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Science GED Practice Test
This test includes 49 questions, you have maximum 90 minutes to answer these questions.
1. Bill and Bob are biological twins who were adopted as babies. Their father and his
father and his father (Billy and Bob’s father, paternal grandfather, and paternal
great-grandfather) all suffered from early-onset fingernail greening. Which of the
following statements is most likely to be the case?
A. There is no doubt both Bill and Bob’s nails will be green by age twenty.
B. It is likely that both twins will suffer from green nails at an early age.
C. Being adopted, it’s unlikely that Bill or Bob are at risk.
D. If they take proper precautions, neither of them need to worry about the color of
their nails.
2. If the sun were to disappear, for approximately how much longer would we be able to
see it?
A.
B.
C.
D.
8 minutes
600 minutes
1 year
25 years
3. What is the difference between weather and climate?
A.
B.
C.
D.
There is none
Climate refers to typical patterns of weather
Weather refers to typical patterns of climate
Climate is the location of weather conditions at a specific time
4. Catalysts are everywhere! A catalytic converter is a device that converts harmful
vehicle emissions into less harmful pollutants before they leave the exhaust system.
Broadly, a catalyst is a substance that
A. Increases the rate of chemical reaction.
B. Decreases the rate of chemical reaction.
C. Increases the amount of products formed in a reaction.
D. Decreases the amount of products formed in a reaction.
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5. Which of the following objects has the most potential energy?
A.
B.
C.
D.
An excited puppy about to frolic in a field.
A base jumper on the edge of a roof.
A car speeding down the highway.
A baseball soaring over the stands.
6. The experimental control is the
A.
B.
C.
D.
Dependent variable
Design of the experiment
Outcome of the experiment
The standard against which the results are measured
7. In an experiment, some participants and some experimenters do not possess full
information of the experiment. This is which type of control?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Blind
Negative
Double-blind
Randomized
8. Which of the following is NOT made up of cells (or a cell)?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A rhino
A rock
A bacterium
A blade of grass
9. Tides are mostly caused by the
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sun’s pull of gravity on the earth
Moon’s pull of gravity on the earth
The rotation of the earth
The orbit of the earth
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10. The nucleus of an atom contains the atom’s
A.
B.
C.
D.
Protons and neutrons
Protons and electrons
Neutrons and electrons
Neutrons, electrons, and protons
11. A man drives 280 miles north in 2.5 hours. What is his average velocity?
A. 112 miles/hour to the north
B. 112 miles/hour
C. 700 miles/hour to the north
D. 700 miles/hour
12. Line graphs
A.
B.
C.
D.
Convert data into bars or columns
Convert data into collections of points
Convert data into connected points on a grid
Convert data into sectors showing proportion
13. Thunderstorm clouds are
A.
B.
C.
D.
Stratocumulus
Stratus
Cumulonimbus
Cirrus
14. Which planet is the closest to Earth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mars
Mercury
Venus
Saturn
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15. Energy is
A.
B.
C.
D.
The unit for power
The rate of doing work
The capacity to do work
When force acts on a moving body
16.Which of the following correctly pairs the chemical bases of DNA?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Adenine—thymine, guanine—cytosine
Adenine—guanine, thymine—cytosine
Adenine—cytosine, thymine—guanine
Adenine—adenine, thymine—thymine
17. When studying conflicting viewpoints, you should pay attention to
A.
B.
C.
D.
Which viewpoint you believe is correct
Which argument comes first in the passage
The specific numbers found in the argument
The basic question the viewpoints are seeking to explain
18. A horse pulling a car is an example of
A.
B.
C.
D.
Energy
Heat
Work
Thermal energy
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19. In the last ten years, a lake in Georgia has slowly turned a pink color. Scientist 1 and
2 disagree on the cause:
Scientist 1: The lake is turning pink because of pollution from the nearby dye factory. Red
dye is leeching through the soil and into the water
Scientist 2: The pink color is a result of rainwater washing pink limestone down from the
nearby mountains. The pink silt is then dying the lakes pink.
How best would you summarize the difference between the scientists’ theories?
A. Scientist 2 believes that the pink color will eventually settle at the bottom of the lake
while Scientist 1 does not
B. Scientist 1 thinks that humans are responsible for the color change while Scientist 2
does not
C. Scientist 1 believes that the color will become brighter over time while Scientist 2
does not
D. Scientist 2 believes that the color is contained within the lake’s sediment while
Scientist 1 does not
20. From smallest to largest, which is the correct order of the following stars? (In terms
of volume)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Red dwarf, white dwarf, Betelgeuse, our sun
White dwarf, red dwarf, Betelgeuse, our sun
White dwarf, red dwarf, our sun, Betelgeuse
Red dwarf, our sun, white dwarf, Betelgeuse
21. What is the rating from a Richter scale based on?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The damage caused by the seismic waves
The amplitude of the seismic waves
The frequency of the seismic waves
The wavelength of the seismic waves
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22. Which of the following is NOT characteristic of metals?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Hard
Malleable
Bad conductors of heat
Good conductors of electricity
23. Heat generally
A.
