Zero to MCAT Science Mastery Guide (Chem, Physics, Bio, Orgo/Biochem)
**Audience:** true beginner → 520+ aspirant
**Timeline:** 8–10 months (adaptable to 6 or 12)
**Format:** bite-size lessons → examples → boxed equations → quick checks → practice sets
→ mini passages with A/B/C/D → answer keys + explanations
> Tip: Treat this as your workbook. Print sections, annotate margins, and create lashcards
from the **Bolded Terms** and **Boxed Equations**.
0) How to Use This Guide
1. **Daily rhythm (2–3 hrs on weekdays, 4–6 hrs on weekends):**
- 30–45 min: spaced review ( lashcards/notes)
- 60–120 min: new lesson → examples → 8–12 discretes
- 30–60 min: passage practice (timed)
2. **Weekly rhythm:**
- 4 content blocks (Mon–Thu), 1 mixed review (Fri), 1–2 FL passage bundles (Sat), targeted
error log (Sun).
3. **Materials you can pair with this:** any standard MCAT content book set, Khan Academy
videos (for fundamentals), Anki with premade + your own cards, AAMC practice when you
hit Phase 3.
4. **The 20/80 rule:** Memorize the **Core Equation Set**, **High-Yield Pathways**, and
**Graph Shapes** irst—you’ll solve ~80% of science items with these.
‑ ‑ f f f
, Roadmap Overview
Phase 1 (Weeks 1–8): Pre Beginner Founda ons
- Math/Units, Proportionality, Graph literacy
- Atoms & bonding, stoichiometry
- Force/energy, luids, waves & light
- Cell basics, membranes, enzymes
Phase 2 (Weeks 9–20): Core MCAT Content
- **Physics:** kinematics → forces → work/energy → momentum → rotational → luids →
thermo → electrostatics/circuits → magnetism → optics → simple harmonic motion & waves
- **Gen Chem:** atomic structure → periodic trends → bonding → IMFs → gases → solutions
→ thermo → kinetics → equilibrium/Le Ch telier → acids/bases → buffers/titrations →
electrochem
- **Bio:** biochemistry of life → enzymes → metabolism → genetics & molecular biology →
gene expression → cell cycle/mitosis/meiosis → membranes/transport → organ systems
(cardio, resp, renal, GI, endocrine, nervous, immune)
- **Orgo/Biochem:** functional groups → stereochemistry → substitution/elimination →
spectroscopy → carbonyl chemistry → carboxylic acids/derivatives → amino acids, peptides,
proteins → carbohydrates → lipids/membranes → bioenergetics & metabolism integration
Phase 3 (Weeks 21–32): Integra on & AAMC Work
- 2–3 full-lengths (FLs) in weeks 21–26, then weekly FLs weeks 27–32
- System-level synthesis (cardio-resp-renal couplings, endocrine feedbacks, pH/buffers in
physiology)
Phase 4 (Weeks 33–40+): Final Polishing
- Target weak buckets; redo every missed AAMC item; formula lash runs; mixed 59-min
blocks; sleep and exercise dialed.
f ‑ ti tiâ f f
, PHASE 1 — FOUNDATIONS
F1. Math & Graph Literacy for MCAT
**Must-know ideas:** scienti ic notation, orders of magnitude, unit conversions, log10,
proportional reasoning.
**Boxed Tools**
- [1] **Unit chain method:** desired = given × (conversion factors)
- [2] **Percent change:** (new − old)/old × 100%
- [3] **Log rules:** log(ab)=log a + log b; log(a^n)=n log a; pH = −log[H⁺]
**Example 1 — Quick estimate**
Drug half-life = 3 h. After 10 h, fraction remaining ≈ ?
10/3 ≈ 3.3 half-lives → (1/2)^{3.3} ≈ (1/8)×(1/2)^{0.3} ≈ 0.125×0.81 ≈ **0.10** (10%).
**Graph Shapes to Recognize**
- Linear (y∝x), inverse (y∝1/x), quadratic (y∝x²), exponential decay (half-life), sigmoidal
(enzyme kinetics), saturation (carrier-mediated transport), Michaelis–Menten hyperbola.
**Quick Check**
1) If y = kx and x triples, y changes by **3×**.
2) If y ∝ 1/x and x halves, y changes by **2×**.
F2. Atomic & Bonding Basics
**Vocabulary:** atom, isotope, ion, ionic vs covalent, electronegativity, polarity, hydrogen
bond, IMF.
