Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
10 passage-based sets (4–6 questions each) + 15 discrete questions · 59 questions · 95 minutes.
80 discrete questions · 15 passage sets (75 passage questions) in this section, expanding.
What this section tests
Organized by AAMC Foundational Concept and content category.
FC4
Complex living organisms transport materials, sense their environment, process signals, and respond to changes using processes that can be understood in terms of physical principles. - 4A — Translational motion, forces, work, energy, and equilibrium in living systems
- 4B — Importance of fluids for the circulation of blood, gas movement, and gas exchange
- 4C — Electrochemistry and electrical circuits and their elements
- 4D — How light and sound interact with matter
- 4E — Atoms, nuclear decay, electronic structure, and atomic chemical behavior
FC5
The principles that govern chemical interactions and reactions form the basis for a broader understanding of the molecular dynamics of living systems. - 5A — Unique nature of water and its solutions, and how water determines solubility and the behavior of biological molecules
- 5B — Nature of molecules and intermolecular interactions
- 5C — Separation and purification methods
- 5D — Structure, function, and reactivity of biologically relevant molecules
- 5E — Principles of chemical thermodynamics and kinetics
Discipline mix (approx.)
30%
Introductory Chemistry
25%
Introductory Physics
25%
First Semester Biochemistry
15%
Organic Chemistry
5%
Introductory Biology
Independent study material. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the AAMC. All content original and mapped to the public AAMC content outline.