Organic Chemistry Lab

[harmony14]

In my organic lab textbook, many of the techniques contain macroscale and microscale components. i.e. extraction macroscale is separatory funnel while microscale is a conical vial. i was wondering if the MCAT asks questions concerning macroscale procedures or both. i'm still 2 years away from the MCAT, just want to be efficient in my undergrad lab study since we only learn about macroscale. don't get me wrong i'm learning the general concepts of the techniques is just whether i should also learn the procedures of the macroscale and microscale components. thanks.

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[DelayedGratification]

This is not something you should be worried about 2 years out from the mcat.

I think at most you should just understand how these techniques work...micro or macro simply refers to quantity

 

[aldol16]

You should seek to understand principles rather than specific procedural steps. For something like this, you should understand the principle of chemical extractions and separations rather than their fine procedural points.

 

[harmony14]

Thanks. I didn’t know procedural steps weren’t tested in the mcats. And I am learning the concepts behind the techniques. Thanks again.


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[BerkReviewTeach]

I don't think anyone is saying procedural steps are not tested on the MCAT. It's just that they will likely be fishing for conceptual understanding behind a step or the sequence of steps presented in a passage. For instance, a typical question would be as follows.

In step IV of the procedure presented in Figure 2 of the passage, why is heat added at a point above the distillation flask?
A) To cause the highly volatile components to boil
B) To cause the nonvolatile components to boil
C) To prevent the highly volatile components from condensing and dripping back into the solution
D) To prevent the nonvolatile components from condensing and dripping back into the solution

You need to have a grasp of why certain things are done in selected procedural steps as opposed to just knowing the procedural steps sequentially.