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Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) Section III: Chemistry Flashcards
61 question-and-answer cards covering Section III: Chemistry as it is examined in Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Section III: Chemistry deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Write the equilibrium constant expression $K_c$ for $\ce{aA + bB <=> cC + dD}$.
$K_c = \dfrac{[\ce{C}]^{c}[\ce{D}]^{d}}{[\ce{A}]^{a}[\ce{B}]^{b}}$, where concentrations are equilibrium values. Pure solids and liquids are omitted.
How does increasing temperature affect the equilibrium of an exothermic reaction?
For an exothermic forward reaction, increasing temperature shifts the equilibrium to the left (toward reactants) and decreases $K_c$, opposing the added heat. Temperature is the only factor that changes the value of $K$.
Define the Bronsted-Lowry acid and base.
A Bronsted-Lowry acid is a proton ($\ce{H+}$) donor; a Bronsted-Lowry base is a proton acceptor. They react to form conjugate acid-base pairs.
Give the formula for pH and the relationship between $[\ce{H+}]$ and $[\ce{OH-}]$ at $25^{\circ}\text{C}$.
$\text{pH} = -\log_{10}[\ce{H+}]$. At $25^{\circ}\text{C}$, $K_w = [\ce{H+}][\ce{OH-}] = 1.0 \times 10^{-14}$, so $\text{pH} + \text{pOH} = 14$.
Distinguish a strong acid from a weak acid.
A strong acid dissociates completely in water (e.g. $\ce{HCl}$). A weak acid dissociates only partially, establishing an equilibrium, with an acid dissociation constant $K_a = \dfrac{[\ce{H+}][\ce{A-}]}{[\ce{HA}]}$.
Define $K_a$ and $pK_a$, and state what a lower $pK_a$ indicates.
$K_a$ is the acid dissociation constant; $pK_a = -\log_{10} K_a$. A lower $pK_a$ (larger $K_a$) indicates a stronger acid that dissociates more readily.
What is a buffer solution and what is it composed of?
A buffer resists changes in pH on addition of small amounts of acid or base. It is composed of a weak acid and its conjugate base (or a weak base and its conjugate acid) in comparable amounts.
State the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.
$\text{pH} = pK_a + \log_{10}\dfrac{[\text{A}^-]}{[\text{HA}]}$, relating the pH of a buffer to the ratio of conjugate base to weak acid.
Define the solubility product $K_{sp}$ for a salt $\ce{A_xB_y}$.
For $\ce{A_xB_y(s) <=> x A^{n+} + y B^{m-}}$, $K_{sp} = [\ce{A^{n+}}]^{x}[\ce{B^{m-}}]^{y}$ at saturation. A precipitate forms when the ionic product exceeds $K_{sp}$.
Explain the common ion effect on solubility.
The solubility of a sparingly soluble salt decreases when a soluble salt sharing a common ion is added. By Le Chatelier's principle, the added ion shifts the dissolution equilibrium toward the solid (precipitation).
Define oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons.
Oxidation is loss of electrons (increase in oxidation state); reduction is gain of electrons (decrease in oxidation state). Mnemonic: OIL RIG (Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain).
In a galvanic (voltaic) cell, what occurs at the anode and cathode, and how is the cell EMF calculated?
Oxidation occurs at the anode (negative terminal); reduction at the cathode (positive terminal). The standard cell EMF is $E^{\circ}_{\text{cell}} = E^{\circ}_{\text{cathode}} - E^{\circ}_{\text{anode}}$; a positive value indicates a spontaneous reaction.
Distinguish a galvanic cell from an electrolytic cell.
A galvanic (voltaic) cell converts chemical energy into electrical energy via a spontaneous redox reaction ($E^{\circ}_{\text{cell}} > 0$). An electrolytic cell uses an external electrical supply to drive a non-spontaneous reaction ($E^{\circ}_{\text{cell}} < 0$).
Name the functional groups: $\ce{-OH}$, $\ce{-COOH}$, $\ce{-CHO}$, and $\ce{-NH2}$.
$\ce{-OH}$ is hydroxyl (alcohol); $\ce{-COOH}$ is carboxyl (carboxylic acid); $\ce{-CHO}$ is the aldehyde group; $\ce{-NH2}$ is the amino group (amine).
In IUPAC nomenclature, what suffixes denote an alkane, alkene and alkyne?
Alkanes end in -ane (single C-C bonds), alkenes end in -ene (C=C double bond), and alkynes end in -yne (C≡C triple bond).
Distinguish structural (constitutional) isomers from stereoisomers.
Structural isomers have the same molecular formula but different connectivity of atoms. Stereoisomers have the same connectivity but differ in the spatial arrangement of atoms (e.g. geometric and optical isomers).
Distinguish cis-trans (geometric) isomerism from optical isomerism.
Geometric (cis-trans) isomers differ in arrangement about a C=C double bond or ring due to restricted rotation. Optical isomers (enantiomers) are non-superimposable mirror images arising from a chiral centre.
What is a chiral centre, and what are enantiomers?
A chiral centre is a carbon atom bonded to four different groups. Enantiomers are the two non-superimposable mirror-image forms; they rotate plane-polarised light in opposite directions and have identical physical properties otherwise.
Distinguish a nucleophile from an electrophile.
A nucleophile is an electron-pair donor (electron-rich, attracted to positive centres), e.g. $\ce{OH-}$. An electrophile is an electron-pair acceptor (electron-poor, attracted to negative centres), e.g. $\ce{H+}$ or a carbocation.
Compare $S_N1$ and $S_N2$ nucleophilic substitution mechanisms.
$S_N1$ is two-step via a carbocation intermediate, first-order, favoured by tertiary substrates and gives racemisation. $S_N2$ is one-step (concerted), second-order, favoured by primary substrates and proceeds with inversion of configuration.
Describe addition, substitution and elimination reactions.
Addition: two reactants combine into one, breaking a multiple bond (e.g. alkene + $\ce{H2}$). Substitution: one atom/group replaces another. Elimination: a small molecule (e.g. $\ce{H2O}$ or $\ce{HX}$) is removed to form a multiple bond.
What products form when a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol?
Esterification produces an ester and water: $\ce{RCOOH + R'OH <=> RCOOR' + H2O}$, typically acid-catalysed and reversible.
Name the four major classes of biomolecules and their monomer building blocks.
Carbohydrates (monosaccharides), proteins (amino acids), lipids (fatty acids + glycerol), and nucleic acids (nucleotides).
Describe the bond and reaction that join amino acids, and the levels of protein structure.
Amino acids join by peptide (amide) bonds formed via condensation (loss of water). Protein structure: primary (sequence), secondary ($\alpha$-helices and $\beta$-sheets via H-bonds), tertiary (3D fold), and quaternary (multiple subunits).
What this deck covers
The Section III: Chemistry deck follows the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) Section III: Chemistry syllabus — 4 chapters and 17 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 15.3 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 190 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 III: Chemistry flashcards FAQ
How many Section III: Chemistry flashcards are in this Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) deck?
61 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 61-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Section III: Chemistry cards cover?
They follow the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) Section III: Chemistry syllabus — 4 chapters and 17 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.