B.
C.
D.
Flows from hot to cold
Flows from cold to hot
Flows within and not between objects
Does not move
24. A tall man feeds his cow different amounts of food each day. He notices that the
cows are happier on days when they receive the most food. In this situation, what is the
independent variable?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The man’s height
The amount of food
The number of cows
The happiness of the cows
25. The process by which a DNA sequence is copied into a sequence of mRNA is called
A.
B.
C.
D.
Replication
Transcription
Translation
Protein synthesis
26. About how many stars can be found in the Milky Way?
A.
B.
C.
D.
100 million
500 million
200 billion
1 trillion
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27. Two continental plates are moving away from each other. What type of boundary is
this?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Divergent
Convergent
Strike-slip
Transform
28. Inferring is
A.
B.
C.
D.
Explaining your observations
Putting your hypothesis to the test
Making a conclusion based on reasoning
Making an explanation based on direct observation
29. A lizard warming itself on a rock is an example of
A.
B.
C.
D.
Temperature
Conduction
Convection
Radiation
30. What is the correct order of the inner planets (beginning farthest from the sun)?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mars, Venus, Earth, Mercury
Mercury, Earth, Venus, Mars
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars
Mars, Earth, Venus, Mercury
31. Temperature is a measurement of an object’s
A.
B.
C.
D.
Heat energy
Radiant energy
Potential energy
Chemical energy
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32. If a table has 3 rows and 8 columns of information, how many cells of information
does it contain?
A.
B.
C.
D.
3
8
24
48
33. Which is the best title for a graph?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The Most Candy Eaten
Amount of Candy Eaten by Days of the Week
The Days of the Week
20 Pieces of Candy
34. Which of the following is characteristic of plant cells?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Contain mitochondria
Contain chloroplasts
Have no cell wall
Come in many shapes and sizes
35. What is the largest planet in the Solar System?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Saturn
Neptune
Jupiter
Uranus
36. Nuclear reactions
A.
B.
C.
D.
Involve electrons
Can form compounds
Can form different elements
Depend on chemical combination
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37. A double-blind study is an example of
A.
B.
C.
D.
A variable
A problem
An outcome
An experimental design
38. As we age, we produce less collagen in our skin. This causes thinner skin and
increases the likelihood of wrinkles. Collagen, therefore, is most likely to be a(n)
A.
B.
C.
D.
Enzyme protein
Structural protein
Receptor protein
Antibody protein
39. The earth’s axis is on a tilt of approximately
A.
B.
C.
D.
15°
20°
23°
28°
40. When the northern hemisphere is experiencing spring, the southern hemisphere is
experiencing
A.
B.
C.
D.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
41. Increasing the amount of gas in a fixed object will
A.
B.
C.
D.
Increase the pressure
Decrease the pressure
Have no affect on the pressure
Cause the gas to change phase
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42. In general, which of the following are NOT in the kingdom fungi?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Mushrooms
Molds
Yeasts
Angiosperms
43. The lithosphere is made up of the
A.
B.
C.
D.
Core and mantle
Lower mantle and outer core
Crust and upper mantle
Crust and inner core
44. A carboxyl group contains which of the following atoms?
A.
B.
C.
D.
2 hydrogen, 1 oxygen, 1 carbon
1 hydrogen, 1 oxygen, 2 carbon
2 hydrogen, 2 oxygen, 2 carbon
1 hydrogen, 2 oxygen, 1 carbon
45. The pivot of a lever is called a
A.
B.
C.
D.
Gear
Crank
Bearing
Fulcrum
46. The majority of Earth’s atmosphere is made up of
A.
B.
C.
D.
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Hydrogen
Argon
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47. A solution is a mixture that is
A.
B.
C.
D.
Homologous
Heterogeneous
Homogeneous
Heterozygous
48. A wheelbarrow is
A.
B.
C.
D.
Not a lever
A first-class lever
A second-class lever
A third-class lever
49. Which of the following is a solution?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Sand in water
Oil in water
Carbonated beverages
A bowl of cereal
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1. Answer: C
We know from the prompt that the adopted Bill and Bob, although twins, do not share
their genetics with their father. It’s also very likely, since three generations of the males
in the family have green nails, that the disease is a genetic trait, rather than one
determined by their environment. Thus the best answer is D: it’s unlikely that Bill or Bob
have inherited the genes that would turn their nails green at an early age.
2. Answer: A
The sun is about 150 million kilometers from earth, which is considerably less than a
light-year. Light leaving the sun at this moment will reach us in a little over 8 minutes.
