MCAT General Chemistry | Latest Update
| 2024/2025 | Already Passed
What is the role of the conjugate base in an acid-base reaction, and how does it influence the
reaction equilibrium?
The conjugate base is formed when an acid donates a proton. It influences the reaction
equilibrium by in...
MCAT General Chemistry | Latest Update
| 2024/2025 | Already Passed
What is the role of the conjugate base in an acid-base reaction, and how does it influence the
reaction equilibrium?
✔✔ The conjugate base is formed when an acid donates a proton. It influences the reaction
equilibrium by interacting with the acid, shifting the equilibrium based on the relative strengths
of the acid and its conjugate base.
How does the presence of a common ion affect the solubility of a salt in a solution?
✔✔ The presence of a common ion decreases the solubility of a salt in solution due to the
common ion effect, which shifts the dissolution equilibrium to favor the formation of the
undissolved salt.
What are the key differences between a sigma bond and a pi bond in terms of their formation and
properties?
✔✔ Sigma bonds are formed by the head-on overlap of atomic orbitals and are characterized by
a single bond between atoms, while pi bonds are formed by the side-by-side overlap of p orbitals
and are found in double and triple bonds alongside sigma bonds.
1
,How does the principle of electronegativity influence bond polarity and molecule polarity?
✔✔ Electronegativity determines the distribution of electron density in a bond. A greater
difference in electronegativity between bonded atoms creates a polar bond, and the overall
molecule polarity depends on both the individual bond polarities and the molecular geometry.
What is the significance of the Nernst equation in electrochemistry, and how does it relate to cell
potential?
✔✔ The Nernst equation calculates the cell potential of an electrochemical cell under non-
standard conditions by considering the concentrations of reactants and products, allowing for the
prediction of cell behavior in various scenarios.
How do you determine the rate law for a reaction from experimental data?
✔✔ The rate law is determined by conducting experiments to measure how the reaction rate
changes with varying concentrations of reactants, and then using the data to derive the rate law
expression that best fits the observed rate behavior.
What is the concept of the standard enthalpy of reaction, and how is it used to calculate the
enthalpy change for a reaction?
✔✔ The standard enthalpy of reaction is the heat change that occurs when reactants are
converted to products under standard conditions. It is used to calculate the enthalpy change by
2
,summing the enthalpies of formation of the products and subtracting the enthalpies of formation
of the reactants.
How does the concept of hybridization explain the bonding and geometry of molecules?
✔✔ Hybridization describes the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals that are
used to make bonds. It explains the bonding and geometry of molecules by determining the
number and arrangement of orbitals involved in bonding.
What is the difference between an empirical formula and a molecular formula, and how can you
derive one from the other?
✔✔ The empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of elements in a
compound, while the molecular formula shows the actual number of each type of atom in a
molecule. The molecular formula can be derived from the empirical formula by multiplying it by
a factor based on the compound’s molar mass.
How does the concept of entropy change with the mixing of different gases, and what is its effect
on the system?
✔✔ Entropy generally increases with the mixing of different gases because the disorder and
randomness of the system increase. This increase in entropy often drives the spontaneous mixing
of gases and affects the system's overall thermodynamic stability.
3
, STP ✔✔0°C and 1 atm
Ideal Gas Law ✔✔PV = nRT
At STP, 1 mol of gas will occupy ... ✔✔22.4 L
Characteristics of an Ideal Gas ✔✔1. Gas molecules have zero volume
2. Gas molecules exert no forces other than repulsive forces due to collisions
3. Gas molecules make completely elastic collisions
4. The avg. kinetic energy of gas molecules is directly proportional to the temperature of the gas
Partial pressure of a gas (equation) ✔✔Partial pressure equals the mole fraction of the gas
(number of moles of gas "i" divided by total number of moles of gas in sample) times the total
pressure.
Average Kinetic Energy (of gas) ✔✔KEavg = (3/2)RT
(R = .08206 L atm K⁻¹ mol⁻¹ or 8.314 J K⁻¹ mol⁻¹)
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