ASVAB Study GuideGeneral Science Practice Test 5
Tap an answer to check it instantly and read the explanation. 10 questions: 3 easy, 4 medium and 3 hard.
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Question 1 easy
What is the standard International System of Units (SI) unit used to measure energy, work, and heat?
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Correct answer: C — joules
The joule (J) is the SI derived unit of energy, work, or amount of heat, defined as the energy transferred when applying a force of one Newton over a distance of one meter.
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Question 2 easy
By what fundamental principle do magnetic compass needles operate to indicate direction?
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Correct answer: B — reacting to Earth's magnetic fields
A magnetic compass contains a magnetized needle that aligns itself with the lines of Earth's magnetic field, pointing toward the magnetic north pole.
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Question 3 easy
In physics, what does an object's mass fundamentally quantify?
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Correct answer: B — how much matter an object contains
Mass is a measure of the amount of matter or inertia an object possesses, which remains constant regardless of location or gravitational pull.
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Question 4 medium
Which of the following classical concepts is NOT recognized as a fundamental physical state of matter?
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Correct answer: C — ether
Solid, liquid, gas, and plasma are recognized states of matter. 'Luminiferous aether' was a discredited 19th-century hypothetical medium for light propagation, not a state of matter.
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Question 5 medium
Which statement accurately describes what occurs during a chemical reaction?
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Correct answer: B — chemical bonds are broken and atoms are rearranged into new molecular structures
During a chemical reaction, reactant bonds break and atoms rearrange into new combinations to form products, obeying the law of conservation of mass.
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Question 6 medium
Which phase of matter is characterized by having a fixed, definite volume while taking the shape of its container?
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Correct answer: B — liquid
A liquid has molecules close enough together to maintain a definite volume, but free enough to flow and adapt to the shape of any container.
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Question 7 medium
Which of the following common material classifications is NOT recognized as a fundamental form or type of energy?
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Correct answer: D — plastic matter
Thermal, sound, and electrical are forms of energy (or energy transfer modes), whereas plastic is a synthetic organic polymer material, not a form of energy.
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Question 8 hard
In physical science, what precise property quantifies the absolute quantity of matter contained within a physical body?
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Correct answer: D — inertial mass
Mass is the fundamental measure of the amount of matter in an object (and its resistance to acceleration), independent of local gravity.
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Question 9 hard
Which of the following everyday occurrences represents a genuine chemical change rather than a physical change?
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Correct answer: C — oxidation and rusting of iron structures
Rusting involves a chemical reaction between iron, oxygen, and moisture to form iron oxide (a new substance), whereas boiling, dissolving, and melting are physical changes.
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Question 10 hard
What primary optical phenomenon involving light passing through water droplets is responsible for the formation of rainbows?
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Correct answer: B — refraction and dispersion
Rainbows form when sunlight is refracted, internally reflected, and dispersed (separated into component wavelengths/colors) as it enters and exits water droplets.