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MCAT Available Fall 2026

MCAT^® Chemical Physical Foundations

The course teaches atomic structure, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, kinetics, gas laws, equilibrium, acids/bases, electrochemistry, organic reactions, and spectroscopy, showing how these principles explain biological systems.

Who Should Take This

Pre‑medical and life‑science undergraduates, as well as aspiring health professionals, who have completed introductory chemistry, physics, and biology courses, benefit from this MCAT‑aligned review. They seek a focused, integrated understanding of chemical and physical foundations to excel on the exam and in future biomedical studies.

What's Included in AccelaStudy® AI

Adaptive Knowledge Graph

Practice Questions

Lesson Modules

Console Simulator Labs

Exam Tips & Strategy

20 Activity Formats

Course Outline

77 learning goals

1 Atomic Structure and Chemical Bonding

3 topics

Atomic Structure and Periodic Trends

Identify the quantum numbers for electrons in an atom and describe how electron configuration determines an element's position in the periodic table and its chemical properties.
Apply periodic trends in electronegativity, ionization energy, electron affinity, and atomic radius to predict chemical reactivity and bonding behavior across periods and groups.
Analyze how effective nuclear charge and electron shielding explain exceptions to expected periodic trends such as the ionization energy anomalies between groups IIA and IIIA.

Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Describe ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding models, draw Lewis structures for molecules, and assign formal charges to determine the most stable resonance contributor.
Apply VSEPR theory and orbital hybridization concepts to predict molecular geometry, bond angles, and polarity for organic and inorganic molecules.
Analyze how intermolecular forces including hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and London dispersion forces determine physical properties such as boiling point, solubility, and viscosity.

Solutions and Colligative Properties

Define molarity, molality, mole fraction, and mass percent as concentration units and describe factors that determine the solubility of ionic and molecular solutes in aqueous solutions.
Apply colligative property equations to calculate boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, and osmotic pressure for ideal dilute solutions containing nonvolatile solutes.
Analyze how osmotic pressure drives water movement across semipermeable biological membranes and evaluate the clinical significance of isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic intravenous solutions.

2 Thermodynamics and Kinetics

2 topics

Thermodynamics and Energy

State the first and second laws of thermodynamics and define enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy as state functions that determine reaction spontaneity.
Calculate Gibbs free energy changes using the equation delta-G equals delta-H minus T-delta-S and predict spontaneity under standard and nonstandard conditions for chemical and biological reactions.
Analyze how coupled reactions such as ATP hydrolysis drive thermodynamically unfavorable biological processes by making the overall Gibbs free energy change negative.
Apply Hess's law and standard enthalpies of formation to calculate enthalpy changes for multistep reactions and compare bond energy estimates with calorimetric measurements.

Chemical Kinetics

Define rate law expressions, reaction order, and rate constants, and describe how the rate-determining step controls the overall kinetics of a multistep reaction.
Apply the Arrhenius equation to explain how temperature and activation energy influence reaction rates and interpret energy diagrams showing transition states and intermediates.
Evaluate how catalysts including enzymes lower activation energy without changing equilibrium position and compare homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis mechanisms.

3 Gas Laws and Stoichiometry

2 topics

Ideal and Real Gas Behavior

State the ideal gas law PV equals nRT and describe the assumptions of the kinetic molecular theory including negligible molecular volume and the absence of intermolecular forces.
Apply Dalton's law of partial pressures and Graham's law of effusion to calculate gas mixture compositions and predict relative diffusion rates of gases with different molar masses.
Evaluate deviations from ideal gas behavior at high pressure and low temperature using the van der Waals equation and explain how intermolecular forces and molecular volume cause these deviations.

Stoichiometry and Chemical Calculations

Define the mole concept, Avogadro's number, and molar mass, and balance chemical equations to establish stoichiometric relationships between reactants and products.
Apply stoichiometric calculations to determine limiting reagents, theoretical yields, and percent yields for chemical reactions in both solution and gas-phase systems.

