General Science Review for ASVAB Power Practice Problems

These general science practice questions are based on the actual ASVAB. Take this quiz to see how you would do if you took the exam today and to determine your strengths and weaknesses as you plan your study schedule.

Time: 11 minutes

1. Some of the world's land is unusable because it's desert, ice, or rock. Another fraction of the world's land is already used for crops and grazing. About how much, after accounting for these two categories, of the world's land could still be developed for exclusively human use?



2. Why might angiosperms recover faster than conifers from a devastating environmental phenomenon?
   1. Conifers requires more sunlight.
   2. Angiosperms reproduce more quickly.
   3. Angiosperms depend on mammals to spread seeds.
   4. Conifers have tougher seeds.
3. Blood moving through the pulmonary vein is
   1. oxygenated.
   2. not oxygenated.
   3. mixed oxygenated and nonoxygenated blood.
   4. full of carbon dioxide.
4. The last column of the periodic table is the family of noble gases. Which of the following characteristics is NOT true?
   1. They have low boiling points.
   2. They are inert.
   3. They have full valence orbitals.
   4. They are highly reactive.
5. What do nuclear power plants do to control nuclear fission reactions to safely produce electricity?
   1. They use only small amounts of radioactive materials.
   2. Radioactive waste is securely contained.
   3. Materials are used to slow down the flow of neutrons.
   4. Fission reactors are located deep underground.
6. Which of the following is a mixture?
   1. sodium chloride
   2. rice and bean
   3. magnesium sulfate
   4. water
7. The specialized organ system that is responsible for filtering out impurities from the blood and excreting them is the
   1. renal system.
   2. respiratory system.
   3. circulatory system.
   4. endocrine system.
8. Mammalian mothers provide nutrients to the developing embryo through the
   1. fallopian tube.
   2. uterus.
   3. placenta.
   4. ovaries.
9. When light travels from a vacuum into air it is expected to undergo
   1. reflection.
   2. a change in wavelength.
   3. a change in frequency.
   4. refraction.
10. Nucleic acids are large molecules made up of smaller molecules called
    1. amino acids.
    2. nucleotides.
    3. lipids.
    4. carbohydrates.
11. The dinosaurs became extinct due to an impact from space
    1. 65 million years ago, which left a chemical imprint of radium.
    2. 65 million years ago, which left a chemical imprint of iridium.
    3. 540 million years ago, which left a chemical imprint of radium.
    4. 540 million years ago, which left a chemical imprint of iridium.
12. Which of the following atoms or ions is largest?
    1. Kr
    2. Br^–
    3. Ca²⁺
    4. N^2–
13. All the following are forms of connective tissue EXCEPT
    1. 0.75 g of carbon.
    2. 1.5 g of carbon.
    3. 3.0 g of carbon.
    4. 7.0 g of carbon.
14. What type of rock is expected to be found at a site of extreme pressure and temperature?
    1. limited water supply.
    2. excessive food supply.
    3. food web relationships.
    4. competition.
15. You find a unique species of ants living in tunnels formed by termites in a specific tree. The tree is lush and appears healthy. When you put your hand on the tree for a closer look, the ants race out of the tree to attack your hand. This is an example of
    1. predator-prey.
    2. parasitism.
    3. mutualism.
    4. commensalism.
16. Which is an example of an endothermic change?
    1. condensation
    2. combustion
    3. freezing
    4. sublimation
17. Sickle cell anemia is a recessive genetic disorder that decreases the amount of oxygen carried by red blood cells. Individuals will have painful attacks and their life expectancy is shortened. Which of the following statements is true?
    1. Both parents must pass the defective allele to offspring with the disease.
    2. The allele should disappear from the gene pool in the future.
    3. One parent must show symptoms of the disorder.
    4. The mutation is not useful at all.
18. The isomers butane and isobutane are expected to have different properties EXCEPT for which of the following?
    1. molecular weight
    2. freezing point
    3. vapor pressure
    4. shape
19. A cell experiences a genetic mutation and is unable to deliver the appropriate amino acids according to the genetic code. Which of the following is affected?
    1. DNA
    2. mRNA
    3. rRNA
    4. tRNA
20. How many grams of sugar are needed to make 500 mL of a 5% (weight/volume) solution of sugar?
    1. 20
    2. 25
    3. 50
    4. 10
21. Masses of ice, dust, and small rock particles orbiting the solar system and seen as patches of light with long tails are
    1. meteors.
    2. asteroids.
    3. meteor showers.
    4. comets.
22. Which of the following groups of organisms produce flowers?
    1. angiosperms
    2. gymnosperms
    3. mosses
    4. fungi
23. A gas that follows the ideal gas law is contained in a sealed piston at 25°C and 1 atm. What would you expect to happen if the temperature were increased to 35°C?
    1. The volume would decrease.
    2. The pressure would decrease.
    3. The volume and pressure would decrease.
    4. The volume would increase.