MCAT Practice Test #3 Questions and
Answers
Question 1
Histrionic personality disorder
Correct Answer
a disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, is more
often explained in terms of children having learned to behave dramatically in order
to gain attention from distant parents
Question 2
An object is floating in a fluid of 1.5 specific gravity. If the volume of the fluid
displaced by the floating object is 5 × 10-3 m3, what is the object's mass?
A. 2.5 kg
B. 5.0 kg
C. 7.5 kg
D. Cannot be determined from the information given
Correct Answer
C.
Because the object is floating, the object's weight is balanced by the buoyant force;
that is, mg = ρfluidVsubg, or, after canceling the g's, m = ρfluidVsub. With ρfluid =
1.5ρH2O = 1500 kg/m3 and Vsub = 5 × 10-3 m3, we find that m = ρfluidVsub =
(1500 kg/m3)(5 × 10-3 m3) = 7.5 kg
Question 3
the primary function of the lateral geniculate nucleus
Correct Answer
in the thalamus
is involved with the visual processing pathway of the brain. It is the primary relay
center for visual information received from the retina of the eye, and therefore
would be involved in the visual processing
Page 1 of 92
,Question 4
Intercalator1 causes mutations in DNA by:
A. inserting itself between base pairs.
B. covalently modifying nucleotides.
C. causing the formation of pyrimidine dimers.
D. causing the formation of double stranded breaks.
Correct Answer
A. The passage states that Intercalator1 is an intercalating agent; this means it
inserts itself between base pairs in DNA (choice A is correct). While choices B, C and
D are methods by which mutagens may damage DNA, they are not the method
listed for Intercalator1.
Question 5
the primary function of the occipital lobe
Correct Answer
is the visual processing center of the brain and contains the visual cortex, which
would be involved in the visual processing
Question 6
what is an androcentric culture
Correct Answer
a culture that is male-oriented; the male is considered the norm and is consistently
preferred across the various aspects of the culture. As a result, anything that is
related to females and the female experience is relegated to a lower tier of
importance.
Question 7
kinetics of any reaction can only affect ?
Correct Answer
the rate of the reaction
Page 2 of 92
,Question 8
Increased intermolecular attractions cause the ratio PV/(RT) to decline because
individual molecules:
A. eventually combine with other molecules, decreasing the number of particles in the
container.
B. lose kinetic energy to potential energy and strike the side of the container with less
force.
C. increase in speed due to electron repulsion and strike the side of the container with
increased force.
D. transfer electrons during collisions with other molecules in the container.
Correct Answer
B.
Intermolecular attractions increase the potential energy between molecules,
decreasing their kinetic energy. Note that the molecules do not undergo any
reactions, eliminating choices A and D. Choice C is incorrect because intermolecular
attractions do not result in electron repulsion.
Question 9
define Ethnocentrism
Correct Answer
is the tendency to believe that one's own ethnic or cultural group is the most
important one, and that all other groups are measured against one's own.
Ethnocentric thinking typically involves making false or negative assumptions about
a minority ethnic or cultural group
Page 3 of 92
, Question 10
Researchers found that people with graduate or professional degrees were divorced
less often than were those with other levels of education. Therefore, it is possible that
the success of a marriage depends on:
A. economic capital.
B. political capital.
C. cultural capital.
D. social capital.
Correct Answer
C. According to social reproduction theory, inequality is transmitted from one
generation to the next through various forms of "capital". Education is a classic
example of cultural capital, which includes non-financial social assets such as
knowledge, skills, and experience (choice C is correct). Education may be related to
economic and political success; however, this is not supported by the information
provided (choices A and B are wrong). The other choice, social capital, is also an
important mechanism of social reproduction. It includes relationship-based social
assets, like influence and "connections" with people in one's social network (choice
D is wrong). It is important to note that the question stem states that cultural capital
"might" determine marital success, as correlation does not necessarily imply
causation.