4 Equilibrium, Acids and Bases, and Electrochemistry

3 topics

Chemical Equilibrium

Define equilibrium constants Keq and Kp, write equilibrium expressions for reversible reactions, and describe the relationship between reaction quotient Q and equilibrium constant K.
Apply Le Chatelier's principle to predict how changes in concentration, pressure, temperature, and volume shift equilibrium position in chemical and biological systems.
Analyze solubility equilibria using Ksp values, predict precipitation by comparing ion product with Ksp, and evaluate the common ion effect on solubility in biological fluids.

Acids, Bases, and Buffers

Define acids and bases using Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis models, identify conjugate acid-base pairs, and describe the autoionization of water and the pH scale.
Calculate pH, pOH, and pKa values for strong and weak acid-base solutions and apply the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation to determine the pH of buffer systems.
Analyze titration curves for strong and weak acids and bases, identify equivalence and half-equivalence points, and evaluate buffer capacity in maintaining physiological pH homeostasis.
Explain how the bicarbonate buffer system, phosphate buffer system, and protein buffers maintain blood pH within the narrow physiological range of 7.35 to 7.45.

Electrochemistry

Identify oxidation and reduction half-reactions, assign oxidation states, and describe the components of galvanic and electrolytic cells including anode, cathode, salt bridge, and electrodes.
Calculate cell potentials using standard reduction potentials and the Nernst equation, and predict the spontaneity of redox reactions under standard and nonstandard conditions.
Analyze how biological redox reactions such as electron transport chain complexes function as electrochemical cells, linking standard reduction potentials to the direction of electron flow.

5 Organic Chemistry Reactions and Spectroscopy

5 topics

Stereochemistry and Isomerism

Identify structural isomers, geometric (cis-trans) isomers, enantiomers, diastereomers, and meso compounds, and assign R/S configuration to chiral centers using Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules.
Predict the stereochemical outcome of SN1, SN2, E1, and E2 reactions including inversion, retention, and racemization based on the reaction mechanism and substrate chirality.
Analyze how chirality and stereoisomerism affect the biological activity of drugs and biomolecules, explaining why enantiomers of the same compound can have different pharmacological effects.

Nucleophilic Substitution and Elimination

Describe the mechanisms of SN1 and SN2 nucleophilic substitution reactions including the roles of substrate structure, nucleophile strength, leaving group ability, and solvent effects.
Predict the major product and reaction pathway for substitution and elimination reactions by applying decision rules based on nucleophile basicity, substrate sterics, temperature, and solvent polarity.
Evaluate the competition between SN1, SN2, E1, and E2 pathways for a given substrate-nucleophile-solvent combination and justify which mechanism predominates under specific reaction conditions.

Electrophilic Addition and Aromatic Reactions

Describe the mechanism of electrophilic addition to alkenes including Markovnikov's rule, anti-Markovnikov addition with peroxides, and the formation of halohydrins and diols.
Predict the regiochemistry and stereochemistry of electrophilic addition products by applying Markovnikov's rule, carbocation stability, and syn versus anti addition selectivity.
Identify the criteria for aromaticity using Huckel's rule and describe how electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents direct electrophilic aromatic substitution to ortho-para or meta positions.

Carbonyl Chemistry and Functional Group Reactions

Identify the structures, naming conventions, and relative reactivities of aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amides, and acid anhydrides based on carbonyl electrophilicity.
Apply nucleophilic addition and nucleophilic acyl substitution mechanisms to predict products of reactions involving carbonyl compounds with biological relevance such as peptide bond formation and ester hydrolysis.
Analyze how keto-enol tautomerism, aldol condensations, and decarboxylation reactions participate in metabolic pathways such as fatty acid synthesis and the citric acid cycle.

Spectroscopy and Analytical Methods

Describe the principles of 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy including chemical shift, spin-spin splitting patterns, and integration, and identify common functional group signatures.
Apply IR spectroscopy to identify functional groups by their characteristic absorption frequencies and use UV-Vis spectroscopy with Beer-Lambert law to determine analyte concentration.
Analyze mass spectrometry data including molecular ion peaks and fragmentation patterns to determine molecular formulas and structural features of unknown organic compounds.
Evaluate how combining data from NMR, IR, UV-Vis, and mass spectrometry enables determination of complete molecular structures for biologically relevant organic compounds.

