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GED Science Test practice questions

201 free questions with answers and explanations.

Practice test
  1. 1.A chemist is analyzing an unknown substance. They determine that the substance has a definite volume but an indefinite shape, and its particles are close together but can slide past one another. Based on these observations, what is the state of matter of the unknown substance?Physical Science
  2. 2.A scientist is studying the behavior of an ideal gas in a rigid, sealed container. If the pressure of the gas is doubled while its volume remains constant, what happens to the absolute temperature of the gas?Physical Science
  3. 3.A student is designing an experiment to demonstrate the generation of an electric current using a changing magnetic field. Which of the following principles is most relevant to this experiment?Physical Science
  4. 4.A construction worker is attempting to move a heavy crate across a rough concrete floor. They apply a constant horizontal force, but the crate does not move. Which type of friction is preventing the crate from moving?Physical Science
  5. 5.A student is investigating the properties of a spring. They hang various masses from the spring and measure its extension. They find that a 0.5 kg mass causes the spring to extend by 0.1 meters. According to Hooke's Law, what is the spring constant (k) of this spring?Physical Science
  6. 6.An engineer is designing a circuit for a new electronic device. They need to select a material that will allow electric current to flow easily through it. Which property is most important for this selection?Physical Science
  7. 7.A technician is setting up an experiment to demonstrate the generation of electricity through mechanical motion. They connect a coil of wire to a galvanometer and then rapidly move a permanent magnet back and forth inside the coil. What fundamental principle is this experiment demonstrating?Physical Science
  8. 8.An electrical engineer is designing a circuit. They need to select a material that offers very high resistance to the flow of electric current. Which of the following materials would be most suitable for this purpose?Physical Science
  9. 9.A student is investigating the physical properties of a metallic wire. They want to determine how much the wire stretches when different weights are applied to it. Which property are they primarily testing?Physical Science
  10. 10.A car is traveling at a constant speed of 25 m/s. The driver sees an obstacle and applies the brakes, decelerating at a rate of 5 m/s². How long does it take for the car to come to a complete stop?Physical Science
  11. 11.A student is investigating the effect of temperature on the rate of a chemical reaction. They set up three identical experiments, but each at a different temperature: 10°C, 25°C, and 40°C. They measure how quickly a gas is produced in each experiment. In this investigation, what is the independent variable?Physical Science
  12. 12.A car engine operates by burning fuel, which converts chemical energy into mechanical energy to move the vehicle. During this process, a significant amount of heat is also generated and dissipated. Which fundamental principle of physics best explains why not all of the chemical energy is converted into useful mechanical energy?Physical Science
  13. 13.A technician is preparing a solution by dissolving 30 grams of sugar in 170 grams of water. What is the mass percent concentration of sugar in this solution?Physical Science
  14. 14.A student is heating a beaker of water on a hot plate. They notice that the water at the bottom of the beaker gets warm first, then rises, and cooler water from the top sinks to take its place, creating a circulating current. What mode of heat transfer is primarily responsible for this observation?Physical Science
  15. 15.A physicist is investigating the behavior of a gas under varying conditions. They observe that when the pressure on a fixed amount of gas is doubled while its temperature is kept constant, the volume of the gas is halved. Which gas law is being demonstrated by this observation?Physical Science
  16. 16.A student pushes a 10 kg box across a floor with a constant force of 50 N. If the frictional force opposing the motion is 20 N, what is the net force acting on the box?Physical Science
  17. 17.A car with a mass of 1200 kg is traveling at a speed of 25 m/s. The driver applies the brakes, and the car comes to a complete stop in 4 seconds. What is the average braking force applied to the car?Physical Science
  18. 18.A chemist is preparing a solution by dissolving 25 grams of sodium chloride (NaCl) in 225 grams of water. What is the mass percent concentration of NaCl in this solution?Physical Science
  19. 19.A student is heating a beaker of water on a hot plate. They notice that the water at the bottom of the beaker heats up first, then rises, and cooler water from the top sinks to take its place, creating a continuous circulation. This method of heat transfer is known as which of the following?Physical Science
  20. 20.A scientist is observing a chemical reaction in which a solid reactant is heated and decomposes into two gaseous products. Which of the following observations would most clearly indicate that a chemical change has occurred?Physical Science
  21. 21.An electrician is installing a new light fixture. They connect a 120-volt power source to the fixture, which has a resistance of 20 ohms. What is the current flowing through the light fixture?Physical Science
  22. 22.A student uses a spring scale to pull a wooden block across a rough surface at a constant velocity. The scale reads 15 Newtons. If the student then lifts the block slightly while still pulling it at a constant velocity, and the scale now reads 10 Newtons, what is the most likely reason for the change in the scale reading?Physical Science
  23. 23.A scientist is observing a chemical reaction that releases heat into its surroundings, causing the temperature of the reaction vessel to rise. What type of reaction is this?Physical Science
  24. 24.A scientist is studying the properties of a gas in a sealed container with a movable piston. They observe that as the temperature of the gas is increased, the volume of the gas also increases, assuming the pressure remains constant. This observation is consistent with which of the following gas laws?Physical Science
  25. 25.A technician is testing different materials for their ability to allow electric charges to flow through them easily. Which of the following materials would be the most suitable for use as a wire in an electrical circuit?Physical Science
  26. 26.A student is investigating the relationship between the mass of an object and its gravitational potential energy. They lift a 2 kg mass to a height of 3 meters. If the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s², what is the gravitational potential energy of the mass at that height?Physical Science
