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All Sciences Physics Chemistry Organic Biology

Module 16 To be completed soon.

Main Progression - Evolution, and Ecology

Review & Preview - This is the first module in which we find ourselves responsible for the outlines of all four disciplines: Physics, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Biology.

Knowledge Mapping - An intense and challenging set of discussions designed to help you integrate a great deal of physics and chemistry.

Verbal Reasoning and Essay - Continuing the regimin of reading program, exercise, and writing assignment.

Main Progression

Assignments


Evolution is a topic where you need a good comfort level, but the MCAT does not often have extremely detailed questions. Browse the images and study the Evolution vocabulary (at least through Level 2) in your Learning System Book. Use the question mask for a final drill and then test yourself on the basic terms with the Crossword Puzzle. Here is the Solution. You can also work on the vocabulary online at the Question Server.
Read pp 181-182 in ExamKrackers Biology. Perform the questions on pg 183.
Take a thorough review tour of the Evolution external resources in the Learning Center. The Evolution 101 Course from UC Berkeley is especially good. Although this tutorial starts at a basic level, it steadily builds to provide excellent coverage of MCAT level material.

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Goals


Understand the scientific definition of evolution in terms of changes in gene frequency within a population over time.
Be able to name and understand the processes underlying evolutionary change: germ line mutation, gene flow, genetic drift, and natural selection.
Know how ontogeny can help interpret phylogeny (but that it doesn’t recapitulate it).
Understand the scientific definition of fitness.
Become comfortable with the sophisticated way a biologist will employ the concept of adaptation. Know what an exaptation is.
Be familiar with the various scenarios in which coevolution may occur.
Understand the conceptual progression from microevolution, speciation, to macroevolution.
Be able to distinguish allopatric, peripatric, parapatric, and sympatric speciation.
Possess the vocabulary of lineage and speciation to interpret phylogenetic trees.
Have familiarity with major clades of Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukaryota.
Have at least basic familiarity with the natural history of the Earth including theories of the origin of life with some knowledge of subsequent eras, periods, and epochs.

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Assignments


Ecology is not a huge MCAT topic, but because ecology concepts show up every so often in passages, especially population genetics, you should spend some time on the subject. Browse the images and study the Evolution vocabulary (at least through Level 2) in your Learning System Book. Use the question mask for a final drill and then test yourself on the basic terms with the Crossword Puzzle. Here is the Solution. You can also work on the vocabulary online at the Question Server.
Take a thorough review tour of the Ecology external resources in the Learning Center.

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Goals


Have a clear sense of the scientific domain of ecology.
Be able to conceptualize the evolution of the biosphere from the abiotic early Earth as an evolving feedback loop between the ecological processes of life, geochemistry, and Earth's atmosphere.
Understand the distinctions between ecosystems, biomes and habitats.
Recognize the different biomes.
Have a good feel for the conceptual vocabulary for describing ecological energy flow through food webs.
Possess at least a basic familiarity with the major processes involved in the primary biogeochemical cycles.
Be familiar with the nomenclature for describing the ecology of a freshwater lake, an important model for teaching ecology.
Be ready for discussions involving the basics of population biology including the main principles of population genetics and population growth.

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Review & Preview

Assignments


Study the outlines of Physics, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Biology accessible through the links below. Read them slowly and carefully. Try to picture the model phenomena of importance within each area. Instead of the accustomed learning process in which you add new pieces of material to a series of concepts that grows longer each module, think of studying for the MCAT as a planned process of laying down a comprehensive foundation and elaborating a mental structure through repetition and articulation. Be sure you can reproduce each outline on a blank sheet of paper.

Physics

Chemistry

Organic

Biology

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Goals


Be able to reproduce the outlines of Physics, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Biology at the main topic level.

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Knowledge Mapping

Assignments


Read the Coaching Discussions associated with the Main Sequence topics of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, Chemical Thermodynamics and the Equilibrium State, the States of Matter, the Physical Properties of Organic Compounds, and Chemical Kinetics. These discussions are somewhat difficult. Don't be afraid to read some of them several times. Start HERE and proceed by clicking 'Next Discussion'.

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Goals


Be able to narrate the Carnot Cycle in terms of the concepts of Heat & Temperature, Ideal Gas & Kinetic Theory, The First Law of Thermodynamics, and the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
Pull together concepts of Work & Energy, the Electric Force, Heat & Temperature, Thermochemistry and the Second Law of Thermodynamics to develop a concrete, intuitive sense of the Gibbs free energy.
Apply the concepts of Thermochemistry and Chemical Thermodynamics to understand equilibrium in important examples such as phase change, dissolving an electrolyte in water, autoprotolysis of an acid, and oxidation-reduction.
Be prepared to distinguish reasoning based on the concepts of Chemical Thermodynamics from propositions based on Chemical Kinetics.

