TBR and Fatty Acids

[MedPR]

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Pretty sure I just answered the third or fourth question (so far) that requires you to know the basic structure of Oleic, Stearic, and Palmitic acid. The question:

Which of the fatty acids was used to supplement the monounsaturated portion of the HF diet?

A. Palmitoleic Acid
B. Stearic Acid
C. Oleic Acid
D. Palmitic Acid

From the passage and the data table provided, the only thing you can deduce is that the answer is a monounsaturated fatty acid, and has 18 carbons. The part about the 18 carbons is even a stretch imo since I never learned that "Fatty Acid 18:1" means 18 carbons and 1 double bond.

Are the above fatty acids so common that we should commit their basic structure (saturated, unsaturated, number of carbons) to memory?

 

[Danlee07]

Those four are common, and I think it would good to know it, especially in the context of even and odd-numbered carbons of FA Synthesis. Even numbered carbon chains yields acetyl CoA. Odd numbered carbon chains lead to proponyl CoA, acetyl CoA, and isobutyryl CoA. Normally, there's a cis or a trans included in the nomenclature (e.g.18:1 cis/trans deltahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatty_acid#Nomenclature).

 

[chiddler]

oh damn i didn't know we had to memorize those...

ugh. more to the pile

can anybody else confirm this, please.

 

[MT Headed]

I would recognize the names and maybe look them up in wikipedia once. I certainly never memorized them and knowing them wasn't necessary for the eight AAMC tests. What you need to know would be in a chart or diagram somewhere.

The mcat is not a memorization / trivia test, not even the bio section.

 

[chiddler]

I would recognize the names and maybe look them up in wikipedia once. I certainly never memorized them and knowing them wasn't necessary for the eight AAMC tests. What you need to know would be in a chart or diagram somewhere.

The mcat is not a memorization / trivia test, not even the bio section.

what about hormones!

 

[Danlee07]

what about hormones!

If you notice any pattern, then notice this: most of the information is in the passage already and a little bit of logic with a deep understanding of the material will correctly answer the question. Even the discrete questions require a little bit of intuitive thinking to properly eliminate answers.

I wouldn't spend so much time trying to memorize these fatty acid names, linkages, or hormones. What I would spend time is to trying to figure out how to draw as much information as possible out of the passages and then figure out if the answers are somehow linked (if you're stuck).

So far, I'm getting good results on practice sections using my changed study method which I started for my classes.

 

[MedPR]

There's lots of trivia type questions, but if you focus on learning the concepts, the trivia kind of goes along with it.

For instance, when doing excretory, you learn that ADH further concentrates the urine. You don't need to memorize that ADH is stimulated by increased plasma osmolarity or that it increases blood volume by activating aquaporin 2 in the collecting duct of the nephron.

 

[mcloaf]

Are the above fatty acids so common that we should commit their basic structure (saturated, unsaturated, number of carbons) to memory?

I don't think so. One of the many things in TBR bio that is totally unnecessary.