General Science Practice Questions 2

Biology


  1. Which of the following describes the process of food moving through the intestines?
  1. Peristalsis
  2. Ileum translation
  3. Microvilli propulsion
  4. Flexure propulsion
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

Peristalsis is the wave-like contraction of smooth muscle that propels food through the GI tract. The other options aren’t recognized mechanisms of intestinal movement.

 

  1. Which of the following statements best describes the enzyme maltase?
  1. It breaks down lactose to glucose.
  2. It turns glucose into maltose.
  3. It breaks down maltose to glucose.
  4. It turns glucose into lactose.
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

Maltase is a brush-border disaccharidase in the small intestine that hydrolyzes the α-1,4 glycosidic bond in maltose, yielding two molecules of glucose.

Lactose is broken down by lactase, not maltase. Forming maltose or lactose from glucose is a synthetic process that does not involve maltase.

 

  1. High levels of bilirubin in the blood stream can result in which of the following?
  1. Uric acid overexposure
  2. Jaundice
  3. Bile salt production
  4. Hepatic mutation
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

Excess bilirubin in the bloodstream deposits in tissues and causes jaundice—a yellowing of the skin and sclerae. This can arise from hemolysis, impaired hepatic uptake/conjugation, or biliary obstruction.

 

  1. What are the two bones found in the area between the knee and ankle in humans?
  1. Femur and tibia
  2. Fibula and tibia
  3. Ulna and tibia
  4. Radius and tibia
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

The lower leg contains the tibia (medial, weight-bearing) and the fibula (lateral, slender). The femur is the thigh bone, and the radius and ulna are forearm bones.

 

Chemistry


  1. What does the symbol B stand for on the periodic table?
  1. Beryllium
  2. Boron
  3. Barium
  4. Berkelium
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

B stands for boron.

 

  1. What does the symbol Mn stand for on the periodic table?
  1. Magnesium
  2. Molybdenum
  3. Manganese
  4. Margon
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

Mn stands for manganese. Magnesium is Mg, molybdenum is Mo, and “margon” isn’t an element.

 

  1. What does the symbol Ca stand for on the periodic table?
  1. Calcium
  2. Carbon
  3. Cobalt
  4. Chlorine
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

Ca stands for calcium. Carbon is C, cobalt is Co, and chlorine is Cl.

 

  1. What does the symbol Br stand for on the periodic table?
  1. Beryllium
  2. Boron
  3. Barium
  4. Bromine
Show Answer
The correct answer is D!

Br stands for bromine. Beryllium is Be, boron is B, and barium is Ba.

 

  1. Vinegar is another name for which acid?
  1. Acetic acid
  2. Acetone acid
  3. Sulfuric acid
  4. Ascorbic acid
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

Vinegar is an aqueous solution of acetic acid (about 5%). Ascorbic acid is vitamin C, sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid, and “acetone acid” isn’t a thing.

 

  1. What kind of acceptor is a Lewis acid?
  1. Neutron-pair
  2. Proton-pair
  3. Electron-pair
  4. Ion-pair
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

A Lewis acid accepts an electron pair. By contrast, a Brønsted–Lowry acid donates a proton.

 

  1. What kind of reaction produces heat?
  1. Endothermic
  2. Exothermic
  3. Hydrogen
  4. Buffered
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

Exothermic reactions release heat to the surroundings, while endothermic reactions absorb it.

 

  1. Which of the following matches the definition below?
The pressure (\(P\)) is inversely proportional to the volume (\(V\)) of a gas.
  1. Archimedes’ principle
  2. Charles’s law
  3. Boyle’s law
  4. Anderson’s theorem
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

Boyle’s law states that for a fixed amount of gas at constant temperature, pressure is inversely proportional to volume (the product \(PV\) is constant). Charles’s law relates volume and temperature.

 

  1. The combination of sodium and chlorine to form NaCl is considered to be which kind of bond?
  1. Ionic
  2. Covalent
  3. Hydrogen
  4. Metallic
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

Sodium transfers an electron to chlorine, forming Na+ and Cl. The electrostatic attraction between ions is an ionic bond (not covalent, hydrogen, or metallic).

 

  1. What are outer shell electrons known as?
  1. Hybrid electrons
  2. Valence electrons
  3. Vector electrons
  4. Transitional electrons
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

Outer-shell (valence) electrons drive bonding and reactivity. They largely determine an element’s chemical behavior.

 

  1. Which of the following matches the equation below?
\(P_1V_1 = P_2V_2\)
  1. Archimedes’ principle
  2. Charles’s law
  3. Boyle’s law
  4. Anderson’s theorem
Show Answer
The correct answer is C!

Boyle’s law is summarized by \(P_1V_1 = P_2V_2\) (at constant temperature and moles). Charles’s law instead relates volume to temperature.

 

Physics


  1. Forces can be indicated on graph paper by the use of _________.
  1. Empirical rules
  2. Interaction coefficients
  3. Variables
  4. Vectors
Show Answer
The correct answer is D!

Forces have magnitude and direction, so they’re represented by vectors (arrows) on graphs.

 

  1. Which of the following is not considered a primary color of light?
  1. Green
  2. Blue
  3. Red
  4. Yellow
Show Answer
The correct answer is D!

The additive primaries of light are red, green, and blue. Yellow is a secondary color (red + green).

 

  1. Which of the following is the unit of charge?
  1. Newton
  2. Coulomb
  3. Joule
  4. Watt
Show Answer
The correct answer is B!

The SI unit of electric charge is the coulomb (C). A newton measures force, a joule measures energy, and a watt measures power.

 

  1. Which of the following is a device specifically designed to measure current?
  1. Ammeter
  2. Cyclotron
  3. Resistor
  4. Capacitor
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

An ammeter measures current. It’s placed in series and designed with very low internal resistance.

 

  1. What is the current flow of one coulomb per second?
  1. Ampere
  2. Joule
  3. Watt
  4. Kilowatt
Show Answer
The correct answer is A!

One coulomb per second is one ampere.