Page 4 of 92
Answers
Question 1
Histrionic personality disorder
Correct Answer
a disorder characterized by excessive emotionality and attention-seeking, is more
often explained in terms of children having learned to behave dramatically in order
to gain attention from distant parents
Question 2
An object is floating in a fluid of 1.5 specific gravity. If the volume of the fluid
displaced by the floating object is 5 × 10-3 m3, what is the object's mass?
A. 2.5 kg
B. 5.0 kg
C. 7.5 kg
D. Cannot be determined from the information given
Correct Answer
C.
Because the object is floating, the object's weight is balanced by the buoyant force;
that is, mg = ρfluidVsubg, or, after canceling the g's, m = ρfluidVsub. With ρfluid =
1.5ρH2O = 1500 kg/m3 and Vsub = 5 × 10-3 m3, we find that m = ρfluidVsub =
(1500 kg/m3)(5 × 10-3 m3) = 7.5 kg
Question 3
the primary function of the lateral geniculate nucleus
Correct Answer
in the thalamus
is involved with the visual processing pathway of the brain. It is the primary relay
center for visual information received from the retina of the eye, and therefore
would be involved in the visual processing
Page 1 of 92
,Question 4
Intercalator1 causes mutations in DNA by:
A. inserting itself between base pairs.
B. covalently modifying nucleotides.
C. causing the formation of pyrimidine dimers.
D. causing the formation of double stranded breaks.
Correct Answer
A. The passage states that Intercalator1 is an intercalating agent; this means it
inserts itself between base pairs in DNA (choice A is correct). While choices B, C and
D are methods by which mutagens may damage DNA, they are not the method
listed for Intercalator1.
Question 5
the primary function of the occipital lobe
Correct Answer
is the visual processing center of the brain and contains the visual cortex, which
would be involved in the visual processing
Question 6
what is an androcentric culture
Correct Answer
a culture that is male-oriented; the male is considered the norm and is consistently
preferred across the various aspects of the culture. As a result, anything that is
related to females and the female experience is relegated to a lower tier of
importance.
Question 7
kinetics of any reaction can only affect ?
Correct Answer
the rate of the reaction
Page 2 of 92
,Question 8
Increased intermolecular attractions cause the ratio PV/(RT) to decline because
individual molecules:
A. eventually combine with other molecules, decreasing the number of particles in the
container.
B. lose kinetic energy to potential energy and strike the side of the container with less
force.
C. increase in speed due to electron repulsion and strike the side of the container with
increased force.
D. transfer electrons during collisions with other molecules in the container.
Correct Answer
B.
Intermolecular attractions increase the potential energy between molecules,
decreasing their kinetic energy. Note that the molecules do not undergo any
reactions, eliminating choices A and D. Choice C is incorrect because intermolecular
attractions do not result in electron repulsion.
Question 9
define Ethnocentrism
Correct Answer
is the tendency to believe that one's own ethnic or cultural group is the most
important one, and that all other groups are measured against one's own.
Ethnocentric thinking typically involves making false or negative assumptions about
a minority ethnic or cultural group
Page 3 of 92
, Question 10
Researchers found that people with graduate or professional degrees were divorced
less often than were those with other levels of education. Therefore, it is possible that
the success of a marriage depends on:
A. economic capital.
B. political capital.
C. cultural capital.
D. social capital.
Correct Answer
C. According to social reproduction theory, inequality is transmitted from one
generation to the next through various forms of "capital". Education is a classic
example of cultural capital, which includes non-financial social assets such as
knowledge, skills, and experience (choice C is correct). Education may be related to
economic and political success; however, this is not supported by the information
provided (choices A and B are wrong). The other choice, social capital, is also an
important mechanism of social reproduction. It includes relationship-based social
assets, like influence and "connections" with people in one's social network (choice
D is wrong). It is important to note that the question stem states that cultural capital
"might" determine marital success, as correlation does not necessarily imply
causation.
Page 4 of 92
