General Science Asvab

How long does it take for Earth to make one revolution around the sun? a. one year b. one month c. one weeks d. one day

a. one year

The basic unit of life is a. the cell b. DNA c. the carbon molecule d. oxygen

a. the cell Although DNA, carbon and oxygen are important to life, the basic unit of life is the cell.

Why are decomposers important to an ecosystem? a. they make nutrients available for plants to use. b. they create soil for farming c. they stabilize the soil d. they enhance the habitat with specialized particles important to life.

a. they make nutrients available for plants to use Decomposers break down tissue and release nutrients and carbon dioxide into the ecosystem.

When two tectonic plates converge and one rises above the other, which of the following are likely to form? a. volcanoes b. hotspots c. tsunamis d. rifts

a. volcanoes A rift is a valley in the ocean floor formed by tectonic plates that are separating. A tsunami is a wall of water that can overwhelm a shoreline. It is created when an earthquake creates an ocean wave. Hot spots are undersea fissures that are spouting magma from the sea floor. When two tectonic plates converge and one rises above the other, it is common to find areas that experience earthquakes and volcanic activities.

Which of the following do not have organelles? a. Muscle cells b. Protozoa c. Nerve cells d. Bacteria

d. Bacteria Muscle cells and nerve cells all have organelles. Protozoa, which are one-celled organisms, also have organelles. Bacteria do not.

Which of the following states is likely to have the greatest biodiversity? a. north dakota b. illinois c. nebraska d. florida

d. Florida Biodiversity tends to increase with warmer climate. Florida is the warmest state of those listed.

Which of the following properties of a sound wave affects how loud or soft the sound is? a. crest b. trough c. frequency d. amplitude

d. amplitude The amplitude of a sound wave is responsible for the loudness of the sound.

The major force causing sea-floor spreading, continental drift, and the collision of continental plates is a. subduction of Earth's core b. creation of oceanic ridges c. compression of continents d. convection currents in the mantle

d. convection currents in the mantle Subduction is a downward force or movement that is a result of sea-floor spreading, not the cause. The same can be said for creation of the ridges and for the compression of continents. They are both results, not causes. All these features are produced by the convection currents in the mantle, which cause the uprising and subduction of the crust.

When a plant undergoes photosynthesis, one of the by-products is a. carbon dioxide b. light c. ozone d. oxygen

d. oxygen During the process of photosynthesis, a plant uses carbon dioxide and water. Through the interaction of chlorophyll and light, glucose (sugar) and oxygen are created. Carbon dioxide is is not a by-product of photosynthesis, but rather raw material used by the plant, and light acts to initiate the process of photosynthesis as it interacts with chlorophyll. Ozone is found high in the atmosphere and is not created by plants.

The function that moves food from one part of the digestive system to another is called a. respiration b. digestion c. mechanical decomposition d. peristalsis

d. peristalsis Peristalsis is the muscular contraction of the digestive system that moves food from one part of the system to the next.

Which of the following is not an example of a fruit? a. raspberries b. sunflower seeds c. corn d. potato

d. potato A fruit is a ripened ovary or group of ovaries containing seeds. When the ovary is fertilized, the seeds develop and the ovary enlarges, forming the fruit. A potato does not contain or form seeds.

An eclipse of the sun occurs under which of the following conditions? a. earth is between the sun and the moon b. earth is rotation faster than the moon c. earth, the sun, and the moon are perpendicular to each other d. the moon is between the sun and the earth

d. the moon is between the sun and the earth A solar eclipse is created when the moon blocks the light from the sun from reaching Earth by casting a shadow on Earth's surface. In order for a solar eclipse to occur, the moon has to be between the sun and Earth.

Which of the following is the part of the skeletal system that protects the spinal cord? a. marrow b. cartilage c. ligaments d. vertebrae

d. vertebrae Marrow is the soft tissue within the bone and does not protect the spinal cord. Cartilage is a smooth, slippery covering on the ends of bones that acts as a shock absorber. It's purpose is not to protect the spinal cord. Ligaments are one of the ways in which bones are joined and move together. They do not protect the spinal cord. The vertebrae, found in your back do indeed protect the spinal cord.

Which of the following can hold the most moisture? a. cold air b. moving air c. stable air d. warm air

d. warm air Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air.

Breaking waves or breakers that occur near the shoreline are caused by which of the following conditions? a. Earthquakes that occur far out in the ocean b. Friction between the wave trough and the ocean bottom c. the expansion of the wavelength of the wave d. increasing tidal forces

b. Friction between the wave trough and the ocean bottom When a wave is created in the ocean by persistent surface winds, the wave moves in direction of the winds. When that wave approaches land, it moves through shallow water and the trough of the wave starts to scrape the ocean bottom. The craping causes friction and that makes the trough of the wave move more slowly than the crest of the wave. Eventually, the crest just topples over, creating a breaker.

