Dumb Question about MCAT material

[Turkeyman]

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Is photosynthesis something we need to know for the MCATs, or just cellular respiration? I'm asking this because I've been looking at some topic lists and plant metabolism/calvin cycle/light cycle has never been specifically mentioned, while cellular respiration cycles would be.

In addition, I'm just peeing my pants constantly over this exam in April. Can't wait till it's over and I can finally breathe. It'll be my first and hopefully I wont have to retake it either. 😡

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated 👍

P.S. If I applied to med school with my April MCAT score, is it possible to send an update to the schools if I take the August MCAT and score higher? Thanks Again

 

[QofQuimica]

Is photosynthesis something we need to know for the MCATs, or just cellular respiration? I'm asking this because I've been looking at some topic lists and plant metabolism/calvin cycle/light cycle has never been specifically mentioned, while cellular respiration cycles would be.

In addition, I'm just peeing my pants constantly over this exam in April. Can't wait till it's over and I can finally breathe. It'll be my first and hopefully I wont have to retake it either. 😡

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated 👍

P.S. If I applied to med school with my April MCAT score, is it possible to send an update to the schools if I take the August MCAT and score higher? Thanks Again

No, you don't need to know about photosynthesis for the MCAT, although you would for DAT/OAT. You should definitely be familiar with cellular respiration; pay particular attention to where in the cell each stage occurs (ex. cytoplasm vs. mitochondrion), be able to keep track of the ATP and energy carriers from each stage, and you should know that oxygen is the final ETC acceptor and that anaerobic respiration is insufficient to sustain human life. You do not need to memorize any enzymes or specific reactions; they will make you do that in med school. 🙂

You can certainly send in your application with your April score and then take the test again in August if you wish. But don't psyche yourself out before you even go in to sit for the exam! I would suggest that you try to think positively and work seriously to prepare yourself well for April so that you won't have to worry about re-taking the test. Make sure that you complete several practice exams under timed conditions before the actual test. Best of luck to you on your MCAT and application.

 

[cfdavid]

One other nuance that may be required relative to oxidative phosphorylation is the fact that electrons are passed from lower to higher (more positive) reduction potentials.

That is, oxygen has a high reduction potential, and therefore wants to get reduced. Thus, it takes the electrons when nobody else wants them.

LEO the lion goes GER (Lose Electrons=Oxidation. Gain Electrons=Reduction)
(this is an EK mnemonic)

 

[Turkeyman]

Ahh guys thanks for clearing that up for me, biiig help.

*runs off to study*

 

[QofQuimica]

LEO the lion goes GER (Lose Electrons=Oxidation. Gain Electrons=Reduction)
(this is an EK mnemonic)

lol, Kaplan uses that one also. Is this something that most people find difficult to remember without using a mneumonic?

 

[N1DERL&]

hahaha, it's more like a security blanket for me! LEO the lion goes GER, don't leave me!! 🙂

 

[cfdavid]

lol, Kaplan uses that one also. Is this something that most people find difficult to remember without using a mneumonic?

Not sure. My last chemistry class was 9 years ago, so it helped me get back into the swing of things.

It's also helped me think of things in the following way as well:

When acids donate a proton =Bronsted Acid (proton donor), they also, in effect, are acting like Lewis acids as well. They do this by taking on the full pair of electrons from that previously shared with the Hydrogen, prior to it's donation. It just helps me tie everything together.

Also, to remember that "money metals" (a term from EK as well - Ag, Cu, Pt, Au) tend not to get oxidized. That's why they are good metals to make coins out of. They don't "rust" out (hence their value and longetivity). That is, they don't oxidize. (except for Ni, it's an exception in that it does not have a high reduction potential).
Therefore, they must have high reduction potentials (i.e. they like to take on electrons.)

This stuff can help in electrochemistry, where you can use some of this knowledge to determine which of two metal electrodes would be most apt to be the anode or cathode, depending on the type of cell. For example, you know that the "money metals" don't "rust"/oxidize. "They like electrons", so they are more apt to be at the cathode where reduction occurs.

In contrast to something like zinc, which oxidizes easily. Therefore, zinc is often classically shown at the anode (AnOx/RedCat- again from EK) in galvanic/voltaic cells.

Whatever works right? For me, it helps to put things in easy terms, not that this stuff is rocket science. But, you know.

The key is that you can again tie this stuff back to the electron transport chain, in terms of transfering electrons to increasingly higher reduction potential enzymes, and finally to oxygen, with a very high reduction potential.

 

[QofQuimica]

Not sure. My last chemistry class was 9 years ago, so it helped me get back into the swing of things.

It's also helped me think of things in the following way as well:

When acids donate a proton =Bronsted Acid (proton donor), they also, in effect, are acting like Lewis acids as well. They do this by taking on the full pair of electrons from that previously shared with the Hydrogen, prior to it's donation. It just helps me tie everything together.

Also, to remember that "money metals" (a term from EK as well - Ag, Cu, Pt, Au) tend not to get oxidized. That's why they are good metals to make coins out of. They don't "rust" out (hence their value and longetivity). That is, they don't oxidize. (except for Ni, it's an exception in that it does not have a high reduction potential).
Therefore, they must have high reduction potentials (i.e. they like to take on electrons.)

This stuff can help in electrochemistry, where you can use some of this knowledge to determine which of two metal electrodes would be most apt to be the anode or cathode, depending on the type of cell. For example, you know that the "money metals" don't "rust"/oxidize. "They like electrons", so they are more apt to be at the cathode where reduction occurs.

In contrast to something like zinc, which oxidizes easily. Therefore, zinc is often classically shown at the anode (AnOx/RedCat- again from EK) in galvanic/voltaic cells.

Whatever works right? For me, it helps to put things in easy terms, not that this stuff is rocket science. But, you know.

The key is that you can again tie this stuff back to the electron transport chain, in terms of transfering electrons to increasingly higher reduction potential enzymes, and finally to oxygen, with a very high reduction potential.

I like those; I hadn't heard of the money metals one but it's pithy and easy to remember. Your thinking of Bronsted-Lowry acids in terms of being Lewis acids is good, too. All Bronsted-Lowry acids are also Lewis acids as well, so it isn't just "in effect".