I. MCAT General Chemistry: Background G-Chem
II. MCAT General Chemistry: Atomic and Nuclear Phenomena
III. MCAT General Chemistry: Bonding
IV. MCAT General Chemistry: Periodic Table and Trends
V. MCAT General Chemistry: Phase Changes and Equilibria
VI. MCAT General Chemistry: Kinetics
VII. MCAT General Chemistry: Equilibrium
VIII. MCAT General Chemistry: Acid-Base Chemistry
IX. MCAT General Chemistry: Solution Chemistry
X. MCAT General Chemistry: Thermodynamics
XI. MCAT General Chemistry: Electrochemistry and Redox reactions
XII. MCAT Physical Sciences: Fundamental Skills for Physics and G-Chem
I. MCAT General Chemistry: Background G-Chem
A. Stoichiometry
* understanding stoichiometry
B. Molecular weight
C. Distinction between empirical formula and molecular formula
D. Common metric units used in chemistry
E. Description of % composition by mass
F. The mole and Avogadro’s number
* concept of the mole
G. Defining of density
H. Oxidation number
1. common oxidizing and reducing agents
2. disproportionation reactions
3. redox titration
* conducting a basic redox titration
I. Expressing reactions through chemical equations
1. writing conventions for chemical equations
2. balancing equations - including oxidation-reduction equations
* practice with balancing equations
3. limiting reagent
* interact to grasp the limiting reagent concept
4. theoretical vs. actual yields
< Share a G-Chem Link >
II. MCAT General Chemistry: Atomic and Nuclear Phenomena
A. Atomic Structure and Spectra
1. Bohr model
* gleaning useful facts from the Bohr model
2. Emission spectrum of hydrogen
3. Atomic energy levels
a. quantized energy levels for electrons
b. calculating energy emitted or absorbed when an electron changes energy levels
B. Atomic Nucleus
* use this atom builder tool
1. Atomic number and atomic weight
2. Defining neutrons, protons, isotopes
3. basics of weak and strong nuclear forces
4. Radioactive decay
* conceptualizing radioactivity
a. types – alpha, beta, and gamma
b. half-life
c. exponential decay depicted on semi-log plots
5. Basics of fission
6. Basics of fusion
7. Binding energy (mass defect) and energy liberated
* binding energy in action
8. E = mc2
9. Photoelectric effect
* Einstein's photoelectric effect
< Share a G-Chem Link >
III. MCAT General Chemistry: Bonding
A. The Ionic Bond and the forces between ions
1. E = kq1q2/r
2. lattice energy
* lattice energy explained
B. The Covalent Bond
1. sigma and pi bonds
a. hybrid orbitals: sp, sp2, sp3 – bond angles and geometries
* orbitals
* hybridization
b. Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory
* predicting shapes of molecules with VSEPR
2. Lewis electron dot formulas
a. determining the formal charge
b. resonance structures
c. Lewis acids and bases
3. Partial ionic character
a. role of electronegativity and the impact on charge distribution
b. dipole moment
< Share a G-Chem Link >
IV. MCAT General Chemistry: Periodic Table and Trends
A. Periodic Table - Classifying elements into groups by virtue of their electronic structure
- pay attention to physical and chemical characteristics
* an interactive Periodic Table
1. Alkali metals
2. Alkaline earth metals
3. Halogens
4. Noble gases
5. Transition metals
6. Representative elements
7. Metals and non-metals
8. Oxygen group
B. Periodic Table – How chemical properties vary by row and group
* Periodic Table and Bonding
1. Electronic structure
a. representative elements
b. noble gases
c. transition metals
2. Valence electrons
3. First and second ionization energy (IE)
- predicting trends by observing electronic structure for elements in different groups or rows
* what IE means
4. Electron affinity
- trends in the periodic table
5. Electronegativity
- trends in the periodic table
6. Electron shells and the sizes of atoms
< Share a G-Chem Link >
V. MCAT General Chemistry: Phase Changes and Equilibria
A. Gas Phase basics
1. Absolute temperature - kelvins
2. Pressure; mercury barometer
3. Standard molar volume at 0°C and 1 atm = 22.4 mol/L
4. Ideal gases
* change variables in this gas experiment
a. definition
* visualizing ideal gases
b. ideal gas law PV=nRT
i. Boyle’s law
ii. Charles’ law
iii. Avogadro’s number
5. Kinetic molecular theory of gases
* molecular speed
6. Aberration of real-gas behavior from ideal gas law
a. qualitative
b. quantitative (Van der Waals’ equation)
7. Partial pressure, mole fraction
8. Dalton’s law relating partial pressure to composition
B. Liquid phase and intermolecular forces
* review of intermolecular forces
1. Hydrogen bonding
* how hydrogen bonding works
2. Dipole interactions
3. London dispersion forces – also called Van der Waals’ forces
C. Phase Equilibria
1. Phase changes and phase diagrams
* clarity with phase diagrams
2. Freezing point, melting point, boiling point
3. Molality
4. Colligative properties
a. vapor pressure lowering
* Raoult's Law
b. boiling point elevation – formula (ΔTb = kbm)
c. freezing point depression - formula (ΔTƒ = –kƒm)
d. osmotic pressure and formula
5. Colloids
6. Henry’s Law
< Share a G-Chem Link >
VI. MCAT General Chemistry: Kinetics
A. Rates within Chemical Reactions
1. Reaction rates
* reaction rate animation
2. Dependence of reaction rate upon concentration of reactants - rate law
a. rate constant
b. reaction order
* reaction order tutorial
