[35 Test Answers] GED Ready Reviewer: Science pt. 3

Here is Part-3 of our GED Ready reviewer for Science. Get a practice test with these 35 questions.

GED is an important test that requires preparation. Since it is a computer-based exam, the test questions are scrambled to protect its integrity. We recommend reading the following articles to know more about the exam and learn key strategies that’ll help you make big improvements during the actual tests.

This is Part-3 of our free GED test answers for Science. Topics included in this review material are Life Science, Physical Science, Earth and Space Science, and Science Practices. The exam is designed to assess your ability to read, understand, and apply scientific concepts and principles.

GED Ready Science reviewer, pt. 3

Question 1. The boiling point of water decreases with increasing pressure. At high altitudes, the atmospheric pressure is lower than at sea level. Which of the following locations would you expect to find the highest boiling point temperature of the water?
A. An underground cave
B. A city on the coast
C. at the top of Mount Everest✅
D. at sea level


For questions 2 and 3 refer to the passage below.

Is Pluto a Planet?

Based on perturbations in Neptune’s orbit, the search for a ninth planet was conducted and Pluto was discovered in 1930. Pluto orbits the sun just like the other eight planets, and it has a moon, Charon, and a stable orbit. Based on its distance from the sun, Pluto should be grouped with the planets known as gas giants. In addition, Pluto, like the planet Mercury, has little or no atmosphere. Pluto is definitely not a comet because it does not have a tail like a comet when it is near the sun. Pluto is also not an asteroid, although its density is closer to an asteroid than to any of the other planets. Pluto is a planet because it has been classified as one for more than sixty years since its discovery.

Question 2. Which of the following statements accurately describes Pluto’s classification as a planet?
A. Pluto is classified as a planet because it orbits the sun and has a moon.
B. Pluto is classified as a planet because it has a stable orbit and is not a comet or an asteroid.✅
C. Pluto is not classified as a planet because it should be grouped with gas giants and has little or no atmosphere.
D. Pluto is classified as a planet because it is similar in size and composition to the other eight planets in the solar system.

Question 3. Why is Pluto not classified as a comet or an asteroid?
A. It has a stable orbit✅
B. It has a moon, Charon
C. It has little or no atmosphere
D. It is not similar in density to other planets


Question 4. Humidity is a measure of
A. air pressure
B. air temperature
C. cloudiness
D. the amount of water vapor in air✅


Question 5. Determine how much water is in the graduated cylinder drawn below by reading the bottom of the meniscus (surface of the water).


A. 7.5 ml✅
B. 6.5 ml
C. 4.5 ml
D. 3.2 ml


For questions 6 and 7 refer to the passage provided below.

Farm animals can carry salmonella, a kind of bacteria that can cause severe food poisoning. However, animals fed antibiotics can carry especially deadly strains of salmonella. In Minnesota in 1983, 11 people were hospitalized with salmonella poisoning. This number itself was not striking at all. Forty thousand Americans are hospitalized with salmonella poisoning every year. What was striking about the cases in Minnesota was that each patient had severe symptoms and all the patients were infected with the same, rare strain of salmonella, resistant to several common antibiotics. A young scientist, Scott Holmberg, noted that eight patients were taking the same antibiotics for sore throats. He ruled out the possibility that the antibiotics themselves were infected with the bacteria because three of the patients were not taking antibiotics at all. He later showed that the people were infected with salmonella prior to taking the antibiotics, but that the antibiotics triggered the onset of salmonella poisoning. He postulated that salmonella suddenly flourished when the patients took antibiotics because the antibiotics killed off all other competing bacteria. He was also able to trace the antibiotic-resistant salmonella to the beef that was imported to Minnesota from a farm in South Dakota, at which cattle were routinely fed antibiotics and at which one calf died of the same strain of salmonella.

Question 6. Based on the passage, which one of the following statements is false?
A. Some strands of bacteria are resistant to antibiotics.
B. Farm animals can carry salmonella.
C. Antibiotics transmit salmonella.✅
D. Antibiotics kill off bacteria that are not resistant to antibiotics.

Question 7. As a result of this finding, the Food and Drug Administration should
A. require a special prescription for antibiotics resistant to salmonella.
B. limit the practice of feeding antibiotics to cattle.✅
C. carefully regulates the prescription of antibiotics for sore throats.
D. take the antibiotic that caused salmonella off the market.


Question 8. The following pie chart illustrates the relative productivity (new plant material produced in one year) of different biomes. Based on the chart, which biome has the largest effect on overall productivity?

A. savanna
B. desert
C. chaparral
D. tropical rain forest✅


Question 9. The amount of dissolved gas in a liquid solution depends on the pressure of the gas. Under high pressure, greater amounts of gas can be dissolved. The pressure is used to increase the solubility of carbon dioxide gas in
A. carbonated drinks.✅
B. fish ponds
C. gasoline.
D. cereals.


