Physical Sciences

The content tested on the physical sciences section of the MCAT is drawn from physics and general chemistry. Questions are roughly divided between the two and are mixed throughout the section. Tested physics concepts include Newtonian mechanics, thermodynamics, magnetism, light and optics, nuclear physics, and atomic phenomena. Chemistry concepts that you can expect to see include quantum numbers, the Periodic Table, reaction types, bonding, phases of matter, and acids and bases.

Passages describe experiments, situations, or ideas from which questions are drawn. The information may be presented in the guise of journal or textbook articles, experimental research, data analysis, or scientific-style editorials. This passage-and-question based structure allows you to demonstrate many skills, including understanding the science presented in the passage, no matter how obscure or foreign and confidently connecting elements of your scientific repertoire to new situations. In addition the format tests your ability to quickly assess the kinds of situations feasible given the information in the passage.

What about formulas and math?

Contrary to what many believe, the MCAT isn't math-intensive. All you need to know are the basics, like algebra, exponents, logs, and a bit of trigonometry. There isn't any calculus, differential equations, or matrix mechanics. Similarly, many of the scientific formulas needed to work through problem and answer questions are provided on the test.

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