MCAT general chemistry mnemonics

Bonding
“HONC”
H requires 1 more electron in its outer shell to become stable.
O requires 2.
N requires 3.
C requires 4.

Cation

The “t” in cation looks like a plus sign: “ca+ion.”
Electrochemistry

Reduction occurs at the Cathode; Oxidation at the Anode.

Remember that the terms beginning with consonants are together, and those beginning with vowels are together.
“LEO is A GERC (jerk)”

Loss of Electrons is Oxidation, which occurs at the Anode. Gain of Electrons is Reduction, which occurs at the Cathode.
Electrolysis

“MIT enough”

Moles deposited at an electrode = It/nF
Gibb’s Free Energy

“Good Honey Tastes Sweet”

DG = DH - TDS
“Gee! Plus Arty! Thank you!”

DG = DG? + RTlnQ
“Delicious Grapefruit - Not For Everyone”

DG? = -nFE?

Henderson-Hasselbalch Equation

“HK + AHA”
or “Hong Kong + American Hospital Association”

pH = pKa + log10(A-/HA)
Hydrogen Bonding

“FON”

When a hydrogen atom is attached to either a fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen atom, it can form a hydrogen bond between it and another fluorine, oxygen, or nitrogen atom.
Nernst Equation

“We minus Arty (is) enough, thank you.”

E = E? - (RT/nF)lnQ
Paramagnetism

If a compound has at least one unpaired electron,
it is Paramagnetic,
and will be Pulled toward a magnetic field.

If not, it is diamagnetic, and is weakly repelled by a magnetic field. There is also a third type of magnetism: ferromagnetism, which is present in what we casually call “magnets,” e.g. iron, nickel, cobalt.
Quantum Numbers

“National Library (of) Medicine Sizzles”

n, l, m, s
l Quantum Numbers

“Sensual People Do Foreplay”

s, p, d, f. Then it follows the alphabet: g, h, i, j, k, etc.
State Functions

“VG PHEST” (Very Good Festival)

The following are all state functions:
V for volume
G for Gibb’s free energy
P for pressure
H for enthalpy
E for internal energy
S for entropy
T for temperature