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PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) Chemical Processes Flashcards
51 question-and-answer cards covering Chemical Processes as it is examined in PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Chemical Processes deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
Write the general rate law and define reaction order.
$\text{rate} = k[\ce{A}]^{m}[\ce{B}]^{n}$; the order in each reactant is its exponent, and the overall order is $m+n$. Orders are determined experimentally.
How does a catalyst affect a reaction?
A catalyst lowers the activation energy ($E_a$), speeding both forward and reverse rates, without being consumed or changing $\Delta G$, $\Delta H$, or equilibrium position.
Give the half-life expression for a first-order reaction.
$$t_{1/2} = \frac{0.693}{k}$$ It is independent of initial concentration for first-order reactions.
State the Arrhenius equation and what it relates.
$$k = A e^{-E_a/RT}$$ It relates the rate constant $k$ to activation energy $E_a$ and temperature $T$; higher $T$ or lower $E_a$ increases $k$.
State Le Chatelier's principle.
When a system at equilibrium is disturbed (change in concentration, pressure, or temperature), it shifts to counteract the disturbance and restore equilibrium.
Write the equilibrium constant expression for $\ce{aA + bB <=> cC + dD}$.
$$K_{eq} = \frac{[\ce{C}]^{c}[\ce{D}]^{d}}{[\ce{A}]^{a}[\ce{B}]^{b}}$$ Pure solids and liquids are omitted.
How does the reaction quotient $Q$ predict the direction of an equilibrium shift?
If $Q < K$, reaction shifts forward (toward products); if $Q > K$, shifts reverse (toward reactants); if $Q = K$, at equilibrium.
Define Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry, and Lewis acids.
Arrhenius acid: produces $\ce{H+}$ in water. Brønsted-Lowry acid: proton ($\ce{H+}$) donor. Lewis acid: electron-pair acceptor.
Give the definitions of pH and pOH, and their relationship at $25^{\circ}\text{C}$.
$\text{pH} = -\log[\ce{H+}]$, $\text{pOH} = -\log[\ce{OH-}]$, and $\text{pH} + \text{pOH} = 14$.
Write the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for a buffer.
$$\text{pH} = \text{p}K_a + \log\frac{[\text{A}^{-}]}{[\text{HA}]}$$ used to find buffer pH from the conjugate base/acid ratio.
In electrochemistry, what occurs at the anode and cathode, and where is oxidation?
Oxidation (loss of electrons) occurs at the anode; reduction (gain of electrons) at the cathode. Mnemonic: 'An Ox, Red Cat.'
How is standard cell potential calculated, and what sign indicates a galvanic cell?
$E^{\circ}_{\text{cell}} = E^{\circ}_{\text{cathode}} - E^{\circ}_{\text{anode}}$. A positive $E^{\circ}_{\text{cell}}$ (with $\Delta G < 0$) indicates a spontaneous galvanic cell.
Identify the functional groups: $\ce{-OH}$, $\ce{-COOH}$, $\ce{-CHO}$, and $\ce{-NH2}$.
$\ce{-OH}$ = hydroxyl (alcohol); $\ce{-COOH}$ = carboxyl (carboxylic acid); $\ce{-CHO}$ = carbonyl as aldehyde; $\ce{-NH2}$ = amino (amine).
Define structural isomers, enantiomers, and diastereomers.
Structural isomers: same formula, different connectivity. Enantiomers: nonsuperimposable mirror images. Diastereomers: stereoisomers that are not mirror images.
What is a chiral center, and how do R/S configurations get assigned?
A chiral center is a carbon bonded to four different groups. Assign R/S by ranking substituents (CIP priority); with lowest priority pointing away, clockwise $1\to2\to3$ = R, counterclockwise = S.
Compare $\text{S}_\text{N}1$ and $\text{S}_\text{N}2$ reaction mechanisms.
$\text{S}_\text{N}1$: two steps via carbocation, first-order, favors tertiary substrates and polar protic solvents, racemization. $\text{S}_\text{N}2$: one step, second-order, favors primary substrates and strong nucleophiles, inversion of configuration.
Compare E1 and E2 elimination mechanisms.
E1: two steps via carbocation, first-order, weak base, favors tertiary substrates. E2: concerted, second-order, strong base, requires anti-periplanar geometry; both form alkenes following Zaitsev's rule.
What products form when a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol (Fischer esterification)?
An ester and water: $\ce{RCOOH + R'OH <=> RCOOR' + H2O}$ (acid-catalyzed, reversible).
Name the four major classes of biomolecules and their monomers.
Carbohydrates (monosaccharides), proteins (amino acids), lipids (fatty acids + glycerol; not true polymers), and nucleic acids (nucleotides).
What bond links amino acids, and what reaction forms it?
A peptide bond (an amide linkage) forms between the carboxyl of one amino acid and the amino group of another via a dehydration (condensation) reaction.
Describe the four levels of protein structure.
Primary: amino acid sequence. Secondary: local folding ($\alpha$-helices, $\beta$-sheets) via H-bonds. Tertiary: overall 3D shape. Quaternary: assembly of multiple polypeptide subunits.
How do enzymes catalyze reactions, and what is the active site?
Enzymes lower activation energy by binding substrate at the active site (induced-fit model), stabilizing the transition state without altering reaction equilibrium or $\Delta G$.
Compare competitive and noncompetitive enzyme inhibition in terms of $V_{max}$ and $K_m$.
Competitive: binds active site; $K_m$ increases, $V_{max}$ unchanged (overcome by more substrate). Noncompetitive: binds allosteric site; $V_{max}$ decreases, $K_m$ unchanged.
Summarize glycolysis: starting molecule, products, and net ATP yield.
Glycolysis converts one glucose ($\ce{C6H12O6}$) into 2 pyruvate, with a net gain of 2 ATP and 2 NADH; it occurs in the cytoplasm and is anaerobic.
What this deck covers
The Chemical Processes deck follows the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) Chemical Processes syllabus — 5 chapters and 17 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 10.2 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 152 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.
Chemical Processes flashcards FAQ
How many Chemical Processes flashcards are in this PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) deck?
51 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 51-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Chemical Processes cards cover?
They follow the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) Chemical Processes syllabus — 5 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.