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MCAT Test Physical Sciences I (General Chemistry)

The general chemistry questions on the MCAT Test under the physical sciences concentrate heavily on the basics.  These chemistry questions are not as hard as the organic chemistry questions found in the biological sciences section of the MCAT test.   Please review the below information for more content information related to general chemistry that can be found on the MCAT Test

MCAT Test Element Review

Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromide and Iodine are all halogens also known as salt formers.

Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton and Xenon are all inert gases also known as noble gases.

Lithium, Sodium, Potassium, Rubidium, and Cesium are all alkali metals.

The following periodic table presentation of Chlorine can be broken down into the following:

         17   -  Atomic number

         Cl    -  Element symbol

     Chlorine - Element name

        34.45 -   Atomic Weight

The horizontal rows of the periodic table are called periods.  From left to right these are arranged by increasing atomic numbers. The vertical rows have similar chemical similarities. The number of known chemical elements is 109. The periodic table was created by, Dmitri Mendeleev a Russian chemist.

An atom is the simplest unit of an element.  Atoms that loose or gain electrons are called ions. Positively charged ions are called cations.  Negatively charged ions are called anions.  All atoms have a nucleus, which has protons and neutrons present.  Protons are positively charged particles found within the nucleus.  Neutrons do not carry a charge. The total of neutrons and protons is the mass number.  The atomic number is the number of protons found in an atom. One mole of that element is the weight of the element required to equal its atomic weight.  A compound is when 2 elements are found together in a definite ratio.  The term molecule is a unit of two or more atoms that are bonded together. Avogadro’s number 6.02 x10²³ is the number of molecules in one mole of that element.

Atoms can share electrons to bond called a covalent bond, or they can transfer electrons to another atom to form an ionic bond.  In addition, a polar bond may be performed between substances in situations that a covalent or ionic bond is not desired.  Compounds with various structures, but the same shape are called isomers.