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All Sciences Physics Chemistry Organic Biology

Module 19 To be completed soon.

Main Progression - Modern Physics, Molecular Spectroscopy, and Nuclear Physics

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

Videos

Assignments


Orient yourself to the model systems and terminology of Modern Physics before proceeding with the rest of your assignments. Browse the terminology and images within your Learning System Book, complete the basic terms Crossword Puzzle (Solution) and perform an online drill at the Question Server.. Note that the sections in WikiPremed materials dealing with special relativity, cosmology, and advanced particle physics are optional for the MCAT
Master the Concept and Question cards for Modern Physics from the Learning System for Physics. The first half dozen cards, which deal with special relativity, are optional.
Look over materials you covered earlier in Atomic Theory, which has significant overlap with Modern Physics. Here is the Atomic Theory Conceptual Chapter, the Atomic Theory Problem Set, and the Answer Key.
Finish your Main Progression work on Modern Physics with a review tour of the Modern Physics external resources in the Learning Center.

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Goals


Understand what blackbody radiation is and be able to describe the significance of Planck’s solution to the problem of how to interpret the emission spectrum of a blackbody.
Be able to describe the relationship between the frequency of electromagnetic waves and photon energy and feel comfortable applying the quantization of light energy to interpreting a range of phenomena such as atomic emission spectra or the photoelectric effect.
Be ready to solve problems involving the basic apparatus for demonstrating the photoelectric effect and interpret results to determine the work function.
Possess a basic familiarity with the Compton effect so that you would be able to navigate a passage dealing with it.
Learn the basic apparati, mechanisms and conclusions of the most significant experiments of early modern Atomic Theory including J.J. Thomson's cathode ray experiment, Millikin's oil drop experiement, and Rutherford's experiment with gold foil and alpha rays.
Be able to verbally reproduce the reasoning from evidence that led to Bohr's model of the hydrogen atom.
Master the basic description of the electronic structure of the atom in modern quantum theory in terms. Picture the orbitals of an atom. Understand how to use quantum numbers to describe them, the Pauli exclusion principle, the aufbau principle and Hund's rule.
Understand the significance of De Broglie’s extension of particle-wave duality from photons to include all forms of matter and have a basic sense of the concept of wave function collapse in the context of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.

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Assignments


Regain your feel for Molecular Spectroscopy by browsing the terminology and images within your Learning System Book, complete the basic terms Crossword Puzzle (Solution) and perform an online drill at the Question Server.
Read pp. 89-96 in ExamKrackers Organic Chemistry and perform the questions on p. 100 (The discussion also deals with some other lab techniques)
Take a careful review tour of the Molecular Spectroscopy external resources in the Learning Center. The spectroscopy discussions in the Virtual Textbook of Organic Chemistry are perfectly attuned to the MCAT.

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Goals


Understand the mechanism of IR spectroscopy in the vibrational excitation of covalently bonded atoms and groups by electromagnetic radiation in the infrared portion of the spectrum.
Be familiar with the meaning of reciprocal centimeters (cm-1) on an IR spectrograph.
Be able to predict how changes in the strength of a bond or the mass of bonded atoms would alter the frequency of absorption in IR spectroscopy.
Be familiar with the fingerprint and group frequency regions of an IR spectrograph and be able to recognize the half dozen most prominent types of stretching vibrations in the group frequency region by frequency.
At the basis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), comprehend how the presence of an external magnetic field will result in the existence of difference spin states for a nucleus with a net magnetic moment.
Understand how the location of different nmr resonance signals depends on both the external magnetic field strength and the rf frequency in the context of shielding by extranuclear electrons. Understand what it means to refer to chemical shift in units of ppm.
Be able to use the electronegativities of bonded atoms to judge the extent of deshielding in proton NMR, and recall that pi electron systems can effect chemical shift by supporting or opposing the external field.
Remember that adding heavy water to a sample under proton NMR makes acid protons disappear from the spectrum.
Know how to interpret structural information from the signal splitting resulting from spin-spin interactions in proton NMR.
For UV spectroscopy, understand the electronic mechanism of absorption of electromagnetic radition in the context of molecular orbital theory and comprehend the role of conjugation in shifting absorption maxima toward longer wavelength.
For mass spectroscopy, you should be able to describe the basic mechanism of ionization, ion sorting under a magnetic field, and detection.
In interpreting a mass spectrum understand what is meant by the base peak (sometimes but not always the molecular ion).
Understand the distinction between even-electron ions and odd-electron ions and have a reasonable understanding of fragmentation patterns in mass spectroscopy.

