂SO₄, H₃PO₄, H₂CO₃, ethanoic. Memorize the formula for each.
Common Bases
NaOH, KOH, Ca(OH)₂, NH₃. The "strong" bases are the Group 1 and 2 hydroxides.
Common Acid–Base Indicators
Litmus, bromothymol blue, phenolphthalein, methyl orange, bromcresol green. Know which color = which pH.
Selected Radioisotopes
Half-life and decay mode for C-14, I-131, U-235, Co-60, etc. Use for half-life calculations.
Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry
Alpha (⁴₂He), beta (⁰₋₁β), positron (⁰₊₁β), gamma (γ), neutron (¹₀n), proton (¹₁p).
Organic Prefixes
meth (1C), eth (2C), prop (3C), but (4C), pent (5C), hex (6C), hept (7C), oct (8C), non (9C), dec (10C).
Homologous Series of Hydrocarbons
Alkanes (CₙH₂ₙ₊₂), alkenes (CₙH₂ₙ), alkynes (CₙH₂ₙ₋₂). Know the general formulas.
Organic Functional Groups
Halide, alcohol, ether, aldehyde, ketone, organic acid, ester, amine, amide. ID structures cold.
Properties of Selected Elements
First ionization energy, electronegativity, atomic radius, melting/boiling point for every element you'll need.
Important Formulas and Equations
Density, mole calculations, % error, % composition, Combined Gas Law, titration, Kelvin conversion. The math toolbox.
Periodic Table of the Elements
Symbol, atomic number, atomic mass, selected oxidation states, electron configuration. The most-used page in the packet.
By Regents question type
| If the question asks about… | Open this table |
|---|---|
| Atomic radius, IE, or electronegativity of a specific element | Table S |
| Predicting a single-replacement reaction | Table J |
| Whether an ionic compound is soluble in water | Table F |
| Heat to melt or boil water | Table B (then use q = mHf or q = mHv) |
| Solubility at a given temperature | Table G |
| Boiling point of a liquid at a given pressure | Table H |
| Half-life or decay mode of an isotope | Table N |
| Identifying a functional group from a structure | Table R |
| Naming a hydrocarbon (carbon count → prefix) | Tables P and Q |
| An acid's formula or strength | Table K |
| What color an indicator turns at a given pH | Table M |
| Combined Gas Law, molarity, or any formula | Table T |
| Charge of a polyatomic ion | Table E |