Question 10. Which of the following is the most common result of prolonged excessive alcohol consumption?
A. brain tumor
B. lung cancer
C. heart attack
D. liver damage✅


For questions 11 and 12 refer to the passage provided below.

Radiation from radioisotopes can be used to kill cancer cells. Chemist Marie Curie received two Nobel Prizes for her work with radioisotopes. Her work led to the discovery of the neutron and the synthesis of artificial radioactive elements. She died of leukemia at 67, caused by extensive exposure to radiation. Curie never believed that radium and other materials she worked with were a health hazard. In World War I, glowing radium was used on watch dials to help soldiers read their watches in the dark and to synchronize their attacks. Unfortunately, women who worked in factories were drawing their radium-stained brushes to fine points by putting them between their lips. As a result, their teeth would glow in the dark. But this was an amusement for children more than a cause of worry. About ten years later, the women developed cancer in their jaws and mouths and had problems making blood cells. This exposed the dangers of radiation.

Question 11. What was the cause of cancer developed by the women who worked in factories with radium-stained brushes?
A. Contaminated water supply
B. Chemical exposure
C. Exposure to radiation✅
D. Infection

Question 12. Based on the information in the passage, which statement about radioisotopes is false?
A. A radioisotope was used in watch dials.
B. Einstein received the Nobel Prize for working with isotopes.✅
C. A radioisotope can glow in the dark.
D. Radioisotopes can cause cancer.


Question 13. Which one of the following statements is an opinion, rather than a fact?
A. It’s wrong to kill any organism.✅
B. Some organisms reproduce asexually.
C. All organisms need energy
D. All organisms are made of one or more cells.


For questions 14 and 15 refer to the passage provided below.

A science student hypothesized that the rate of evaporation of water depends on the shape of the container the water is placed in. She decided to measure the amount of water evaporated when 300 ml of water in five different containers were heated from room temperature to 90° C on preheated hot plates. She used five cylindrical 500-milliliter glass containers, each having the same wall thickness but a different base radius and height. In other words, some containers were narrow and tall, others were wide and shallow. The following table lists the dimensions of the containers and the amount of water initially present.



She placed each container, containing the same amount of water, on a hot plate, and placed a thermometer in each to monitor the temperature. She noticed that the temperature was increasing faster in the containers with a larger radius. After some time, the temperature in the 10-cm radius container reached the set 90° C. Following container 5, the water in containers 4, 3, 2, and 1, in that order, reached the set temperature. The student checked the volume of the water in each container and found that it was lower than 300 ml. She also found that the decrease in volume was highest in the container with the largest radius. In container 1, the volume decrease was barely detectable.

Question 14. Which two statements are valid objections to the experimental setup?
I. All the containers was filled with the same amount of water.
II. A different hot plate was used to heat water in different containers.
III. Water in different containers was heated for different amounts of time.
IV. The containers were not filled completely

A. I and IV
B. I and II
C. I and III
D. II and III✅

Question 15. What can the student conclude from the data?
A. The smaller the radius of the container, the faster it reaches the set temperature.
B. The greater the radius of the container, the higher the rate of evaporation.✅
C. The greater the radius of the container, the slower it reaches the set temperature.
D. The radius of the container is not related to the rate of evaporation.


For questions 16-18, refer to the passage and the table provided below.

Minerals are an important component of the human diet. Some minerals are needed in relatively large amounts. These include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, chlorine, and magnesium. Others, including iron, manganese, and iodine, are needed in smaller amounts. Humans need 26 minerals altogether, but some of them are only required in tiny amounts. Some minerals, such as lead and selenium, are harmful in large quantities. Dietary supplements can decrease the chance of mineral deficiencies listed in the table below but should be taken with great care since overdose can lead to poisoning.

Question 16. Which of the minerals listed in the table are you most likely lacking if you experience an irregular heartbeat?
A. potassium✅
B. sodium
C. calcium
D. protein

Question 17. Which two minerals are necessary for the formation of healthy bones and teeth?
A. calcium and sodium
B. calcium and magnesium
C. calcium and phosphorous✅
D. calcium and potassium

Question 18. What happened if taking several iron supplements per day?
A. make you stronger.
B. cause poisoning✅
C. decrease the chance of bone loss.
D. make up for an unbalanced diet.


For questions 19 and 20 refer to the passage provided below.

According to scientists, the sun has existed for 4.6 billion years. The sun produces energy by a nuclear conversion of hydrogen into helium. When hydrogen runs out, according to this theory, the sun will expand, engulfing Earth and other planets. Not to worry—the expansion will not affect us, since the sun has enough hydrogen for another 4.6 billion years. When it expands, the sun will become what is called a red giant star. In another 500 million years, the sun will shrink to the current size of the Earth and will be called a white dwarf, cooling down for several billion years.