3. Answer: B
Climate refers to weather conditions in an area over a period of time. For instance, the
climate in West Jenkins is dry and hot, but the weather today in Jenkins is 68 degrees
and overcast.
4. Answer: A
A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction. It is an
additional substance that is unchanged at the end of the reaction. In a catalytic
converter the catalyst itself is often a combination of platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
5. Answer: B
Potential energy describes the stored energy of an object, which comes from an object’s
position. BothC. andD. are referring to an object’s kinetic energy, which comes from an
object’s motion (the car moving down a road and a baseball through the air). So which
has more potential energy, an excited puppy or a base jumper? The answer isB. Kinetic
energy is calculated by multiplying an object’s mass and its height with the acceleration
of gravity (which is a constant). And because a base jumper is much higher in altitude
than a puppy (and probably larger), it has more potential energy!
6. Answer: D
The experimental control is the result of the experiment when the independent variable
is not manipulated; it is the standard against which the results of the experiment are
measured. For instance, if you were measuring the growth of a plant in different
amounts of sunlight, you would want to measure the growth of a plant in no sunlight.
This would give you a point of comparison.
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7. Answer: C
A double-blind experiment is when some of the participants and some of the
experimenters do now know everything about the experiment. This is done to reduce
bias. For instance, scientists are testing the efficacy of a new drug. They give the drug to
half of the participants and a sugar pill to the other half. This is one of the blinds—the
patients do not know if they’re being given real medicine. The experimenters are also
blind to which participant has been given the placebo.
8. Answer: B
According to cell theory, all living things are made up of one or more cells. This means
that every plant, every animal, every organism contains these “building blocks of life.”
Cells were discovered first by Robert Hooke in 1665, who named them after their
resemblance to the cells of Christian monks in a monastery. A rock is not alive. Therefore,
it has no cells.
9. Answer: B
The main force behind ocean tides is the gravitational pull of the moon the earth’s
oceans. The rise and fall of sea levels is also affected by the gravitational force exerted by
the Sun and the rotation of the earth, although not as strongly.
10. Answer: A
The nucleus of an atom contains the atom’s protons, which are positively charged, and
the atom’s neutrons, which are uncharged. The negatively charged electrons are found
outside the nucleus.
11. Answer: B
Average velocity is distance (in a specific direction!) divided by time. The distance is 280
miles, divided by 2.5 hours = 112 miles/ hour going north.
12. Answer: C
A line graph is a type of statistical chart that displays information as a series of points
connected by a line segments. The line(s), then, show general patterns in the data.
13. Answer: C
Cumulonimbus clouds are dense, tall, vertical clouds. They are capable of producing
lightning and even tornadoes.
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14. Answer: C
Closest also in size to our home planet, Venus is located (at its furthest) 162 million miles
away from the earth.
15. Answer: C
Energy is the capacity to do work. Energy can be measure in joules (J). 1 J is the
amount of energy used to apply a force of one 1 newton over a distance of 1 meter.
16. Answer: A
The information in DNA is stored as a code made up of four chemical bases: adenine,
thymine, guanine, and cytosine. These pair together (with a sugar and phosphate
molecule) to form a spiral called a double helix. AnswerA. shows the correct base
pairings.
17. Answer: D
When studying conflicting viewpoints, one of the key points is What question or issue
are they seeking to answer? This will give you a foundation from which to approach
different viewpoints.
18. Answer: C
When a force acts upon an object—a horse pulls on a car—and causes a displacement of
the object—the car moves—then work was done on the object.
19. Answer: B
The broadest, and most important, difference between Scientist 1’s theory and Scientist
2’s theory is that Scientist 1 believe humans to be responsible for the change. They
disagree on the cause of the color. They both agree that the pink color is the result of
something flowing into the lake, but disagree on what that something is.
20. Answer: C
White dwarfs are very small and dense stars at the final stages of their lives. Red dwarfs
are small and relatively cool stars, and the most common type of star in the Milky Way.
Our sun is classified as a yellow dwarf, and is about halfway through the most stable part
of its life. Betelgeuse is a red supergiant and is expected to explode in the next million
years.
21. Answer: B
The Richter scale assigns ratings to earthquakes based on the amplitude, or size, of the
largest seismic waves.
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22. Answer: C
A metal is a material that is generally malleable (meaning moldable without breaking),
hard, and a good conductor of both heat and electricity. For instance, copper wires are
wonderful conductors of electricity.
23. Answer: A
Heat generally moves from hot to cold. For example, when you sit on metal bleachers in
the fall, it makes your legs extremely cold. Why? Because the heat from your body is
flowing into the colder bleachers.
24. Answer: B
An independent variable is something that is changed; something that causes an effect.
In this case, the farmer was manipulating the amount of food the cows received (the
independent variable) and measuring the happiness of the cows (the dependent
variable).
