MCAT General Chemistry Review - Alexander Stone Macnow, MD 2019-2020

The Periodic Table
Conclusion

Now that we have completed our review of the Periodic Table of the Elements, commit to understanding (not just memorizing) the trends of physical and chemical properties of the elements. They will help you quickly answer many questions on the MCAT. As you progress through the chapters of this book, a foundational understanding of the elements will help you develop a richer, more nuanced understanding of their general and particular behaviors. Topics in general chemistry that may have given you trouble in the past will be understandable from the perspective of the behaviors and characteristics that you have reviewed here.

More broadly, you will see a diverse array of elements from the groups we have discussed here that are critical or detrimental to biological function. In addition, you may begin to see why the human body utilizes certain elements for specific purposes, taking advantage of the periodic trends discussed here.