Earths greenhouse effect is caused by which of the following conditions? a. Changing rainfall patterns from the global warming b. Heat from the sun that is trapped by atmospheric gases c. The increase in the thickness of the ozone layer d. The number of plants in tropical rain forests trapping CO2

b. Heat from the sun that is trapped by atmospheric gases When solar radiation reaches Earth's atmosphere, the radiation is either reflected, absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, or trapped by the atmosphere, it cause the atmosphere and Earth's surface to heat up.

Why is the nucleus so important to a living cell? a. It controls the production and elimination of cell waste. b. It controls most of the activities of the cell. c. It controls photosynthesis. d. It uses oxygen to make carbon dioxide.

b. It controls most of the activities of the cell The nucleus is important because it controls most of the activities of the cell.

Which of the following best represents what happens to ultraviolet radiation from the sun when it reaches Earths atmosphere? a. It changes into chloroflurocarbons. b. Some of it is absorbed by the ozone layer c. All of it reaches Earth's surface d. It is deflected back into space.

b. Some of it is absorbed by the ozone layer Ultraviolet light is absorbed, at least in part, by the ozone layer in the atmosphere. Some of it passes through to Earth's surface. With the thinning of the ozone layer as a result of the introduction of chlorofluorocarbons into the atmosphere, more possibly damaging effects on humans.

A bruise on your skin is the result of which of the following? a. excess strain on the muscle b. broken capillaries c. overactive sweat glands d. swelling

b. broken capillaries Bruising is caused by some traumatic event that breaks the capillaries.

When a prevailing wind reaches a mountain range, what happens to the air? a. It is blocked and starts to move backward. b. it rises and cools, causing condensation c. It expands and heats, resulting in rain. d. It expands and heats, resulting in a dry, desert-like area.

b. it rises and cools, causing condensation When a prevailing wind containing moisture reaches a mountain range, it rises and cools, causing condensation in the form of rain or snow. The side of the mountain range on which this happens is called the windward side. Much of the moisture in the air is deposited on the windward side of a mountain range. When the air reaches the tops of the mountains, it starts to spill down the other side. As it descends, it heats up. The side of the mountain range on which this happens is called the leeward side. Often you will find deserts on the leeward side of a mountain range. The climate is definitely drier on the leeward side.

Which of the following is the name for the space between two nerve cells where an electric charge transmits information? a. nerve cell gap b. synapse c. axon d. dendrite

b. synapse Dendrites and axons are parts of the nerve cell. The nerve cell gap is not correct because it's not related to the nervous system. The space between two nerve cells when an electric charge transmits information is called a synapse.

Scientists believe that the universe is expanding because of which of the following indicators? a. the difference in time it takes for light from various starts to reach us. b. the red shift in the spectra of stars c. the difference in chemical composition of various stars d. the explosion of supernovas

b. the red shift in the spectra of stars When objects move away from a viewer, the light waves they produce lengthen, shifting towards the end of the spectrum. Scientist have observed that light from distant stars shifts toward the red end of the spectrum. This supports the conclusion that the universe is expanding.

Which of the following terms can be used to describe a bird? a. Invertebrate, omnivore b. Vertebrate, warm-blooded c. exoskeleton, cold-blooded d. crustacean, endoskeleton

b. vertebrate, warm-blooded Birds are vertebrates that are warm-blooded.

Which of the following words are all associated with the nervous system? a. nephrons, urethra, bladder b. antigens, T cells, cilia c. Hypothalmus, pons, cortex d. Lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils

c. hypothalmus, The hypothalmus, pons, and cortex are all parts of the brain and thus of the nervous system. Nephrons, urethra, and bladder are part of the excretory system. Antigens, T Cells , and cilia are all part of the immune system. Lymph nodes, spleen, and tonsils are part of the lymphatic system.

The process of erosion is linked to the formation of which following types of rocks? a. igneous b. extrusive c. sedimentary d. metamorphic

c. sedimentary Igneous rocks are formed from molten material that eventually cools. Extrusive rocks are ingenuous rocks that have formed on or above Earths surface. Metamorphic rocks are created by high temperature and pressure. Sedimentary rocks are formed by rock that has been broken up into pieces and cemented together. The pieces can be somewhat large, as in a conglomerate, or small, such as in shale or limestone.