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Verbal Reasoning

Assignments


Revisit the WikiPremed treatment of Verbal Reasoning on the MCAT.
Perform Passages 1-10 in ExamKrackers 101 Passages in MCAT Verbal Reasoning.
Go through the test you completed. Label every question by type in the margin: Main Idea, Author's Tone, Thematic Extension, Specific Inference, or Facts & Information. Which types seem to be giving the most problems? In the ones you missed, how do your chosen answers differ from the correct answers?

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Goals


Remember the five main types of Verbal Reasoning questions.

Main Idea

Author's Tone

Thematic Extension

Specific Inference

Facts & Information

Verbal Reasoning Tip of the Week
Watch out for wrong answers designed to entice you to answer what your own opinion is instead of the author's. The question prompt will not say, 'according to you'. It will say, 'according to the author'.

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Essay

Assignments


Read the WikiPremed guide to Writing the MCAT Essay.
Arrange an undisturbed half hour to write an essay. Click Here for your essay topic for module seveb. Don't advance to page 2 until you are ready to begin writing.

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Goals


Focus on how to lean a bit towards either the first or the second essay task to give your essay dynamism and unity.

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MECHANICS AND WAVES
Course
Modules


Kinematics
Newton's Laws
Work, Energy, and Power
Momentum and Impulse		MCAT course syllabus module 1
* * *
Rotation
Harmonic Motion
Elastic Properties of Solids
Fluid Mechanics
Waves		MCAT course syllabus module 2
FUNDAMENTAL FORCES

Gravitation
Electricity		MCAT course syllabus module 3
THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER

Atomic Theory
Periodic Properties
The Chemical Bond
Intermolecular Forces		MCAT course syllabus module 4

Functional Groups in Organic Chemistry
Stereochemistry		MCAT course syllabus module 5
THERMODYNAMICS AND KINETICS

Temperature and Heat Flow
The Ideal Gas and Kinetic Theory
The First Law of Thermodynamics
Stoichiometry
Thermochemistry		MCAT course syllabus module 6

The Second Law of Thermodynamics and Heat Engines
Chemical Thermodynamics and the Equilibrium State
The States of Matter
The Physical Properties of Organic Compounds
Chemical Kinetics		MCAT course syllabus module 7
SOLUTIONS AND AQUEOUS SYSTEMS

Water
Solutions
Acids and Bases
Organic Acids and Bases		MCAT course syllabus module 8
ORGANIC REACTION CHEMISTRY

Nucleophiles and Electrophiles
Intramolecular Cationic Rearrangements
Reactions with Radical Intermediates
Conjugated π Systems and Aromaticity
Reactions of Alkanes
Reactions of Alkenes
Reactions of Alkynes
Reactions of Alkyl Halides
Reactions of Allylic and Benzylic Conjugation
Reactions of Aromatic Compounds
Reactions of Alcohols and Ethers
Reactions of Aldehydes and Ketones
Reactions of Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives
Reactions of Amines
Reactions of Organic Phosphorus Compounds
Reactions of Organic Sulfur Compounds		MCAT course syllabus module 9
break
MCAT course syllabus module 10
BIOMOLECULES

Proteins
Carbohydrates
Nucleic Acids
Lipids		MCAT course syllabus module 11
THE CELL
Biological Membranes
The Prokaryotic Cell
The Eukaryotic Cell
BIOENERGETICS AND BIOSYNTHESIS

Coordination Chemistry
Oxidation/Reduction
Oxidation/Reduction in Organic Chemistry
Electrochemistry
Bioenergetics and Cellular Respiration
Photosynthesis  optional for MCAT
Integration of Metabolism		MCAT course syllabus module 12
GENETICS & REPRODUCTION

Gene Expression
Cellular Reproduction
Mendelian Genetics
Recombination and Mutation
The Molecular Biology Laboratory
Human Genetics		MCAT course syllabus module 13
DIVERSITY OF LIFE

Viruses
Monera
Protista  taxonomy optional for MCAT
Fungi
Plants  optional for MCAT

Animals  taxonomy optional for MCAT
Animal Development and Embryology		MCAT course syllabus module 14

Mammalian Tissues and Histology		MCAT course syllabus module 15
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY
The Nervous System
Sensory Systems
The Endocrine System
The Musculoskeletal System
The Cardiovascular System
Blood
The Respiratory System
The Lymphatic System and Immunity
The Urinary System
The Digestive System and Nutrition
The Reproductive System
POPULATION BIOLOGY

Evolution
Ecology		MCAT course syllabus module 16
ELECTROMAGNETISM, LIGHT, AND MODERN PHYSICS

Electricity
DC Current
Magnetism
Electomagnetic Induction
AC Current		MCAT course syllabus module 17

The Properties of Light
Geometric Optics
Wave Optics		MCAT course syllabus module 18

Modern Physics  relativity optional for MCAT
Molecular Spectroscopy		MCAT course syllabus module 19
Molecular Spectroscopy
Nuclear Physics
break
MCAT course syllabus module 20
The WikiPremed MCAT Course is a free comprehensive course in the undergraduate level general sciences. Undergraduate level physics, chemistry, organic chemistry and biology are presented by this course as a unified whole within a spiraling curriculum.

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