The Physical Sciences Section of the MCAT
The Physical Sciences section of the MCAT evaluates knowledge of basic noncalculus physics and chemistry, as well as testing one's ability to understand advanced material and interpret visual representations of data, then solve problems based on them.
Generally, two semesters of both general chemistry and physics cover the information tested by this section of the MCAT. But different schools emphasize different information in their introductory courses, so it's important to check whether you're well-versed in the topics found on the MCAT. You may also need to brush up on high school algebra, such as understanding logarithms and trigonometry functions, finding slopes, interpreting graphs, and solving quadratic equations and vector problems.
This section of the MCAT requires you to have a sound background in chemistry and physics that enables you to understand questions about more advanced topics. So you need to take a very integrated, cohesive approach to refreshing your understanding of these topics. Your chemistry background should include an understanding of electron structure and the related properties of elements, knowledge of the characteristics of different bond types, and the ability to solve problems about energy flow and balancing chemical reactions. Your physics background should include knowledge of Newtonian physics, such as the topics of motion, force, and gravity. You should also understand the structure of the nucleus and atom, principles of electricity and electromagnetism, waves and harmonic motion, circuits, light, and optics.
The MCAT contains 10 or 11 problems sets in the physical sciences, each consisting of a short passage or data set followed by 4-8 multiple-choice questions, with a total of 62 passage-based questions overall. It also includes 15 questions that stand alone without a passage. Overall, you will have 100 minutes to answer 77 questions.
Generally, two semesters of both general chemistry and physics cover the information tested by this section of the MCAT. But different schools emphasize different information in their introductory courses, so it's important to check whether you're well-versed in the topics found on the MCAT. You may also need to brush up on high school algebra, such as understanding logarithms and trigonometry functions, finding slopes, interpreting graphs, and solving quadratic equations and vector problems.
This section of the MCAT requires you to have a sound background in chemistry and physics that enables you to understand questions about more advanced topics. So you need to take a very integrated, cohesive approach to refreshing your understanding of these topics. Your chemistry background should include an understanding of electron structure and the related properties of elements, knowledge of the characteristics of different bond types, and the ability to solve problems about energy flow and balancing chemical reactions. Your physics background should include knowledge of Newtonian physics, such as the topics of motion, force, and gravity. You should also understand the structure of the nucleus and atom, principles of electricity and electromagnetism, waves and harmonic motion, circuits, light, and optics.
The MCAT contains 10 or 11 problems sets in the physical sciences, each consisting of a short passage or data set followed by 4-8 multiple-choice questions, with a total of 62 passage-based questions overall. It also includes 15 questions that stand alone without a passage. Overall, you will have 100 minutes to answer 77 questions.