25. Answer: B
The process by which DNA is copied to RNA is called transcription. That RNA is used to
produce proteins through a process called translation.
26. Answer: C
Though a rough estimate, it’s likely there are around 200 billion stars in the Milky Way. It
probably also contains at least as many planets.
27. Answer: A
Divergent boundaries occur when two continental plates move away from each other.
Most active divergent boundaries are located between oceanic plates and form rifts
(valleys) between the spreading plates.
28. Answer: C
To infer is to form an opinion based on circumstantial evidence and prior conclusions,
not direct observation. For instance, saying that the sun will rise tomorrow is making an
inference; because the sun rose yesterday and today it is likely that it will rise again
tomorrow.
29. Answer: B
Conduction is the direct transfer of heat from one substance to another. The heat from
the rock is moving directly, by contact, into the lizard. In comparison, the rock was
heated by the sun through radiation!
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30. Answer: D
The correct answer isD. Mercury is the closest planet to our sun, as well as the smallest.
Next comes Venus, which is similarly sized to Earth. Then Earth, and finally, Mars. Mars
takes slightly less than two (earth) years to orbit the sun.
31. Answer: B
Temperature is a measurement of an object’s heat energy. When the temperature of an
object increases, its atoms move faster, increasing its kinetic energy. Temperature is
measured by a thermometer.
32. Answer: C
Columns are sets of data values arranged vertically. Rows are horizontal. To find the
number of cells, multiply the number of cells and rows.
33. Answer: B
B is the best option for a graph’s title. It tell us exactly what the graph will be showing
and clearly communicates the axis of the graph:A. Amount of Candy andB. Days of the
Week
34. Answer: B
Plant cells generally contain chloroplasts. Chloroplasts conduct the process of
photosynthesis to produce food for the cell; they use chlorophyll to convert light energy
into sugars. The other options (A, C andD. are characteristic of animal cells.
35. Answer: C
Jupiter is an enormous planet; its mass is two and a half times that of all the other
planets in the Solar System. Jupiter is a gas giant that is generally the third brightest
object in the night sky (behind Venus and the Moon).
36. Answer: C
A nuclear reaction is the process in which changes occur in the nucleus of an atom (or
more than one). In nuclear reactions, elements can change.
37.Answer: D
Experimental design is the design of the experiment; the manner in which the
information is gathered. Double-blind refers to a way of conducting an experiment in
which biases in the subjects (hopefully) do not affect the outcome of the experiment.
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38. Answer: B
Structural proteins give stiffness and rigidity to biological components that would
otherwise be more fluid. For example, keratin stiffens our nails. Collagen gives our skin
firmness and, as we age, a lack of it causes our skin to look thinner and more wrinkled.
39. Answer: C
The correct answer isC.: 23°. This tilt causes opposite seasons in the northern and
southern hemispheres; when the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the sun, it is
winter, and when it is tilted towards the sun, it is summer.
40. Answer: C
During autumn and spring, the northern and southern hemispheres are equally as close
to the sun; they are either halfway between summer and winter or halfway between
winter and summer. When the northern hemisphere is experiencing spring, the southern
hemisphere is experiencing fall.
41. Answer: A
Increasing the amount of gas in a fixed object will increase the pressure. Imagine a car
tire. When you push more air into the tire, the tire becomes harder; the pressure has
been increased.
42. Answer: D
Angiosperms are flowering plants, meaning that they are in the kingdom plantae.
Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of a fungus, molds are fungi that grow in the form of
filaments, and yeasts are single-celled micoorganisms (and are in the kingdom Fungi).
43. Answer: C
The lithosphere is made up of the crust and the upper mantle. These are the most rigid
layers of the earth.
44. Answer: D
A carboxyl group is made up of one carbon atom, two oxygen atoms, and 1 hydrogen
atom: (C(O)OH). This group makes up, along with the R group, carboxylic acids.
45. Answer: D
A fulcrum is the point on which a lever rests and pivots. This combination amplifies the
input force to create a greater output force. For example, when you push on a crowbar,
it amplifies the force applied on whatever you’re trying to pry. Other examples include a
bottle opener or a teeter-totter.
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46. Answer: B
A great majority (78%) of Earth’s atmosphere is nitrogen. 21% is oxygen, and the rest is
made up of various other gasses.
47. Answer: C
Solutions are homogeneous. This means that everything in the solution is evenly spread
out and thoroughly mixed. For instance, when you add sugar to water and stir, the sugar
dissolves and is spread throughout your glass.
48. Answer: C
Second-class levers carry the load between the effort and the fulcrum; the load of a
wheelbarrow is between the wheel’s axle and the effort of pushing the handles.
49. Answer: C
The correct answer isC. carbonated beverages. Soda is prepared by dissolving carbon
dioxide (the solute) into water (the solvent). The others are mixture
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