| Introduction | p. 1 |
| Verbal Reasoning | |
| How to Answer Verbal Reasoning Questions | p. 13 |
| Tips for Improving Your Speed in Answering the Questions | p. 14 |
| What Makes a Good Reader | p. 15 |
| Types of MCAT Verbal Reasoning Questions | p. 16 |
| Verbal Reasoning Sample Exam | p. 23 |
| Physical Sciences | |
| Chemistry | p. 43 |
| Stoichiometry | p. 43 |
| Molecular Formulas | p. 43 |
| Molecular Weight | p. 43 |
| Empirical Formula | p. 44 |
| Description of Composition Using Percent Mass | p. 44 |
| Metric Units | p. 44 |
| The Mole Concept: Avogadro's Number | p. 45 |
| Density | p. 47 |
| Oxidation and Reduction: Oxidation Numbers | p. 47 |
| Chemical Equations: Balancing | p. 48 |
| Applying the Mole Concept to Calculations Involving Chemical Reactions | p. 51 |
| Electronic Structure and the Periodic Table | p. 55 |
| Atoms | p. 55 |
| Energy of the Hydrogen Atom | p. 56 |
| Quantum Numbers and Their Relationship to Hydrogen Orbitals | p. 59 |
| Many-electron Atoms | p. 63 |
| The Periodic Table | p. 65 |
| Chemical Properties and the Periodic Table | p. 66 |
| Bonding | p. 70 |
| Three Kinds of Bonding | p. 70 |
| Ionic Bonding in Crystals | p. 70 |
| Covalent Bonding | p. 70 |
| Resonance Structures | p. 71 |
| Formal Charge | p. 71 |
| Lewis Acids and Bases | p. 72 |
| Bonding in Diatomic Molecules | p. 72 |
| Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) | p. 75 |
| Hybrid Orbitals | p. 77 |
| Partial Ionic Character of Bonds | p. 78 |
| Phases and Phase Equilibrium | p. 81 |
| The Gas Phase | p. 81 |
| Relationships Among P, V, and T for Ideal Gases | p. 81 |
| Non-ideal Gases | p. 84 |
| Condensed Phases | p. 84 |
| Phase Equilibria | p. 85 |
| Colligative Properties | p. 86 |
| Solution Chemistry | p. 91 |
| Ions in Solution | p. 91 |
| Charges on Commonly Encountered Ions | p. 91 |
| Solubility | p. 91 |
| Solubility Product | p. 93 |
| Common Ion Effect | p. 94 |
| Selective Precipitation | p. 94 |
| Acids and Bases | p. 97 |
| Definitions | p. 97 |
| Ionization of Water | p. 97 |
| Definition of pH | p. 97 |
| Conjugate Acids and Bases | p. 98 |
| Strong Acids | p. 99 |
| Strong Bases | p. 99 |
| Strengths of Weak Acids and Bases: K[subscript a] and K[subscript b] | p. 100 |
| Classification of Weak Acid/Base Problems | p. 100 |
| Properties of Buffer Solutions | p. 105 |
| Titration Curves | p. 106 |
| Summary of Common Acid/Base Reactions | p. 112 |
| Thermodynamics | p. 116 |
| Thermochemistry | p. 116 |
| Temperature Scales | p. 117 |
| First Law of Thermodynamics | p. 117 |
| The Equivalence of Different Forms of Energy | p. 117 |
| Bond Dissociation Energy | p. 119 |
| Measurement of Heat Changes | p. 120 |
| Entropy | p. 121 |
| Spontaneity--The Interplay of [Delta]H and [Delta]S | p. 122 |
| Heat Transfer | p. 123 |
| Coefficient of Expansion | p. 123 |
| Heats of Fusion and Vaporization | p. 124 |
| Kinetics and Equilibrium | p. 127 |
| Rate Law | p. 127 |
| Determination of Rate Laws From Rate/Concentration Data | p. 127 |
| Relation of Reaction Coefficients to Exponents in the Rate Law | p. 128 |
| Integrated Rate Laws | p. 128 |
| Activation Energy and Temperature-dependence of Rate Constants | p. 132 |
| Multistep Reactions | p. 132 |
| Kinetic v. Thermodynamic Control of Reactions | p. 134 |