3. Rate determining step – slow step
* understanding reaction mechanisms
4. Collision theory
* activation energy and collision theory
5. Kinetic control vs. thermodynamic control of a reaction
6. Effects of catalysts on chemical reactions
< Share a G-Chem Link >
VII. MCAT General Chemistry: Equilibrium
A. Equilibrium in reversible chemical reactions
* equilibrium animation
1. Law of Mass Action
2. Equilibrium constant (Keq)
* defining the equilibrium constant
* calculating the equilibrium constant
* the numerical meaning of Keq
3. LeChatelier’s principle
* how a system at equilibrium responds to stress
B. Relationship of ΔG° and the equilibrium constant
< Share a G-Chem Link >
VIII. MCAT General Chemistry: Acid-Base Chemistry
A. Acid-base Equilibria
* use this chemistry lab app for virtual experiments
1. Brønsted-Lowry definition of acids and bases
2. Ionization of water
a. Kw, its approximate value (Kw = [H+][OH– ] = 10–14 at STP)
b. definition of pH
c. pH of pure water
* interactive pH of H2O
3. Conjugate acids and bases
4. Strong acids and bases - memorize
* acid and base definitions
5. Weak acids and bases
a. dissociation of weak acids and bases with or without added salt
b. hydrolysis of salts of weak acids or bases
c. calculation of pH of solutions of salts of weak acids or bases
* weak acid and base practice
6. Equilibrium constants Ka and Kb: pKa, pKb
7. Buffers
a. definition and concepts (common buffer systems)
b. influence on titration curves
* buffers and titration curves
B. Titration
1. Indicators
2. Neutralization
3. Interpreting titration curves
* titration with strong acid and strong base
* weak acid and weak base titrations
4. Redox titration
< Share a G-Chem Link >
IX. MCAT General Chemistry: Solution Chemistry
A. Ions in Solution
* solution chemistry animation
1. Anion, cation; common names, formulas and charges for familiar ions (e.g., NH4+ ammonium,SO42– sulfate)
2. Hydration and the hydronium ion
B. Solubility
1. Units of concentration (e.g., molarity)
2. Solubility product constant; the equilibrium expression
3. Common-ion effect - used as a separation technique
* understanding the common ion effect
a. complex ion formation
b. complex ions and solubility
c. solubility and pH
< Share a G-Chem Link >
X. MCAT General Chemistry: Thermodynamics
A. Understanding how energy changes in chemical reactions and the implications for stability
1. Thermodynamic system
2. Definining a state function
* differentiating a state function from a path function
3. Conservation of energy
4. Endothermic vs. exothermic reactions
a. enthalpy H and standard heats of reaction and formation
b. Hess’ law of heat summation
* the value of Hess' law
5. Bond dissociation energy with respect to heat of formation
6. Quantifying heat changes – calorimetry
* heating curves
* utility of calorimetry
a. heat capacity
b. specific heat (specific heat of water = 1 cal/°C)
7. Free energy G
* conceptualizing free energy
8. Spontaneous reactions and ΔG°
B. Laws of Thermodynamics
1. Zeroth law and the concept of temperature
2. First law of thermodynamics (ΔE = Q – W (conservation of energy)
3. Equivalence of mechanical, chemical, electrical and thermal energy units
4. Second law of thermodynamics – Entropy
* know entropy of different phases – gases have more entropy than solids
5. Temperature scales and converting between them
6. Modes of Heat transfer
a. conduction
b. radiation
c. convection
7. Heat of fusion and heat of vaporization
8. PV diagram: work done = area under or enclosed by curve
* PV graph
< Share a G-Chem Link >
XI. MCAT General Chemistry: Electrochemistry and Redox reactions
A. Electrochemistry
1. Electrolytic cell
a. electrolysis
* electrolytic experiment
b. anode and cathode
c. electrolyte
d. Faraday’s law relating amount of elements deposited (or gas liberated) at an electrode to current
e. electron flow – oxidation and reduction at the electrodes
2. Galvanic or voltaic cell
* voltaic cell animation
a. half reactions
b. reduction potentials and cell potential
c. direction of electron flow
< Share a G-Chem Link >
XII. MCAT Physical Sciences: Fundamental Skills for Physics and G-Chem
A. Scientific Notation
* be proficient at using scientific notation and making quick calculations
B. Units and dimensions
1. Metric units
a. converting within the metric system
b. converting from metric to English units
c. converting within the English system
2. Dimensional analysis
* checking equations for dimensional accuracy
3. Significant figures
4. Numerical estimation to improve efficiency
5. Order of magnitude
* understanding orders of magnitude
C. Building Blocks of MCAT Physical Sciences
1. Mass, length, and time
2. Role of experiment, measurement, and the scientific method
* experimentation precepts
D. Graphing Techniques
1. Cartesian coordinate system
* Dimensionality and coordinate systems
2. Semi-log graphing
* semi-log graph examples
3. Log-log graphing
* observing log-log plots
E. Error Analysis
1. Random vs. systematic errors
2. Propagation of errors
3. Mean and standard deviation
4. Chi-square
5. Student t test
F. Proportionality
* understanding proportions
G. Exponents and Logarithms
* rules of exponents
* properties of logarithms
H. Basics of Probability
* stats and probability
< Share a G-Chem Link >
Share Your G-Chem Link Here!