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**Audience:** true beginner → 520+ aspirant
**Timeline:** 8–10 months (adaptable to 6 or 12)
**Format:** bite-size lessons → examples → boxed equations → quick checks → practice sets
→ mini passages with A/B/C/D → answer keys + explanations
> Tip: Treat this as your workbook. Print sections, annotate margins, and create lashcards
from the **Bolded Terms** and **Boxed Equations**.
0) How to Use This Guide
1. **Daily rhythm (2–3 hrs on weekdays, 4–6 hrs on weekends):**
- 30–45 min: spaced review ( lashcards/notes)
- 60–120 min: new lesson → examples → 8–12 discretes
- 30–60 min: passage practice (timed)
2. **Weekly rhythm:**
- 4 content blocks (Mon–Thu), 1 mixed review (Fri), 1–2 FL passage bundles (Sat), targeted
error log (Sun).
3. **Materials you can pair with this:** any standard MCAT content book set, Khan Academy
videos (for fundamentals), Anki with premade + your own cards, AAMC practice when you
hit Phase 3.
4. **The 20/80 rule:** Memorize the **Core Equation Set**, **High-Yield Pathways**, and
**Graph Shapes** irst—you’ll solve ~80% of science items with these.
‑ ‑ f f f
, Roadmap Overview
Phase 1 (Weeks 1–8): Pre Beginner Founda ons
- Math/Units, Proportionality, Graph literacy
- Atoms & bonding, stoichiometry
- Force/energy, luids, waves & light
- Cell basics, membranes, enzymes
Phase 2 (Weeks 9–20): Core MCAT Content
- **Physics:** kinematics → forces → work/energy → momentum → rotational → luids →
thermo → electrostatics/circuits → magnetism → optics → simple harmonic motion & waves
- **Gen Chem:** atomic structure → periodic trends → bonding → IMFs → gases → solutions
→ thermo → kinetics → equilibrium/Le Ch telier → acids/bases → buffers/titrations →
electrochem
- **Bio:** biochemistry of life → enzymes → metabolism → genetics & molecular biology →
gene expression → cell cycle/mitosis/meiosis → membranes/transport → organ systems
(cardio, resp, renal, GI, endocrine, nervous, immune)
- **Orgo/Biochem:** functional groups → stereochemistry → substitution/elimination →
spectroscopy → carbonyl chemistry → carboxylic acids/derivatives → amino acids, peptides,
proteins → carbohydrates → lipids/membranes → bioenergetics & metabolism integration
Phase 3 (Weeks 21–32): Integra on & AAMC Work
- 2–3 full-lengths (FLs) in weeks 21–26, then weekly FLs weeks 27–32
- System-level synthesis (cardio-resp-renal couplings, endocrine feedbacks, pH/buffers in
physiology)
Phase 4 (Weeks 33–40+): Final Polishing
- Target weak buckets; redo every missed AAMC item; formula lash runs; mixed 59-min
blocks; sleep and exercise dialed.
f ‑ ti tiâ f f
, PHASE 1 — FOUNDATIONS
F1. Math & Graph Literacy for MCAT
**Must-know ideas:** scienti ic notation, orders of magnitude, unit conversions, log10,
proportional reasoning.
**Boxed Tools**
- [1] **Unit chain method:** desired = given × (conversion factors)
- [2] **Percent change:** (new − old)/old × 100%
- [3] **Log rules:** log(ab)=log a + log b; log(a^n)=n log a; pH = −log[H⁺]
**Example 1 — Quick estimate**
Drug half-life = 3 h. After 10 h, fraction remaining ≈ ?
10/3 ≈ 3.3 half-lives → (1/2)^{3.3} ≈ (1/8)×(1/2)^{0.3} ≈ 0.125×0.81 ≈ **0.10** (10%).
**Graph Shapes to Recognize**
- Linear (y∝x), inverse (y∝1/x), quadratic (y∝x²), exponential decay (half-life), sigmoidal
(enzyme kinetics), saturation (carrier-mediated transport), Michaelis–Menten hyperbola.
**Quick Check**
1) If y = kx and x triples, y changes by **3×**.
2) If y ∝ 1/x and x halves, y changes by **2×**.
F2. Atomic & Bonding Basics
**Vocabulary:** atom, isotope, ion, ionic vs covalent, electronegativity, polarity, hydrogen
bond, IMF.
f