| Catalysts | p. 134 |
| Relation of Reaction Rates to Equilibrium Constants | p. 135 |
| The Relationship of [Delta]G to K[subscript eq] | p. 136 |
| Electrochemistry | p. 140 |
| Electrolytic Cell | p. 140 |
| Faraday's Law | p. 140 |
| Galvanic Cell | p. 141 |
| Concentration Cell | p. 142 |
| Physics | p. 145 |
| Units | p. 145 |
| Common Unit Systems | p. 145 |
| Basic Units | p. 146 |
| Derived Units | p. 146 |
| Unit Conversion | p. 147 |
| Dimensional Analysis | p. 148 |
| Vectors | p. 150 |
| Properties of Vectors | p. 150 |
| Graphical Analysis | p. 150 |
| Trigonometric Analysis | p. 152 |
| Vector Multiplication | p. 153 |
| Motion: Definition of Terms | p. 156 |
| Mechanics | p. 156 |
| Position | p. 156 |
| Motion | p. 157 |
| Graphs of Position, Velocity, and Acceleration With Respect to Time | p. 159 |
| Motion: Translational and in a Plane | p. 166 |
| Translational Motion With Uniform Acceleration | p. 166 |
| Motion in a Plane With Uniform Acceleration | p. 168 |
| Force and Newton's Laws | p. 176 |
| Force | p. 176 |
| Newton's First Law of Motion | p. 177 |
| Newton's Second Law | p. 177 |
| Newton's Third Law | p. 178 |
| Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation | p. 179 |
| Frictional Force | p. 179 |
| Equilibrium and Momentum | p. 185 |
| Equilibrium | p. 185 |
| Momentum | p. 187 |
| Work and Energy | p. 192 |
| Work and Energy | p. 192 |
| Kinetic Energy | p. 194 |
| Potential Energy | p. 195 |
| The Law of Conservation of Mechanical Energy | p. 195 |
| Power | p. 196 |
| Solids and Fluids | p. 200 |
| Phases of Matter | p. 200 |
| Solids | p. 202 |
| Hydrostatics | p. 206 |
| Hydrodynamics | p. 211 |
| General Wave Characteristics and Periodic Motion | p. 218 |
| Waves: General Description | p. 218 |
| Periodic Motion | p. 223 |
| Mechanical Waves: Acoustic Phenomena | p. 233 |
| Sound Waves | p. 233 |
| Characteristics of Sound | p. 234 |
| Properties of Sound | p. 236 |
| Music | p. 239 |
| Waves: Light and Optics | p. 245 |
| Electromagnetic Radiation | p. 245 |
| The Visual Spectrum | p. 247 |
| Reflection | p. 249 |
| Refraction | p. 254 |
| Optical Lens | p. 256 |
| Electrostatics | p. 262 |
| Electric Charge | p. 262 |
| The Law of Conservation of Charge | p. 263 |
| Electrostatics | p. 263 |
| Electric Circuits | p. 271 |
| Current | p. 271 |
| Resistance | p. 272 |
| Voltage | p. 273 |
| Ohm's Law | p. 275 |
| Circuit Diagram | p. 275 |
| Capacitor | p. 277 |
| Electric Work, Power, and Energy | p. 279 |
| Alternating Current | p. 279 |
| Atomic and Nuclear Structure | p. 283 |
| Structure of the Nucleus | p. 283 |
| Nuclear Properties | p. 285 |
| Physical Sciences Sample Exam | p. 291 |
| Writing Sample | |
| Writing Skills Review | p. 309 |
| Basic Skills | p. 309 |
| Writing for Quantity | p. 309 |
| Writing for Quality | p. 310 |
| Writing Effectively | p. 310 |
| Practice Writing for the MCAT | p. 312 |
| Developing the Topic | p. 312 |
| How to Divide the 30 Minutes | p. 312 |
| Review of Essay Form | p. 312 |
| Essay Structure | p. 313 |
| Proofreading Your Essay | p. 313 |
| A Quick Review of Grammar | p. 314 |
| Punctuation Rules | p. 314 |
| Sentence Fragments | p. 317 |
| Run-on Sentences | p. 317 |
| Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement | p. 317 |
