ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) flashcards

Present, appearing, or found everywhere.

• Often used to describe phenomena, technologies, or ideas.
• Implies that something is so common it's almost taken for granted.
• Derived from the Latin 'ubique' meaning 'everywhere'.

Memory trick: UBIquitous means U BI everywhere, so NOT everywhere is the antonym.

Speed is the rate at which an object is moving (magnitude), while velocity is the rate at which an object is moving in a specific direction (magnitude and direction).

• Velocity is a vector quantity; speed is a scalar quantity.
• An object can have constant speed but changing velocity if its direction changes.
• Changing velocity means there is acceleration.

Memory trick: Speed is just how fast, Velocity adds the path, Acceleration changes both.

The perimeter of a rectangle is the total distance around its boundary. It is calculated by adding the lengths of all four sides.

• Formula: P = 2 * (length + width)
• Units of perimeter are linear (e.g., feet, meters).
• Used for fencing, framing, or outlining rectangular areas.

Memory trick: Perimeter 'P'lus 'R'olls, 'P'erfect 'R'esult.

The process used by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria to convert light energy into chemical energy, stored in organic compounds like glucose.

• Uses sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
• Produces glucose and oxygen.
• Occurs primarily in chloroplasts.

Memory trick: Plants make sweet treats and fresh air with sun.

Proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.

• Implies something harmful that is not immediately apparent.
• Often used for diseases, threats, or ideas.
• Suggests treachery or cunning.

Memory trick: Insidious is 'inside' and slowly 'sidling' in.

(Of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse.

• Implies a high level of complexity or specialization.
• Often used for academic or intellectual topics.
• Suggests difficulty in understanding for most people.

Memory trick: Recondite knowledge is 're' (back) and 'condite' (hidden), like a 'secret code'.

A relationship where an increase in one quantity results in a proportional decrease in another, such that their product remains constant.

• Quantity1 × Quantity2 = Constant.
• Often involves workers and time, or speed and time.
• If workers increase, time decreases.

Memory trick: Proportions are Parallel Paths to Progress.

Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd.

• Implies deep understanding and practical wisdom.
• Often associated with age and experience.
• Synonyms: astute, discerning, judicious.

Memory trick: A 'sage' is sagacious, full of wisdom like an old, wise man.

No longer produced or used; out of date.

• Often refers to technology, methods, or practices.
• Implies replacement or retirement due to newer alternatives.
• Can become obsolete due to advancements or lack of demand.

Memory trick: The 'ob' in obsolete reminds me of 'old' and 'out'.

A large or excessive amount of something.

• Often implies more than is necessary or desirable, but can also just mean a large quantity.
• Derived from Greek for 'fullness'.
• Synonyms: excess, surplus, profusion, abundance.

Memory trick: Plenty of 'pleth' means a plethora of things, like plants in a dense forest.

The magnitude of the magnetic field produced by an electromagnet, which can be controlled by several factors.

• Directly proportional to current.
• Directly proportional to the number of turns in the coil.
• Stronger with a ferromagnetic core.

Memory trick: Current, Coils, Core make a powerful pull.

The quality of being prudent; cautiousness; acting with or showing care and thought for the future.

• Involves wisdom and good judgment.
• Often refers to avoiding risks or bad outcomes.
• Essential in critical or uncertain situations.

Memory trick: Prudence is 'proof' of good judgment.

Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity, and it changes with the strength of the gravitational field.

• Weight = mass × gravitational acceleration (g).
• Gravitational force decreases with distance from the center of a planet.
• Mass is an intrinsic property and remains constant.

Memory trick: Gravity's grip dictates the scale's flip.

The state or process of falling into decay or disrepair.

• Often applies to buildings or structures.
• Implies neglect and structural deterioration.
• Results from age, weather, or lack of maintenance.

Memory trick: Dilapidated buildings are 'falling apart' like an old 'dill pickle' left out.

Problems that involve calculating the volume of a 3D shape and then determining how many such containers are needed for a given total capacity.

• Know basic volume formulas (e.g., cylinder V = πr²h).
• Be mindful of units (e.g., cubic feet vs. gallons, requiring conversion if not given).
• When calculating 'how many containers', always round up if there's any remainder.

Memory trick: Tank Tally: Total liquid divided by tank size, always round up!

Translation on a coordinate plane involves shifting a point or figure horizontally and/or vertically without rotation or reflection. This changes its coordinates.