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Videos

Assignments


Warm up before watching the videos. Browse Nuclear Physics in your Learning System Book to get a feel for the field of reference. Perform your basic terms Crossword Puzzle (Solution) and perform an online drill at the Question Server.
Work through the Concept and Question cards for Nuclear Physics from the Learning System for Physics.
Close the circle with a review tour of the Nuclear Physics resources in the Learning Center.

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Goals


Understand the basic nomenclature for describing atomic nuclei, ie. atomic number, neutron number and mass number. Understand the differences between isotopes of an element.
Be able to use the concepts of nuclear binding energy and nuclear barrier to narrate the interplay of strong nuclear force and electrostatic force for subatomic particles at very short distances.
Have a basic sense of the concept of nuclear spin and understand the relevance of Larmor precessional frequency to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
Possess a good familiarity with each of the major types of nuclear decay, alpha, beta, and gamma, and variations thereof.
Understand what is meant by the ‘island of stability’ and be able to predict what types of decay might occur for isotopes falling outside of this range.
Know how to solve simple quantitative problems involving activity and half-life of nuclear reactions.
Be familiar with carbon dating.
Know how to apply mass-energy equivalence to solving simple problems involving nuclear reactions.
Be able to distinguish nuclear fusion and fission.
Understand why nuclear fusion only can occur at extremely high temperature.
Be able to narrate the chain reaction fission of U235. Understand the purposes of the major components of a nuclear reactor such as the control rods and moderator.

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Review & Preview

Assignments


Study the Examkrackers conceptual discussions from beginning to end in Physics, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Biology. Now that you have read these discussions from start to finissh in the last module, now try to get as many overview cycles through the material as you can. Read the headings. Browse the text. Look at the figures. Imagine the real MCAT were this week and you are trying to make the best of it.
Read all the cards of the Learning System for Physics from start to finish. Although the printed copy may be a little more friendly to the attention, if you don't have your printed copy (yet!), you can access all the cards online HERE.
Read the Organic Mechanisms Pocketbook again from start to finish or make another cycle thorugh the Mechanisms online HERE.
Complete mastery of the Level 2 vocabulary in the ManDala Premedical Learning System (except for Photosynthesis, Plants and Animals). Use your question slider. Keep the Concept Map nearby. Go from the beginning to the end and take the time to look over the figures in each section. Work especially hard on the conceptual vocabulary of the areas of Biology with a great deal of detailed factual information.

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Goals


Be prepared for your first practice MCAT by ensuring that you have at least a reasonable familiarity of the entire body of knowledge required for the exam.
Be able to picture the four disciplines at the topic level from the bird's eye view.
Begin to experience a comfortable cover to cover recognition of the individual pages of your study materials.

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Knowledge Mapping

Assignments


Start HERE and re-read the Coaching Discussions in the course up through the topics of Module 9, the Organic Mechanisms. Proceed by clicking 'Next Discussion'.

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Goals


Deepen your understanding of the design of the course and the order of topics in the Main Progression.
Consolidate Physics as the conceptual basis of General Chemistry.

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Testing

Assignments


It is time for your first practice test. Hurray! By far the best practice MCATs are located at the AAMC site www.e-mcat.com. These are real computer-based MCATs created by the test-writers themselves with explanations and detailed score reports available. Although one test is free, the service is kind of expensive (boo!) but you really should use the facility for at least two or three of the practice MCATs scheduled in this course.

The MCAT is a five and a half hour test with ten minute breaks between sections: physical sciences (70 min), verbal reasoning (60 min), writing sample (60 min), and biological sciences (70 min). Set aside six or seven hours when you can guarantee you will be undisturbed. Secure pencils, scratch paper, and a clean desk with only your computer. If you have a WikiPremed study group, try to arrange for everyone to take the same practice tests in the same order so that you can discuss them together. Good luck!
As you begin reading each passage in the science sections, practice orienting the subject matter within the outlines of the sciences you have internalized. No matter how dense or difficult a passage seems, the questions will be about fundamental principles. It is a rule that the harder the passage the easier the questions.

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Goals


The score you make on your first practice test is NOT the score you will make on the MCAT. It's good to do well, of course, but the main purpose of cramming for this practice test has been to make you get through the material at least one time. Your learning goal is to begin to take comprehensive responsibility for the knowledge.
When you go through the solutions and score report, try to gain as much insight into your strengths and weaknesses. However, take this with a grain of salt. There aren't enough question instances on an MCAT for fine-grained diagnostics.
Understand the MCAT pace and the nature of MCAT passages and questions. The MCAT is a good test. The more you understand the point of view of its authors the better you will do.

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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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