MCAT Physical : MCAT Physical Sciences

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for MCAT Physical

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Amino Acids And Classification

Which of the following amino acids are acidic?

I. Glutamate

II. Proline

III. Glycine

IV. Arginine

Possible Answers:

I and IV

I, II and IV

II and III

I only

Correct answer:

I only

Explanation:

Glutamate (glutamic acid), is the only one of which that contain an acidic functional group (carboxylic acid). Arginine is basic while proline and glycine considered non-polar.

Example Question #1 : Macromolecules

What properties of phospholipids make the formation of cell membranes possible?

Possible Answers:

Phospholipids are completely polar

Phospholipids are inorganic

Phospholipids are completely non-polar

Phospholipids are amphiphatic

Correct answer:

Phospholipids are amphiphatic

Explanation:

Phospholipids have two fatty acid tails made of hydrocarbons, which are nonpolar, and a phosphate head, which is polar. Their structure allows phospholipids to group up into a bilayer such that the polar heads face the outside environment while the non-polar fatty tails face inward, protected from the aqueous environment. Phospholipids are not completely polar or non-polar, they are amphiphathic.

Example Question #1 : Disaccharides, Polysaccharides, And Glycosidic Linkages

Cellulose is a polymer that is composed of what monomer?

Possible Answers:

Fructose

Glycerol

Galactose

Glycogen

Glucose

Correct answer:

Glucose

Explanation:

Cellulose is a polysaccharide (a sugar). Glucose is the monosaccharide used to generate the structure of cellulose via  linkages. Cellulose is composed of several hundred glucose molecules bound in this chain. Due to the nature of the beta linkage, humans cannot digest cellulose.

Example Question #1 : Classifications Of Enzymes

Chymotrypsin is a proteolytic enzyme that is released by the pancreas. Using a water molecule, it cleaves the traget polypeptide and creates the new N and C termini for the newly made fragments.

Based on this enzymatic function, what type of enzyme is chymotrypsin?

Possible Answers:

Ligase

Lyase

Hydrolase

Transferase

Correct answer:

Hydrolase

Explanation:

Chymostrypsin creates smaller peptide segments, so it is not a ligase or transferase. Since it employs the use of a water molecule in order to cleave the polymer, it is classified as a hydrolase enzyme. Lyases also shorten polymers, but not with the use of a water molecule.

Example Question #1 : Inhibition And Inhibitors

Chymotrypsin is a proteolytic enzyme that is released by the pancreas. Using a water molecule, it cleaves the traget polypeptide and creates the new N and C termini for the newly made fragments.

Suppose an inhibitor interacts with chymotrypsin. If the inhibitor acts by noncovalently binding to chymotrypsin, and only decreases its maximum catalytic rate, what type of inhibitor is being used?

Possible Answers:

Competitive inhibitor 

Noncompetitive inhibitor

Mixed inhibitor

Suicide inhibitor

Correct answer:

Noncompetitive inhibitor

Explanation:

We are told that the inhibitor binds noncovalently, so suicide inhibitors are not an option. Since the inhibitor only affects the catalytic rate of the enzyme, and not the Michaelis constant, we can say that the inhibitor is following a mechanism such as that of a noncompeitive inhibitor.

Example Question #1 : Units And Unit Conversion

Which of the following equations is equal to Young's Modulus for a solid?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

Young's Modulus is equal to the stress over strain on an object. The stress on an object refers to the pressure that is put on an object, and can be given the below equation.

The strain on an object refers to the amount an object is deformed in the direction of the force. It can be given the below equation, where  is the change in length and  is the original length.

Combining these two equations we can determine Young's Modulus.

Example Question #1 : Units And Unit Conversion

Which answer choice is the highest temperature?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To find the right answer, we need to know two formulas:

The simplest way to compare these choices will be to convert them all to Kelvin.

This makes our answer .

Example Question #3 : Units And Unit Conversion

The freezing point of water is  and the boiling point of water is . What is the difference between the boiling point and melting point of water if a student measured the temperatures in Fahrenheit?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

In this question, you will have to use the given equation twice; once for melting point and once for boiling point. Let’s first convert the melting point to Fahrenheit. The question states that the melting point of water is . Plugging this into the equation gives:

The melting point of water is . Similarly, we convert the boiling point of water to Fahrenheit:

The boiling point is . The difference between boiling point and melting point in Fahrenheit is:

Example Question #4 : Units And Unit Conversion

Which of the following is true regarding the definition of Kelvin?

Possible Answers:

It is defined so that the temperature at which water exists in all three phases (solid, liquid, and gas) is absolute zero

It is defined as the ratio of the melting point to the boiling point of water

It is defined so that the temperature at which water exists in all three phases (solid, liquid, and gas) is 

It is defined as the ratio of the boiling point to the melting point of water

Correct answer:

It is defined so that the temperature at which water exists in all three phases (solid, liquid, and gas) is 

Explanation:

Kelvin is a temperature scale that is named after Lord Kelvin. Lord Kelvin, through his experiments, found that absolute zero  occurs at a temperature of . Later, scientists defined Kelvin as the fraction  of the temperature of water at its triple point (the point on a phase diagram at which water exists as a solid, a liquid, and a gas). This is because the temperature at the triple point of water, in Celsius, is . In Kelvin scale, the triple point of water occurs at .

Example Question #1 : Units And Unit Conversion

The melting point of iron is . In Celsius the melting point of iron is __________ and in Kelvin it is __________.

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

The question states that the melting point of iron is . We can use the given equation to convert this to Celsius.

This means that the melting point of iron is . At this point you can choose the right answer because there is only one answer option that has ; however, let’s solve for Kelvin. The second equation you need to know is the conversion from Celsius to Kelvin:

The melting point of iron in Kelvin is:

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