• Moving right: add to x-coordinate.
• Moving left: subtract from x-coordinate.
• Moving up: add to y-coordinate.
• Moving down: subtract from y-coordinate.

Memory trick: Right is 'R'ight (plus X), Down 'D'ecreases (minus Y).

The process of converting a measurement from one unit of length to another, often involving multiplication or division by a conversion factor.

• 1 foot = 12 inches
• 1 yard = 3 feet
• 1 mile = 5280 feet

Memory trick: Feet First, Inches Next, Total Up, Then Convert Back.

Intended or likely to placate or pacify.

• Often used to describe gestures, remarks, or attitudes.
• Aims to reduce tension, resolve disputes, or win goodwill.
• Suggests a willingness to compromise or be agreeable.

Memory trick: CONCILIATORY words CONVINCE others to calm down.

Disk-shaped cells in blood that primarily transport oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues.

• Contain hemoglobin, which binds to oxygen.
• Lack a nucleus in mature form.
• Produced in the bone marrow.

Memory trick: Red carries air, White fights the scare, Platelets repair, Plasma's everywhere.

Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.

• Implies unpredictability and impulsiveness.
• Often used to describe people or decisions.
• Can lead to instability or inconsistency.

Memory trick: Capricious like a 'caprice' (a sudden change), always shifting.

Mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.

• Essential for high-stress professions.
• Implies emotional stability.
• Allows for clear thinking under pressure.

Memory trick: Equal 'calmness' under pressure is equanimity.

Accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character.

• Often applied to people, institutions, or objects with a long and distinguished history.
• Implies a sense of awe and reverence.
• Suggests a quality that has stood the test of time.

Memory trick: VENERable implies VENERation, which is deep respect.

The process by which the energy of a photon is taken up by matter, typically converting light energy into another form, such as thermal energy.

• Crucial for color perception (objects appear the color they reflect, not absorb).
• Basis for spectrophotometry and many analytical techniques.
• Involves electrons moving to higher energy levels.

Memory trick: Absorb takes in, Reflect bounces out, Refract bends about, Diffract spreads out.

Inept or clumsy; unskillful in a physical or social way.

• Often used to describe a person's physical movements or social grace.
• Can also apply to systems or processes that are poorly executed.
• Derived from French 'mal adroit' meaning 'badly skillful'.

Memory trick: Maladroit machinery is 'mal-adroit' (badly adroit) and causes 'malfunctions'.

Fond of company; sociable.

• Describes people who enjoy being with others.
• Often associated with extroversion.
• Comes from Latin 'grex' meaning flock.

Memory trick: Gregarious Greg 'gathers' groups, but 'aloof' Al stays alone.

A person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage; a 'yes-man'.

• Characterized by excessive flattery and subservience.
• Motivated by self-interest or personal gain.
• Often seen as insincere and manipulative.

Memory trick: A sycophant says 'yes', an antonym says 'no'.

Hoped for but impossible to achieve; wildly fanciful.

• Derived from the Chimera, a monstrous fire-breathing female creature in Greek mythology.
• Implies an idea that is purely imaginary and lacks basis in reality.
• Synonyms: imaginary, mythical, fantastical, illusory.

Memory trick: A 'chimera' is a creature that's 'chimerical'—unreal and imagined.

Lasting for a very short time.

• Often used to describe natural phenomena like sunsets or certain insects.
• Implies a delicate and transient beauty or existence.
• Can refer to ideas or trends that quickly fade.

Memory trick: An EPHemeral butterfly's life is FEW days.

Determining an amount based on a given rate and a quantity of time or other units.

• Rate × Time = Total Amount.
• Ensure units are consistent (e.g., hours and hours).
• Often involves converting mixed time units to a single unit.

Memory trick: Rates are the Road to Results.

The mechanism by which stars produce light and heat, sustaining themselves against gravitational collapse.

• Occurs in the star's core.
• Primarily nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium.
• Releases immense amounts of energy.

Memory trick: Fusing H into He makes a star's energy glee.

A basic arithmetic operation used to find the product of two numbers.

• Often used for 'per unit' calculations.
• Can involve decimals.
• Represents repeated addition.

Memory trick: Arithmetic's simple, just Add, Subtract, Multiply, Divide.

In a right-angled triangle, if the hypotenuse and one leg are known, the other leg can be found using the Pythagorean theorem by rearranging the formula.

