Does the physics section on the MCAT stress a lot of kinematics?

[studentdoctor08]

Because a lot of people have told me that the physical sciences section is mainly electrochemistry and the electrostatic aspect of physics. If this is true, I don't want to spend time studying the equations for kinematics if it's not even major on the MCAT

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[NH14]

Dude/Dudette - this is the wrong forum for MCAT questions. Just sayin'

But yeah, kinematics is pretty big on the MCAT - it's like the physics bread'n'butter.

 

[Morsetlis]

Kinematics is guaranteed to be on the MCAT somehow. There WILL be a box, a spring, a pulley, a ramp, and/or a parabolic trajectory.

Can't make the same guarantee about batteries and the right hand rule and magnetism.

 

[citrusguy2010]

i agree with the above posters. i've taken it twice and each time there is at least 1 discrete question about kinematics. i haven't seen a passage about kinematics, but that being said, i've seen kinematics interwoven into say an EM passage.

 

[gmcguitar4]

Kinematics should be something you pray for to rack up easy points. So yea know it. You have to know the equations for sure and know the concepts very well.

 

[CodeBlu]

Kinematics is guaranteed to be on the MCAT somehow. There WILL be a box, a spring, a pulley, a ramp, and/or a parabolic trajectory.

Can't make the same guarantee about batteries and the right hand rule and magnetism.

I can.... BOTH TIMES. Grrrrr

 

[aSagacious]

Moving to the 'MCAT discussions' forum.

 

[Poww]

.

 

[muhali3]

Kinematics is probably the easiest physics topic. Know it.

 

[liveoak]

based on the 9/10/11 test, topics are completely random. you truly are at their mercy.

 

[hookgrip]

It really depends on your test to be honest. One test may have a lot of kinematics while another may have just 1 or 2 problems.

My test's PS section was heavily biased towards general chemistry and there was not much physics at all.

Either way, you should be prepared.

 

[235788]

lollerskaterz

what gunner group told you this?

From what I've seen, getting a question regarding electro is pot luck. Inversely, kinematics is a staple of the section.

BS, I thought it was 1/100 chance, but sure enough i got a passage one of those less stressed weird ones that involve platinum and hydrogen, and i'm sure i got rocked on it. I also had an "unfair" amount a redox crap

 

[Code Blah]

Memorize kinematics equations, or know how to derive them. They will be your best friends during PS. You're guaranteed to get them, after all they are 1/2 of physics.

 

[Morsetlis]

BS, I thought it was 1/100 chance, but sure enough i got a passage one of those less stressed weird ones that involve platinum and hydrogen, and i'm sure i got rocked on it. I also had an "unfair" amount a redox crap

Good thing my ochem professor stressed the importance of weird reactions...

...if you did well on the "synthesize this molecule" part from ochem, you'll do fine on the MCAT for that portion.

 

[Reaction]

Kinematics is on it alot.. just about every exam I believe

 

[Victory4Zim]

The first time I took the MCAT, it was very kinematics heavy. Second time around, I honestly recall no kinematics. In fact, there were hardly any equations at all either, mostly conceptual stuff and chemistry heavy. On my BS section there were probably only 3 orgo questions. It's very random, you never know what you're gonna get. Study everything, because most times life happens in such a way that the one thing you don't study is the thing on the exam 😛

 

[Kangaroo Paw]

Because a lot of people have told me that the physical sciences section is mainly electrochemistry and the electrostatic aspect of physics. If this is true, I don't want to spend time studying the equations for kinematics if it's not even major on the MCAT

This is totes untrue. Like, totes. My particular PS section was 5/7ths stoichiometry/thermodynamics/doing crazy stuff with chemical reactions (experiments, etc) and 2/7ths torque/statics/magnetism. However, this is NOT representative of your typical PS section. In terms of the chemical reaction stuff, that's always on the MCAT, but so are kinematics. My particular section didn't have much straightforward kinematics, but it contained a bunch of more advanced stuff. I happened to have a lot of electromagnetism, but this was a total anomaly from any AAMC I had taken. Also, electochemistry is almost always represented as one or maximum two questions, but never more than that. My MCAT had zero electrochem, but most of the AAMC's had quite a bit.

Basically, kinematics are always on the MCAT, whereas electromagnetism are a big if.

 

[ridethecliche]

Point is, you can't predict what's going to be on it, so you might as well study everything.

 

[MD Odyssey]

There's a reason that kinematics is introduced the first week of your first semester in physics. It is integral to the entire subject matter - if you don't understand mechanics, then you need to revisit your entire understanding of the subject material.

 

[shenglu]

Hardly any or all of the equation, things are mostly conceptual and chemical heavy. Part of my degree there may be only 3 orgo problem. Very random, you never know what you're gonna get married.