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General Science (GS)

General Science (GS) tests your grasp of basic biology, chemistry, physics, and earth and space science. It isn't an AFQT subtest, but a strong score opens doors to medical, technical, and intelligence jobs.

Practice questions

Original General Science questions in the ASVAB style. Pick an answer for instant feedback and an explanation, then keep going in the app.

  1. Which organelle is responsible for producing most of a cell's ATP through aerobic respiration?

    1. Ribosome
    2. Mitochondrion
    3. Golgi apparatus
    4. Lysosome

    The mitochondrion carries out aerobic respiration, using oxygen to generate the bulk of a cell's ATP. Ribosomes build proteins, the Golgi packages them, and lysosomes handle digestion.

  2. In the human body, which type of blood vessel carries blood away from the heart?

    1. Veins
    2. Capillaries
    3. Arteries
    4. Venules

    Arteries carry blood away from the heart, usually under high pressure. Veins return blood to the heart, and capillaries are the tiny vessels where gas and nutrient exchange occurs.

  3. An atom has 11 protons, 12 neutrons, and 11 electrons. What is its atomic number?

    1. 11
    2. 12
    3. 22
    4. 23

    The atomic number equals the number of protons, which is 11 (identifying the element as sodium). The mass number would be protons plus neutrons, which is 23.

  4. When a solid changes directly into a gas without first becoming a liquid, the process is called:

    1. Condensation
    2. Evaporation
    3. Sublimation
    4. Deposition

    Sublimation is the direct change from solid to gas, as seen with dry ice. Deposition is the reverse (gas to solid), and evaporation and condensation both involve the liquid state.

  5. A ball is dropped from a rooftop. Ignoring air resistance, what happens to its speed as it falls?

    1. It stays constant
    2. It increases due to gravitational acceleration
    3. It decreases steadily
    4. It increases then decreases

    Gravity accelerates a falling object at roughly 9.8 meters per second squared, so its speed increases continuously as it falls. Air resistance is ignored here, so nothing slows it.

  6. Which layer of the Earth is composed primarily of liquid iron and nickel?

    1. Crust
    2. Mantle
    3. Outer core
    4. Inner core

    The outer core is a liquid layer made mostly of iron and nickel, and its motion generates Earth's magnetic field. The inner core is solid despite being hotter, due to immense pressure.

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What it measures

The General Science (GS) subtest measures your general knowledge of the physical and biological sciences at roughly a high school level. It covers a wide range of topics quickly, so it rewards broad familiarity rather than deep expertise in any single field.

GS is not one of the four AFQT subtests (Arithmetic Reasoning, Mathematics Knowledge, Word Knowledge, and Paragraph Comprehension), so your GS score does not affect your AFQT score or your basic eligibility to enlist. Instead, GS feeds the line scores used to qualify for specific jobs. A strong GS score helps you compete for medical, technical, electronics, and intelligence roles across every branch, so it is worth taking seriously if any science-related job interests you.

What's on it

  • Life science (biology): cells and their parts, human body systems, genetics and heredity, plants and photosynthesis, ecology, and classification of living things.
  • Chemistry: atoms and the periodic table, elements versus compounds, states of matter, physical versus chemical changes, acids and bases, and basic reactions.
  • Physics: force, motion, gravity, energy, work, simple machines, electricity and magnetism, heat, sound, and light.
  • Earth science: rocks and minerals, the water cycle, weather and the atmosphere, plate tectonics, and geology.
  • Space science (astronomy): the solar system, planets, stars, the moon, and Earth's place in space.

How to study it

Because GS spans so many topics with only a handful of questions each, aim for broad coverage over deep mastery. It is better to know one solid fact about each body system, each planet, and each type of chemical reaction than to master one subject and ignore the rest. Review the key vocabulary of each field, since many questions simply test whether you recognize a term like mitochondria, igneous, or photosynthesis.

Use flashcards for the definitions and units that come up again and again: cell parts and their jobs, the planets in order, the layers of the atmosphere, and the basic laws of motion. Short, frequent review sessions work far better than one long cram, because GS is mostly recall. Try to connect facts to things you can picture, such as tracing a drop of water through the water cycle, so the ideas stick.

Common mistakes to avoid: Do not overthink the questions. GS items are usually straightforward, so if an answer seems obvious, it probably is; second-guessing costs you points. A frequent trap is confusing similar terms, such as mixing up weather and climate, mass and weight, or a physical change with a chemical change. Another mistake is spending too long on any one question; the test moves fast, so make your best choice and keep going. Finally, never leave a question blank. There is no penalty for guessing, so eliminate the answers you know are wrong and pick from what remains.

If you are short on time, focus first on the highest-yield basics: the parts of a cell, the human body systems, the states and changes of matter, the concepts of force and energy, and the order of the planets. These themes show up reliably and give you the best return for your study effort.

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