• Formula: a² + b² = c² (where c is hypotenuse).
• To find a leg: a² = c² - b² or b² = c² - a².
• Ensure correct identification of hypotenuse and legs.

Memory trick: Hypotenuse 'H'as 'S'quares, 'L'eg 'L'ooks for 'D'ifference.

The relationship between time, distance, and speed is fundamental in physics and everyday calculations. Distance is the product of speed and time.

• Distance = Speed × Time
• Speed = Distance / Time
• Time = Distance / Speed

Memory trick: Time is the 'D'istance over 'S'peed, like a 'D'ivision 'S'ign.

To add mixed numbers and fractions, convert mixed numbers to improper fractions or add the whole numbers and fractions separately, finding a common denominator for the fractional parts.

• Convert mixed numbers to improper fractions for easier multiplication/division.
• Find a common denominator to add or subtract fractions.
• Simplify the final fraction if possible.

Memory trick: First, count the 'C'rates, then 'A'dd the 'V'ehicle.

Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.

• Can also imply being difficult to please due to high standards.
• Often associated with perfectionism or extreme neatness.
• Synonyms: meticulous, scrupulous, punctilious, painstaking.

Memory trick: Fastidious is like 'fast' and 'tedious' work, because every tiny detail must be perfect.

Calculating the duration of travel given a distance and a constant speed.

• Formula is Time = Distance / Rate (Speed).
• Ensure units are consistent (e.g., miles and mph).
• A rearrangement of the DRT formula (D=RT).

Memory trick: Distance = Rate × Time (DIRT).

Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.

• Often implies something mysterious or secret to outsiders.
• Contrasts with 'exoteric' (understood by the general public).
• Synonyms: obscure, arcane, recondite, abstruse.

Memory trick: Esoteric knowledge is 'exclusive' and 'secret', only for the 'elite' or 'elect'.

Problems that involve calculating a specific percentage of a given number, or finding a number based on a percentage.

• Convert percentages to decimals (e.g., 35% = 0.35) for calculations.
• To find 'X% of Y', calculate (X/100) * Y.
• Often involves multiple steps, such as finding a part and then the remainder.

Memory trick: Percent Parts: Find one part, subtract from total for the rest.

Lacking flavor; dull or uninteresting.

• Can describe food, conversations, or art.
• Implies a lack of stimulating qualities.
• Often associated with mediocrity.

Memory trick: Insipid is 'in-sip-it' (not worth sipping), so the opposite is thrilling!

Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.

• Often used to describe a person's temperament.
• Refers to the Roman god Mercury, known for his swiftness and unpredictability.
• Implies instability and changeability.

Memory trick: Mercurial moods are like 'Mercury' zipping around; the opposite is 'solid' and 'stable'.

To multiply numbers involving decimals, multiply them as if they were whole numbers, then place the decimal point in the product so it has as many decimal places as the sum of the decimal places in the factors.

• Count decimal places in each factor.
• Multiply numbers ignoring decimal points initially.
• Place decimal point in product by summing decimal places from factors.

Memory trick: Cases 'C'ost 'C'alculation 'C'lear.

Deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.

• Often associated with defeat or failure.
• Implies a loss of dignity or reputation.
• Has a strong negative connotation.

Memory trick: Ignominious is 'ignoring' good name.

Mild, temperate, or merciful.

• Often used to describe weather that is pleasant.
• Can also describe a person's disposition as lenient or compassionate.
• Derived from Latin 'clemens' meaning 'mild, calm'.

Memory trick: Clement weather is pleasant, like a gentle 'Clement-ine' breeze.

Spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.

• Implies excessive and imprudent spending.
• Often associated with the biblical 'prodigal son'.
• Can also refer to giving or generating something on a lavish scale.

Memory trick: Prodigal people 'prodigally' waste money; the opposite is 'thrifty' saving.

The biological conversion of one-carbon molecules and nutrients into organic matter, using the oxidation of inorganic chemical compounds as an energy source.

• Does not require sunlight.
• Common in deep-sea hydrothermal vents and other aphotic environments.
• Often involves bacteria or archaea using hydrogen sulfide, methane, or iron compounds.

Memory trick: Photo needs light, Chemo needs chemicals.

Calculating a fractional part of an already established fractional portion of a whole.

• Multiply the fractions together to find the combined fraction of the whole.
• Alternatively, calculate the first fractional part, then the second fractional part of that result.
• Order of operations is important for clarity.

Memory trick: Fraction Chain: Cut the whole, then cut the piece again.

