All MCAT Physical Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #1 : Amino Acids And Classification
Which of the following amino acids are acidic?
I. Glutamate
II. Proline
III. Glycine
IV. Arginine
I, II and IV
I only
I and IV
II and III
I only
Glutamate (glutamic acid), is the only one of which that contain an acidic functional group (carboxylic acid). Arginine is basic while proline and glycine considered non-polar.
Example Question #1 : Structural Lipids
What properties of phospholipids make the formation of cell membranes possible?
Phospholipids are amphiphatic
Phospholipids are completely non-polar
Phospholipids are completely polar
Phospholipids are inorganic
Phospholipids are amphiphatic
Phospholipids have two fatty acid tails made of hydrocarbons, which are nonpolar, and a phosphate head, which is polar. Their structure allows phospholipids to group up into a bilayer such that the polar heads face the outside environment while the non-polar fatty tails face inward, protected from the aqueous environment. Phospholipids are not completely polar or non-polar, they are amphiphathic.
Example Question #1 : Polymerization
Cellulose is a polymer that is composed of what monomer?
Glucose
Glycerol
Glycogen
Fructose
Galactose
Glucose
Cellulose is a polysaccharide (a sugar). Glucose is the monosaccharide used to generate the structure of cellulose via linkages. Cellulose is composed of several hundred glucose molecules bound in this chain. Due to the nature of the beta linkage, humans cannot digest cellulose.
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