  27. 27.A construction worker uses a pulley system to lift a heavy beam. With the pulley system, they apply a force of 200 N to lift the beam a distance of 5 meters. If the beam weighs 600 N, and the pulley system has an efficiency of 75%, what is the actual mechanical advantage of the pulley system?Physical Science
  28. 28.A scientist is designing a new type of solar panel. They want to use materials that efficiently absorb energy from the sun to convert it into electricity. Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum is primarily responsible for heating the Earth and is therefore a key target for solar energy technologies?Physical Science
  29. 29.A chef is using a microwave oven to heat food. Which type of electromagnetic radiation is primarily responsible for heating the food in a microwave oven?Physical Science
  30. 30.A chemist is analyzing a substance and observes that it has a definite volume but no definite shape, taking the shape of its container. The particles are close together but can move past one another. Which state of matter is being described?Physical Science
  31. 31.A scientist is studying the behavior of a gas in a sealed container. When they heat the container, they observe that the pressure inside the container increases, while the volume remains constant. Which gas law best describes this observation?Physical Science
  32. 32.A chemist is attempting to synthesize a compound with a specific three-dimensional structure. They are using a reaction that involves the formation of a triple bond between two carbon atoms. Which of the following statements accurately describes a key characteristic of a triple bond between carbon atoms?Physical Science
  33. 33.A car is traveling at a constant speed of 25 m/s. The driver sees an obstacle and applies the brakes, causing the car to decelerate at a constant rate of 5 m/s². How long does it take for the car to come to a complete stop?Physical Science
  34. 34.A chemist is analyzing an unknown solution and adds a small amount of a strong acid. They observe a rapid decrease in pH and the solution begins to fizz vigorously, producing a gas. This observation is strong evidence of which type of chemical reaction?Physical Science
  35. 35.A student drops a 0.5 kg ball from a height of 2 meters. Neglecting air resistance, what is the speed of the ball just before it hits the ground? (Assume g = 9.8 m/s²)Physical Science
  36. 36.A student pushes a 5 kg box with a force of 20 N across a frictionless floor. What is the acceleration of the box?Physical Science
  37. 37.A scientist is studying a newly discovered element and determines that it has a very high melting point, is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity, and can be easily drawn into a wire. Based on these properties, to which general category of elements would this new element most likely belong?Physical Science
  38. 38.A chemist is analyzing a newly synthesized compound. They determine that the compound has a very high melting point, is a good electrical conductor in its molten state, and forms crystals that are hard and brittle. These properties are characteristic of what type of chemical bond?Physical Science
  39. 39.A student is conducting an experiment to determine how the temperature of water affects the rate at which a sugar cube dissolves. They use three beakers, each containing 100 mL of water at different temperatures: 20°C, 40°C, and 60°C. They add one sugar cube of identical size to each beaker and record the time it takes for each cube to fully dissolve. Which of the following is the independent variable in this experiment?Physical Science
  40. 40.A chemist is performing an experiment where they mix two clear, colorless solutions. After mixing, the solution remains clear, but the test tube feels noticeably colder to the touch. What does this observation primarily indicate?Physical Science
  41. 41.A student sets up an experiment with two identical carts on a frictionless track. Cart A has a mass of 2 kg and is moving at 3 m/s. Cart B has a mass of 4 kg and is initially at rest. Cart A collides with Cart B, and after the collision, the two carts stick together and move as one unit. According to the Law of Conservation of Momentum, what is the final velocity of the combined carts?Physical Science
  42. 42.A student is investigating the properties of a non-Newtonian fluid, such as cornstarch and water. When the fluid is stirred slowly, it flows like a liquid. However, when a strong, sudden force is applied (e.g., punching it), it behaves like a solid. This behavior demonstrates that the fluid's viscosity is dependent on which of the following?Physical Science
  43. 43.A chemist is analyzing a sample of an unknown substance. They determine that the substance has a definite volume but an indefinite shape. Based on these properties, what state of matter is the substance most likely in?Physical Science
  44. 44.A student is investigating the properties of different materials. They observe that a certain material is shiny, conducts electricity well, and can be hammered into thin sheets without breaking. Based on these observations, what type of material is the student most likely examining?Physical Science
  45. 45.A scientist is investigating the properties of a newly discovered element. They observe that this element readily forms ionic bonds with nonmetals, is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat, and is malleable. Based on these properties, the new element is most likely classified as a:Physical Science
  46. 46.A chemist is analyzing a newly synthesized compound. They determine that the compound has a high melting point, is soluble in water, and conducts electricity when dissolved in water but not in its solid state. Based on these properties, what type of bonding is most likely present in this compound?Physical Science
  47. 47.A car travels at a constant speed of 15 m/s for 30 seconds. How far does the car travel during this time?Physical Science
  48. 48.A chef is boiling water in an open pot on a stove. As the water reaches its boiling point, bubbles begin to form rapidly throughout the liquid and rise to the surface. This process is best described as:Physical Science
  49. 49.A student drops a 0.2 kg ball from a height of 10 meters. Ignoring air resistance, what is the kinetic energy of the ball just before it hits the ground? (Use g = 9.8 m/s²)Physical Science
  50. 50.A student observes a campfire. They notice that they can feel the heat from the fire even when standing several feet away, without touching the flames or the hot air rising directly above it. What primary method of heat transfer is responsible for the heat felt by the student?Physical Science