Understood by few; mysterious or secret.

• Often applied to knowledge, rituals, or language.
• Implies exclusivity and a hidden nature.
• Suggests something ancient or esoteric.

Memory trick: ARCANE knowledge is like an ARCANE spell, only for a few.

The explanation of the flow of genetic information within a biological system, stating that DNA makes RNA, and RNA makes protein.

• DNA provides the template for RNA synthesis (transcription).
• RNA (mRNA) carries the genetic code from DNA to ribosomes.
• Ribosomes use mRNA to synthesize proteins (translation).

Memory trick: DNA is the blueprint, RNA is the copy, Protein is the product.

Problems involving maximum capacity often require converting all measurements to a common unit before performing calculations and then rounding down to the nearest whole number for practical limits.

• Ensure all units (weight, volume, etc.) are consistent.
• Convert larger units to smaller units for easier division.
• When calculating 'maximum number', always round down if the result is not a whole number.

Memory trick: Convert 'C'apacity, 'D'ivide by 'P'allet, 'R'ound 'D'own.

Superficially plausible, but actually wrong; misleading in appearance.

• Often used to describe arguments or reasoning that seem good but are flawed.
• Implies an element of deception or trickery.
• Comes from Latin 'speciosus' meaning 'fair, plausible, showy'.

Memory trick: Specious arguments 'show' well but are 'phony' at their core.

In its original condition; unspoiled.

• Implies purity and cleanliness.
• Often used to describe natural environments or historical artifacts.
• Suggests a state of being untouched or uncorrupted.

Memory trick: Pristine like a 'perfect' pearl, the opposite is 'broken'.

In a right-angled triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides (legs).

• Formula: a² + b² = c², where a and b are legs, c is hypotenuse.
• Applies only to right-angled triangles.
• Often used in geometry, construction, and navigation.

Memory trick: A 'S'quare 'S'um 'S'olves 'C'.

Specialized structures within eukaryotic cells that perform specific functions.

• Mitochondria: Powerhouse, cellular respiration.
• Ribosomes: Protein synthesis.
• Cell Membrane: Regulates passage of substances.
• Cell Wall: Structural support (plants, fungi, some protists).

Memory trick: No wall, no green, just animal scene.

Impossible to understand or interpret.

• Often used to describe people's expressions, motives, or complex data.
• Implies a quality of being enigmatic or unfathomable.
• Suggests that something is hidden or beyond human grasp.

Memory trick: INSCRUTABLE means IN-SCReW-TABLE, impossible to figure out.

Elements typically characterized by high electrical and thermal conductivity, luster, and ductility/malleability.

• Tend to lose electrons in chemical reactions.
• Located on the left and center of the periodic table.
• Most are solids at room temperature (except mercury).

Memory trick: Metals make magic, Metalloids mix, Nonmetals neg.

A relationship between two quantities where an increase in one quantity results in a proportional increase in the other, and vice versa.

• Often expressed as Y = kX, where k is the constant of proportionality.
• If X and Y are directly proportional, X1/Y1 = X2/Y2.
• Used when quantities increase or decrease together at a constant ratio.

Memory trick: Same Pace, Same Ratio: More distance means more time, proportionally.

Applying a percentage reduction repeatedly to a declining base value.

• Each decrease is calculated on the new, reduced amount.
• Expressed as (1 - rate) for each period.
• Used in depreciation, population decline, etc.

Memory trick: Percentages are Powerful for Predicting Progress.

Unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something.

• Implies extreme rigidity and unyieldingness.
• Often used in political or negotiation contexts.
• Derived from French 'intransigeant' meaning 'uncompromising'.

Memory trick: Intransigent people are 'in-trans-igent', unable to 'trans-fer' their position.

Gentle; kindly. (of a disease) not harmful in effect; not malignant.

• Often used to describe weather, tumors, or dispositions.
• Implies a lack of severity or danger.
• Can also mean favorable or beneficial.

Memory trick: Benign is like a 'benny' (benefit) – it's good and gentle.

To encourage or assist (someone) to do something wrong, in particular, to commit a crime.

• Always implies involvement in a wrongful act.
• Can be active assistance or encouragement.
• Often used in legal contexts, e.g., 'aid and abet'.
• Synonyms: aid, assist, help, support (in wrongdoing).

Memory trick: To 'abet' a crime is to 'aid' and 'bet' on its success by providing help.