Table of Contents
The Kaplan MCAT Review Team vi
Getting Started Checklist vii
Preface viii
About Scientific American ix
About the MCAT x
How This Book Was Created xxii
Using This Book xxiii
Studying for the MCAT xxvii
Chapter 1 Kinematics and Dynamics 1
1.1 Units 8
1.2 Vectors and Scalars 10
1.3 Displacement and Velocity 16
1.4 Forces and Acceleration 19
1.5 Newton's Laws 24
1.6 Motion with Constant Acceleration 26
1.7 Mechanical Equilibrium 33
Chapter 2 Work and Energy 49
2.1 Energy 56
2.2 Work 62
2.3 Mechanical Advantage 67
Chapter 3 Thermodynamics 85
3.1 Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics 92
3.2 Systems 96
3.3 First Law of Thermodynamics 98
3.4 Second Law of Thermodynamics and Entropy 106
Chapter 4 Fluids 119
4.1 Characteristics of Fluids and Solids 128
4.2 Hydrostatics 133
4.3 Fluid Dynamics 139
4.4 Fluids in Physiology 148
Chapter 5 Electrostatics and Magnetism 159
5.1 Charges 168
5.2 Coulomb's Law 170
5.3 Electric Potential Energy 174
5.4 Electric Potential 176
5.5 Special Cases in Electrostatics 178
5.6 Magnetism 184
Chapter 6 Circuits 203
6.1 Current 212
6.2 Resistance 216
6.3 Capacitance and Capacitors 225
6.4 Meters 231
Chapter 7 Waves and Sound 243
7.1 General Wave Characteristics 250
7.2 Sound 257
Chapter 8 Light and Optics 279
8.1 Electromagnetic Spectrum 286
8.2 Geometrical Optics 288
8.3 Diffraction 306
8.4 Polarization 311
Chapter 9 Atomic and Nuclear Phenomena 323
9.1 The Photoelectric Effect 330
9.2 Absorption and Emission of Light 334
9.3 Nuclear Binding Energy and Mass Defect 336
9.4 Nuclear Reactions 339
Chapter 10 Mathematics 357
10.1 Arithmetic and Significant Figures 364
10.2 Exponents and Logarithms 368
10.3 Trigonometry 373
10.4 Problem-Solving 376
Chapter 11 Reasoning About the Design and Execution of Research 391
11.1 The Scientific Method 400
11.2 Basic Science Research 403
11.3 Human Subjects Research 408
11.4 Ethics 412
11.5 Research in the Real World 416
Chapter 12 Data-Based and Statistical Reasoning 427
12.1 Measures of Central Tendency 436
12.2 Distributions 439
12.3 Measures of Distribution 442
12.4 Probability 447
12.5 Statistical Testing 449
12.6 Charts, Graphs, and Tables 451
12.7 Applying Data 460
Glossary 471
Index 481
Art Credits 493