Even if you struggle with organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, or physics, the dreaded C/P section can easily become one of your highest scoring sections with the right information and strategies.
I received a score of 131 in the Chemistry and Physics (C/P) section of the MCAT, scoring in the 99th percentile. I know the C/P section is a commonly overwhelming section.
Start your journey with our introductory MCAT guide—everything you need to kick off your prep and ace the test!
What is the Chemistry and Physics (C/P) Section of the MCAT?
The Chem/Phys section of the MCAT is the first section of the MCAT and accounts for 25% of your overall score. There are 59 questions which is formed from a combination of passage-based and discrete questions. The section has a time limit of 95 minutes, and is scored between 118 and 132.
This section evaluates your understanding of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical functions of human tissues, organs, and systems, the basic chemical and physical principles underlying these functions, and your ability to apply this knowledge to living systems. This section tests introductory-level biology, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physics, molecular biology, and basic research methods and statistics, as well as testing your scientific inquiry and reasoning.
The breakdown is as follows:
- 25% First-semester biochemistry
- 5% Introductory biology
- 30% General chemistry
- 15% Organic chemistry
- 25% Introductory physics
You will have access to a periodic table. You will not have access to a calculator.
The section will include the following topics, however this list is not exhaustive:
- Physics: Forces, Work, Energy, Waves and Light, Equilibrium, Sound, Magnetism, Fluids, Circuits, etc
- General Chemistry: Acid-Base Chemistry, Atomic Structure, Bonding and Chemical Interactions, Kinetics, Electrochemistry, Equilirbium, Solutions, Stoichiometry, the Gas Phase, Thermochemistry, Redox Reactions, etc
- Organic Chemistry: Alcohols and Ethers, Aldehydes and Ketones, Carbonyl Chemistry, Isomers, Laboratory Techniques and Separations, etc
- Biochemistry: Amino Acids, DNA & RNA, Enzymes, Carbohydrate Metabolism, Lipid Metabolism, etc
Tips and Tricks to Acing the MCAT Chemistry/Physics Section
#1. Start studying early and utilize practice questions and practice tests.
Chemistry and physics are largely concept-based and less about memorization, so practice will help you gain confidence of the material. Focus on review of weaker content.
#2. Focus on broad concepts and applications.
Unlike your undergraduate classes where you might receive questions that take 10-20 minutes to solve that require complex equations or algebra, almost all MCAT problems can be solved in 1-2 steps with understanding of one or two fundamental concepts. This is especially true as you will not have a calculator for the test, and thus complex calculations are not typically expected.
Instead, focus learning on broad concepts rather than the nitty-gritty, and how these concepts may be used in application. If you are able to explain and teach concepts, this indicates a deeper understanding of the material.
For example, we can take the power equation for lens strength (P=1/f) to expand our understanding of what lenses with short vs long focal lengths look like, how the focal length affects refraction, what refractive errors in the eyes mean, and how lenses can be used to treat refractive errors. Provided a deeper understanding, we may be able to answer complex questions such as “How would power of a lens must change if an individual’s myopia worsens?” Having a grasp on how variables affect one another in equations is important, as well as how concepts relate to biological/medical applications.
#3. Know your units well.
Being comfortable with units and dimensional analysis is an important skill in C/P. For example, if you don’t remember an equation you need, you can convert values until you obtain the unit that matches with answer choices. This may often involve breaking everything down into basic SI units. Many questions can be solved if you simply understand how to manipulate units correctly. Part of this is knowing your prefixes: mili, centi, giga, tera, pico, etc.
#4. Be comfortable with scientific notation and rounding.
You should feel comfortable rounding and working with scientific notation. Given that you will NOT have a calculator on exam day, being able to manipulate numbers in scientific notation will be a key skill in this section.
#5. Memorize your important equations and understand how variables relate to each other.
Through practice alone, you might find that you have common equations memorized. Whether this is useful or not, I do recommend memorizing basic equations as you do not want to be coming across a question and not remembering the equation required to solve it. There are a lot of conceptual questions that don’t require pure calculation, but rather require an understanding of how variables related to each other (e.g. if variable x goes up in an equation, what is the effect on variable y).
#6. Eliminate wrong answers.
There inevitably will be questions that you cannot figure out the correct answer. It may seem obvious, but start by crossing out choices that you are confident are wrong. If you ultimately must guess, at least you have improved your chances of guessing correctly, potentially to a 50% success rate.
#7. Know all your amino acids.
More or less, having all 20 amino acids and their characteristics memorized will likely help you answer a few passage or discrete questions easily. These would otherwise be straightforward marks lost if you did not review amino acids fully.
#8. Know your laboratory techniques.
You do not need to necessarily understand how the machines or laboratory techniques work, but you should understand what these lab techniques tell you. For example, know what an IR and NMR tell you about a molecule and have a basic understanding of signals which define a molecule class. Separation schemes and understanding how to separate a mixture of chemicals is also important—know where molecules move between organic and aqueous layers based on doing acid or base extractions.
Need some additional guidance? Check out our tips for acing the CARS, Biology/Biochemistry, and Psychology/Sociology sections.
Final Thoughts
I firmly believe that any student, regardless of their chemistry or physics background, can succeed in the C/P section of the MCAT. Review content in weaker areas, focus on the broad concepts, understand how variables relate to each other, and practice, practice, practice! By adopting effective study strategies, you can enhance your preparation and increase your chances of success.
