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BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry as it is examined in BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Define the concentration of a solution and give its formula and units.
Concentration is amount of solute per unit volume of solution: $$c = \frac{n}{V}$$ with $c$ in mol dm$^{-3}$, $n$ in mol, $V$ in dm$^3$. (Can also be given in g dm$^{-3}$.)
How many moles of solute are in $250\ \text{cm}^3$ of a $0.2\ \text{mol dm}^{-3}$ solution?
$$n = c \times V = 0.2 \times \frac{250}{1000} = 0.05\ \text{mol}$$
Define percentage yield and give its formula.
$$\% \text{ yield} = \frac{\text{actual yield}}{\text{theoretical yield}} \times 100$$ Yield is below 100% due to incomplete reactions, side reactions, and losses during transfer/purification.
Define atom economy and give its formula.
$$\% \text{ atom economy} = \frac{\text{mass of desired product}}{\text{total mass of products}} \times 100$$ It measures how efficiently reactant atoms become the useful product.
State the general definition of an acid and a base in terms of $\ce{H+}$ and $\ce{OH-}$.
An acid is a proton ($\ce{H+}$) donor that produces $\ce{H+}$ ions in water; a base is a proton acceptor. An alkali is a soluble base producing $\ce{OH-}$ ions in water.
What is the pH scale, and what pH values correspond to acids, neutral and alkalis?
A scale of acidity from 0 to 14 based on $\ce{H+}$ concentration. pH $<7$ acidic, pH $=7$ neutral, pH $>7$ alkaline. Lower pH = higher $\ce{H+}$ concentration.
Write the general word equation for acid + metal, and acid + carbonate.
Acid + metal $\rightarrow$ salt + hydrogen. Acid + metal carbonate $\rightarrow$ salt + water + carbon dioxide. E.g. $\ce{2HCl + CaCO3 -> CaCl2 + H2O + CO2}$.
Write the ionic equation for a neutralisation reaction between an acid and an alkali.
$$\ce{H+(aq) + OH-(aq) -> H2O(l)}$$ This produces a salt and water.
Define oxidation and reduction in terms of both oxygen/hydrogen and electrons (OIL RIG).
Oxidation = loss of electrons (or gain of oxygen / loss of hydrogen). Reduction = gain of electrons (or loss of oxygen / gain of hydrogen). Mnemonic: OIL RIG — Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain (of electrons).
What is an oxidising agent and a reducing agent?
An oxidising agent oxidises another species and is itself reduced (gains electrons). A reducing agent reduces another species and is itself oxidised (loses electrons).
What does the reactivity series tell you about displacement reactions?
A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compound/solution. E.g. $\ce{Zn + CuSO4 -> ZnSO4 + Cu}$ because zinc is above copper in the reactivity series.
Write the half-equations for the reaction of magnesium with copper(II) ions and identify the oxidation/reduction.
Oxidation: $\ce{Mg -> Mg^{2+} + 2e^-}$. Reduction: $\ce{Cu^{2+} + 2e^- -> Cu}$. Magnesium is oxidised, copper ions are reduced.
What is electrolysis and what happens at the cathode and anode?
Electrolysis is the breakdown of an ionic compound (molten or in solution) using electricity. At the cathode (negative electrode) cations are reduced; at the anode (positive electrode) anions are oxidised.
During electrolysis of molten lead(II) bromide, give the electrode products and half-equations.
Cathode: lead — $\ce{Pb^{2+} + 2e^- -> Pb}$. Anode: bromine — $\ce{2Br^- -> Br2 + 2e^-}$.
In the electrolysis of an aqueous solution, what rules determine the product at the cathode?
At the cathode, hydrogen is produced unless the metal is less reactive than hydrogen (e.g. $\ce{Cu}$, $\ce{Ag}$), in which case the metal is deposited. (Less reactive ion is discharged in preference.)
State the collision theory requirements for a successful reaction.
Particles must collide with sufficient energy (at least the activation energy $E_a$) and with the correct orientation. Reaction rate depends on the frequency and energy of successful collisions.
List four factors that increase the rate of a chemical reaction.
Increasing temperature, increasing concentration (or gas pressure), increasing surface area of a solid, and adding a catalyst. Each raises the frequency and/or energy of successful collisions.
What is a catalyst and how does it affect a reaction?
A catalyst speeds up a reaction without being used up by providing an alternative pathway with lower activation energy. It does not change the amount of product or the position of equilibrium.
Distinguish exothermic and endothermic reactions in terms of energy and $\Delta H$.
Exothermic: releases energy to surroundings, temperature rises, $\Delta H$ is negative. Endothermic: absorbs energy from surroundings, temperature falls, $\Delta H$ is positive.
How is the overall enthalpy change of a reaction calculated from bond energies?
$$\Delta H = \sum (\text{bonds broken}) - \sum (\text{bonds made})$$ Breaking bonds is endothermic (absorbs energy); making bonds is exothermic (releases energy).
What is a homologous series and what is the general formula of the alkanes?
A homologous series is a family of organic compounds with the same general formula, similar chemical properties and a gradual change in physical properties. Alkanes have the general formula $\ce{C_{n}H_{2n+2}}$.
Give the general formula of the alkenes and the test that distinguishes them from alkanes.
Alkenes have general formula $\ce{C_{n}H_{2n}}$ and contain a C=C double bond. They decolourise bromine water (orange to colourless); alkanes do not.
What is the difference between a saturated and an unsaturated hydrocarbon?
Saturated hydrocarbons (alkanes) contain only single C–C bonds. Unsaturated hydrocarbons (e.g. alkenes) contain at least one C=C double bond, allowing addition reactions.
Write the balanced equation for the complete combustion of methane and name the products.
$$\ce{CH4 + 2O2 -> CO2 + 2H2O}$$ Complete combustion of a hydrocarbon gives carbon dioxide and water.
What this deck covers
The Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry deck follows the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry syllabus — 4 chapters and 15 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 12.5 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 162 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry flashcards FAQ
How many Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry flashcards are in this BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry cards cover?
They follow the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications — Chemistry syllabus — 4 chapters and 15 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.