Acids and Bases

MCAT Basics (from MedSchoolCoach)

Acids and bases are foundational topics in chemistry, crucial for understanding various biological and chemical systems you'll encounter in the MCAT.

In this episode, host Sam Smith discusses the selection and use of indicators in titrations to the pH at the equivalence point and the importance of buffers in maintaining physiological pH levels. You'll learn about the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation, the blood buffer system, and how to tackle common problems involving acids and bases. Plus, we'll break down strong and weak acids and the significance of their dissociation constants. This episode also shares tips on calculating pH, using ICE tables for weak acid problems, and converting between pH, pOH, and ion concentrations.

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(00:00) Intro (02:16) Basic definitions of acids and bases (11:33) Calculating pH (24:55) Titrations (35:26) Buffers (41:16) Blood buffer system (45:25) MCAT advice of the day