MCAT Test Physical Sciences Section

The MCAT test consists of four primary sections that are designed to evaluate an individual's basic reading and writing skills as well as the individual's basic scientific knowledge. These sections include a physical sciences section, a verbal reasoning section, a writing sample section, and a biological sciences section. The physical sciences section of the exam is designed to assess an individual's knowledge of basic scientific concepts. This section of the exam consists of 52 multiple-choice questions that are designed to test the individual's knowledge of a variety of topics related to chemistry and physics. Each physical science question will present the individual with a passage that explains an advanced concept or a research project, a basic chemistry or physics problem that the exam-taker will have to solve, or an argument that the individual will have to evaluate. In order to answer the questions related to a new scientific concept or a scientific research project, the individual will have to apply his or her scientific knowledge to understand the concept or project presented and answer questions related to defining the concept or explaining the purpose or conclusion of the project. In order to answer the problem-solving questions, the individual taking the exam will have to apply his or her knowledge of chemistry, physics, and mathematical concepts to identify the cause of a particular problem or to find the solution to a scientific equation. In order to answer the argument questions, the individual taking the exam will have to determine if the argument is a logical argument or an illogical argument by applying his or her physics and/or chemistry knowledge. The exam-taker will have 70 minutes to complete the physical sciences section of the exam.

Topics Covered
Informational and Research Passages
Problem Solving Questions
Argument Evaluation Questions