6 Mechanics: Kinematics, Forces, and Energy

3 topics

Kinematics and Newton's Laws

Define displacement, velocity, and acceleration for one-dimensional and two-dimensional motion, and apply kinematic equations to solve problems involving constant acceleration and projectile motion.
Apply Newton's three laws of motion and construct free-body diagrams to analyze forces acting on objects including gravity, normal force, tension, friction, and applied forces on inclined planes.
Analyze systems involving multiple forces to determine net force, acceleration, and equilibrium conditions, including problems with pulleys, connected masses, and centripetal acceleration.

Work, Energy, and Momentum

Define kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, elastic potential energy, and work, and state the work-energy theorem and the law of conservation of mechanical energy.
Calculate work done by constant and variable forces, apply conservation of energy to solve problems involving gravitational and elastic potential energy conversions, and determine power output.
Analyze elastic and inelastic collisions using conservation of momentum and kinetic energy to determine post-collision velocities and energy dissipation.

Torque, Equilibrium, and Simple Harmonic Motion

Define torque as the cross product of force and lever arm distance and state the conditions for both translational and rotational equilibrium of a rigid body.
Apply the equilibrium conditions to solve problems involving levers, seesaws, and the musculoskeletal system where bones act as levers with muscles providing torque around joints.
Describe the characteristics of simple harmonic motion including restoring force, displacement, amplitude, period, and frequency for mass-spring systems and simple pendulums.
Apply the relationships between period, frequency, mass, and spring constant to calculate oscillation parameters and analyze energy transformations between kinetic and potential energy during oscillation.

7 Fluids and Solids

1 topic

Fluid Statics and Dynamics

Define density, specific gravity, and pressure, and describe how Pascal's law transmits pressure in enclosed fluids and how gauge pressure differs from absolute pressure.
Apply Archimedes' principle to calculate buoyant force and predict whether objects float or sink based on the relationship between object density and fluid density.
Apply the continuity equation and Bernoulli's equation to analyze fluid flow through pipes of varying diameter, predicting changes in velocity, pressure, and flow rate in biological systems such as blood vessels.
Evaluate how viscosity, laminar versus turbulent flow (Reynolds number), and surface tension affect fluid behavior in biological contexts including blood viscosity, capillary action, and airway resistance.

8 Electrostatics and Circuits

2 topics

Electrostatics

State Coulomb's law and describe how electric charge, electric field, and electric potential relate to each other for point charges and uniform electric fields.
Calculate electric field strength, electric potential, and potential energy for systems of point charges, and predict the motion of charged particles in uniform electric fields.
Analyze how electrostatic interactions govern biological phenomena including ion channel selectivity, membrane potential generation, and protein-ligand binding through charge complementarity.

DC Circuits

Define current, voltage, resistance, and power, state Ohm's law, and describe the properties of resistors, capacitors, and batteries in DC circuits.
Apply Kirchhoff's junction and loop rules to calculate currents, voltages, and equivalent resistances in series and parallel circuit configurations.
Evaluate how capacitors store energy in electric fields, calculate capacitance for parallel-plate configurations, and analyze the charging and discharging behavior of RC circuits.

9 Waves, Sound, Light, and Optics

2 topics

Wave Properties and Sound

Define the properties of waves including frequency, wavelength, amplitude, period, and speed, and distinguish between transverse and longitudinal wave types.
Apply the principles of superposition, constructive and destructive interference, standing waves, and resonance to predict wave behavior in strings and open and closed pipes.
Calculate sound intensity in decibels, apply the Doppler effect equation to predict frequency shifts for moving sources and observers, and analyze ultrasound applications in medical imaging.

Light and Optics

Describe the electromagnetic spectrum, state the relationship between wavelength and frequency for electromagnetic radiation, and identify the properties of reflection and refraction.
Apply Snell's law to calculate refraction angles at boundaries between media, determine conditions for total internal reflection, and explain dispersion of white light by a prism.
Apply the thin lens equation and mirror equation to locate images formed by converging and diverging lenses and mirrors, and determine magnification, image type, and orientation.
Analyze diffraction and interference patterns produced by single slits, double slits, and diffraction gratings, and evaluate how these phenomena are applied in optical instruments and biological imaging.

