Foundational concept 5 is the second foundational concept you will be tested on as part of the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section of the MCAT exam. Foundational concept 5 primarily focuses on the principles that govern chemical interactions and reactions and how they ultimately form the basis for a broader comprehension of the molecular dynamics of living systems.
Chemical processes within the body can be easily understood within the framework of the behavior of solutions, molecular structure, thermodynamics, intermolecular interactions, and molecular dynamics and reactivity. This is information you will be tested on throughout foundational concept 5.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there are five content categories within foundational concept 5. These content categories include:
Photo: Association of American Medical Colleges
The information covered in foundational concept 5 is designed to help medical students learn to apply the understanding of basic chemical principles to an understanding of living systems. Students will also be prepared to learn how certain atomic and molecular characteristics of biological constituents can be used to predict normal and pathological molecular function.
There isn’t a set time limit to complete all five content categories within foundational concept 5, but students will be allotted 95 minutes to finish the Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems section of the MCAT exam. The 59 questions in this section are a combination of passage-based and discrete questions.