| Errors in Verb Tenses | p. 318 |
| Pronoun Usage | p. 319 |
| Sample Student Essays | p. 321 |
| Scoring the MCAT Essay | p. 321 |
| Student Responses to Statement 1 | p. 323 |
| Essay 1 | p. 323 |
| Explanation of Essay 1 | p. 323 |
| Essay 2 | p. 324 |
| Explanation of Essay 2 | p. 324 |
| Student Responses to Statement 2 | p. 326 |
| Essay 1 | p. 326 |
| Explanation of Essay 1 | p. 326 |
| Essay 2 | p. 327 |
| Explanation of Essay 2 | p. 327 |
| Student Responses to Statement 3 | p. 328 |
| Essay 1 | p. 328 |
| Explanation of Essay 1 | p. 328 |
| Essay 2 | p. 329 |
| Explanation of Essay 2 | p. 329 |
| Student Responses to Statement 4 | p. 330 |
| Essay 1 | p. 330 |
| Explanation of Essay 1 | p. 330 |
| Essay 2 | p. 331 |
| Explanation of Essay 2 | p. 332 |
| Writing Sample Practice Exam | p. 333 |
| Sample Statement 1 | p. 333 |
| Sample Statement 2 | p. 333 |
| References | p. 334 |
| Biological Sciences | |
| Biology | p. 337 |
| Molecular Biology | p. 337 |
| Biological Molecules | p. 337 |
| Proteins as Enzymes | p. 341 |
| Cellular Metabolism | p. 343 |
| Nucleic Acids and Protein Samples | p. 347 |
| Cellular Biology | p. 356 |
| Eukaryotic Cells and Their Organelles | p. 356 |
| The Cell Membrane and Transport Mechanisms | p. 357 |
| Cell Reproduction (Mitosis) | p. 359 |
| Eukaryotic Tissues | p. 360 |
| Microbiology | p. 366 |
| Prokaryotic Cells: Bacteria | p. 366 |
| Viruses | p. 369 |
| Fungi | p. 370 |
| Vertebrate Organ Systems | p. 373 |
| Integumentary System | p. 373 |
| Skeletal System | p. 374 |
| Muscle System | p. 376 |
| Nervous System | p. 380 |
| Sensory Systems | p. 387 |
| Endocrine System | p. 390 |
| Circulatory System (Cardiovascular System) | p. 396 |
| The Lymphatic System and Immunity | p. 399 |
| Respiratory System | p. 401 |
| Digestive System | p. 405 |
| Excretory System | p. 409 |
| Reproductive System | p. 415 |
| Embryology and Development | p. 419 |
| Genetics and Evolution | p. 425 |
| Genetics | p. 425 |
| Evolution | p. 428 |
| Organic Chemistry | p. 435 |
| Molecular Structure of Organic Molecules | p. 435 |
| Sigma and Pi Bonds | p. 435 |
| Multiple Bonding | p. 438 |
| Stereochemistry of Covalently Bonded Molecules | p. 438 |
| Hydrocarbons | p. 444 |
| Saturated Hydrocarbons (Alkanes) | p. 444 |
| Unsaturated Compounds (Alkenes) | p. 445 |
| Aromatic Compounds | p. 447 |
| Oxygen-Containing Compounds | p. 449 |
| Alcohols | p. 449 |
| Aldehydes and Ketones | p. 452 |
| Carboxylic Acids | p. 456 |
| Common Acid Derivatives | p. 459 |
| Ethers | p. 461 |
| Phenols | p. 462 |
| Amines | p. 463 |
| Description | p. 463 |
| General Principles | p. 464 |
| Major Reactions | p. 465 |
| Quaternary Ammonium Salts | p. 466 |
| Biological Molecules | p. 467 |
| Amino Acids and Proteins | p. 467 |
| Carbohydrates | p. 471 |
| Lipids | p. 474 |
| Phosphorous Compounds | p. 476 |
| Use of Spectroscopy in Structural Identification | p. 477 |
| Nuclear Magnetic Resonance | p. 477 |
| Infrared Spectroscopy | p. 479 |
| Separations and Purifications | p. 482 |
| Distillation | p. 482 |
| Crystallization | p. 483 |
| Extraction | p. 483 |
| Chromatography | p. 484 |
| Biological Sciences Sample Exam | p. 487 |
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