10 Nuclear Chemistry and Radioactivity

1 topic

Radioactive Decay and Nuclear Reactions

Identify the types of radioactive decay including alpha, beta-minus, beta-plus, and gamma emission, and describe how each changes the atomic number and mass number of the parent nucleus.
Apply half-life calculations to determine the remaining quantity of a radioactive isotope after a given time period and explain applications of radioisotopes in medical imaging and treatment.
Evaluate the biological effects of ionizing radiation on tissues, compare the penetrating power and ionization capacity of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, and assess radiation safety principles.

Scope

Included Topics

AAMC MCAT Section 2: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, covering general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry as applied to biological systems.
Atomic structure: electron configuration, periodic trends (electronegativity, ionization energy, atomic radius, electron affinity), quantum numbers, orbital shapes and hybridization.
Chemical bonding: ionic, covalent, metallic, and hydrogen bonds; Lewis structures, VSEPR theory, molecular geometry, dipole moments, and intermolecular forces (van der Waals, dipole-dipole, London dispersion).
Thermodynamics: laws of thermodynamics, enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs free energy, Hess's law, bond energies, spontaneity, and coupled reactions in biological systems.
Chemical kinetics: rate laws, reaction order, rate constants, activation energy, Arrhenius equation, catalysis, and transition state theory.
Chemical equilibrium: equilibrium constants (Keq, Kp, Ksp, Ka, Kb), Le Chatelier's principle, common ion effect, and solubility equilibria.
Acids and bases: Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis definitions, pH and pOH calculations, buffer systems (Henderson-Hasselbalch equation), titration curves, polyprotic acids, and physiological buffer systems.
Electrochemistry: oxidation-reduction reactions, galvanic and electrolytic cells, standard reduction potentials, Nernst equation, Faraday's law, and biological redox reactions.
Organic chemistry reactions: nucleophilic substitution (SN1 and SN2), elimination (E1 and E2), electrophilic addition, carbonyl chemistry (aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amides), and functional group transformations relevant to biological molecules.
Spectroscopy and analytical techniques: NMR (1H and 13C chemical shifts, splitting patterns), IR spectroscopy (functional group identification), UV-Vis spectroscopy (Beer-Lambert law), and mass spectrometry (fragmentation patterns, molecular ion).
Kinematics and dynamics: displacement, velocity, acceleration, Newton's laws, friction, inclined planes, circular motion, gravitational force, and projectile motion.
Work, energy, and power: kinetic and potential energy, conservation of energy, work-energy theorem, power, and mechanical advantage of simple machines.
Fluids and solids: density, pressure, Pascal's law, Archimedes' principle, Bernoulli's equation, viscosity, surface tension, and fluid flow in biological systems (blood flow, capillary action).
Electrostatics and circuits: Coulomb's law, electric fields and potential, capacitance, Ohm's law, series and parallel circuits, power dissipation, and RC circuits.
Waves, sound, and light: wave properties (frequency, wavelength, amplitude, speed), standing waves, Doppler effect, sound intensity, reflection, refraction, Snell's law, diffraction, interference, thin lenses, mirrors, and the electromagnetic spectrum.

Not Covered

Advanced quantum mechanics and relativistic physics beyond introductory MCAT scope.
Synthetic organic chemistry methodology, retrosynthetic analysis, and industrial chemical processes.
Nuclear physics beyond basic radioactive decay types (alpha, beta, gamma) and half-life calculations.
Advanced analytical chemistry techniques such as HPLC, gas chromatography, and advanced spectroscopic methods beyond NMR, IR, UV-Vis, and mass spec.
Biological content covered in Section 1 (organ systems, molecular biology, genetics) except where directly linked to chemical and physical principles.
Psychology, sociology, and behavioral science (covered in Section 3).
CARS reading comprehension (covered in Section 4).