Question 19. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. The sun has existed for 5.6 billion years.
B. The sun produces energy by burning coal.
C. The sun will never run out of hydrogen.
D. When the sun expands, it will engulf Earth and other planets.✅

Question 20. In how many years will the sun become a white dwarf?
A. 4.6 billion years
B. 500 million years
C. Several billion years✅
D. Never


Question 21. Which of the following does NOT cause changes in the Earth’s surface, such as the formation of mountains and valleys?
A. ozone✅
B. erosion
C. volcanic eruptions
D. collision of plates


Here are a few experimental observations and known facts:
I. A scummy substance often forms in solutions of an amino acid in water.
II. When the water is purified and exposed to UV radiation, the scummy substance does not form in the amino acid solution.
III. UV radiation kills bacteria.

Question 22. Which of the following conclusions can be drawn from the experimental observations and known facts provided?
A. The scummy substance in the amino acid solution is caused by bacteria.✅
B. The amino acid is unstable in the presence of UV radiation.
C. The scummy substance in the amino acid solution is caused by impurities in the water.
D. UV radiation has no effect on the formation of the scummy substance in the amino acid solution.


Question 23. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks our view of the sun. Select the diagram that best represents the position of the sun, the Earth, and the moon during a solar eclipse, as well as the correct orbits

A. illustration A✅
B. illustration B
C. illustration C
D. illustration D
E. illustration E

Question 24. Which of the following infections can be transmitted through kissing?
A. Tuberculosis
B. Gonorrhea
C. Malaria
D. Herpes simplex virus✅


Question 25. A large surface area results in a high rate of cooling. This is why we tend to curl up when we sleep in a cold room and spread our limbs out when we sleep in a very hot room. Which of the following is an example of where this principle is used in technology?
A. Heat packs are designed to have a large surface area.
B. Airplanes are shaped to minimize heat loss in the cabin
C. Fans that cool computers are often ribbed to increase the surface area for cooling.✅
D. Microwave ovens are designed to completely close during food preparation.


Question 26. When you use friction, you can convert the energy of motion into heat. Which of the following is the best example of friction?
A. rub your hands together to make them warm.✅
B. place your hands near a fireplace to make them warm
C. soak your hands with hot water to make them warm.
D. wear gloves to make your hands warm.


Question 27. Webbed feet enable ducks to swim better by
A. preventing particles from being stuck between the duck’s toes.
B. making the duck less dense
C. increasing the rate of heat loss, so that ducks can cool down faster.
D. increasing the surface area with which ducks propel water✅


Question 28. The Milky Way is estimated to be about 100,000 light-years across its larger diameter. A light-year is a measure of
A. distance✅
B. brightness
C. number of stars
D. light speed


Question 29. The instrument shown below can be used to study in?


A. old manuscripts.
B. the flight pattern of birds✅
C. distance of planets
D. cell organelles


Question 30. The United States is in the Northern Hemisphere. Which statement(s) about the Southern Hemisphere is true?
I). It is always warm in the Southern Hemisphere.
II). When it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
III). In the Southern Hemisphere, the sun sets in the east.
IV). When it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere.

A. statement I only
B. statement II only
C. statements II and IV✅
D. statements II, III, and IV


For questions 31 and 32 refer to the passage provided below.

In the past, people thought that the Earth was flat and that a ship that sailed too far would fall off the edge of the world. The Earth appears flat because the Earth is too large for humans on Earth to see its curvature. Several events helped shed the misconceptions. For one, during a lunar eclipse, the Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon. It eclipses the moon by casting a shadow on it. The shadow the Earth casts is round. When Magellan circumnavigated the Earth, he proved that one could not fall off the edge of the Earth, because the Earth was round and had no edges. Finally, space missions provided us with images of our round Earth from far away and showed us how beautiful our planet looks, even from a distance.

Question 31. With which misconception about the Earth is the passage concerned?
A. that the Earth was created at the same time as the sun
B. that the Earth was flat✅
C. that the Earth could be eclipsed by the sun
D. that the Earth turned


Question 32. In the passage, what was cited as proof that the Earth is round?
I. Earth casts a round shadow on the moon during a lunar eclipse.
II. Earth revolves around the sun.
III. Magellan circumnavigated the Earth.
IV. images from space

A. I, II, and III
B. I, II, and IV
C. II, III, and IV
D. I, III, and IV✅


Question 33. Which of the following energy sources causes the least pollution to the environment?
A. nuclear
B. solar✅
C. coal
D. gas


For questions 34 and 35 refer to the diagram provided below.

Question 34. This instrument is used to
A. find underground waters.
B. find the nearest piece of land when navigating the seas.
C. determine the directions of the world.✅
D. determine the direction of the wind.

Question 35. This instrument works because
A. it has an internal clock.
B. the temperatures on Earth’s poles are very low.
C. the needle points to the direction of minimum pressure
D. the Earth has two magnetic poles.✅

Other Science reviewers