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ASVAB General Science Practice Questions and Study Tips
General Science checks what you remember from high school biology, chemistry, physics and earth science. It does not count toward your AFQT score, but it feeds several line scores the branches use to qualify you for jobs, especially in medical and technical fields.
| Questions (paper ASVAB) | 25 |
|---|---|
| Time limit | 11 minutes |
| Abbreviation | GS |
| Counts toward AFQT? | No. It is used for line scores and job qualification, not the AFQT. |
The computer version of the ASVAB (CAT-ASVAB) has fewer questions and adjusts the difficulty to your answers, but it covers the same material.
What the General Science subtest covers
- Life science: cells, the human body, nutrition, disease, ecology and genetics
- Chemistry: atoms, elements, the periodic table, compounds and chemical reactions
- Physics: motion, force, energy, heat, light and sound
- Earth and space science: weather, the atmosphere, rocks, the solar system
General Science practice questions
Try these sample questions written in the ASVAB style. Members get hundreds more, with a worked solution the moment you answer.
1. Which part of a cell produces most of the cell's energy?
- Nucleus
- Ribosome
- Mitochondrion
- Cell wall
Show answer
C. Mitochondrion Mitochondria carry out cellular respiration, which turns food into usable energy (ATP).
2. What is the chemical symbol for sodium?
- S
- So
- Na
- Sd
Show answer
C. Na Na comes from natrium, the Latin name for sodium.
3. In which layer of the atmosphere does almost all weather happen?
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
Show answer
A. Troposphere The troposphere is the lowest layer, where we live and where clouds and storms form.
Tips for the General Science subtest
- The questions are short and fast, about 26 seconds each on the paper test. If you don't know an answer, guess and move on.
- Focus on vocabulary. Many questions are really asking what a science word means.
- Review the body systems and the planets. Both show up often.
Questions people ask
How many questions are on ASVAB General Science?
The paper ASVAB has 25 General Science questions with a 11-minute time limit. The computer version has fewer questions.
Does General Science count toward the AFQT?
No. It is used for line scores and job qualification, not the AFQT.
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