Prepare for the MTEL General Science certification exam with these practice test questions. This covers biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and scientific inquiry.
Q: O (Oxygen)
Answer: Which one of the following atoms is not stable as a single atom or ion in biological tissues? (Hint: It forms a free radical)Cl, O, H, Na
Q: It goes up
Answer: If air has a relative humidity of eighty percent (80%), and the temperature goes down, what happens to the relative humidity?
Q: C.) The fluid will absorb heat from the surroundings when it vaporizes, so the vaporization must take place inside to provide cooling. Condensing fluid will give off its latent heat of fusion to the surroundings, so the condensation must take place outside, where waste heat can be given off.
Answer: A refrigeration type air conditioning system uses a working fluid which can be vaporized in one part of the system and condensed in another part of the system. Which type of phase change must take place inside, in the space to be cooled, and which must take place outside, where waste heat can be released?A.) Condensation both inside and outside.B.) Condensation inside and evaporation outside.C.)Vaporization inside and condensation outside.D.) Vaporization both inside and outside.
Q: Yellow Dwarf Star
Answer: What type of star is our sun?
Q: C.) A mole of anything (electrons, sugar, cars, etc.) is 6.02 X 10^23 parts of that thing. That number or Avogadro’s number defines one mole of anything. In practical terms it is useful to know the moles of something in order to make solutions of a particular molarity/molality.
Answer: What is identical between a mole of the amino acid valine and a mole of sucrose?A.) MassB.) VolumeC.) Number of moleculesD.) Taste
Q: Hardy-Weinburg Principle
Answer: The idea of a genetic equilibrium is a basic principle in population genetics, and provides a baseline for measuring genetic change in a system. By measuring deviations from that ideal, questions can be answered about the population. A perfect Hardy-Weinburg equilibrium is unlikely to occur outside of a lab experiment, because one or more of those influences are always in effect within nature.
Q: B.) The number of individuals of a species per unit of area or volume.
Answer: How is Population Density measured?A.) All of the species per unit of area or volume.B.) The number of individuals of a species per unit of area or volume.C.) All individuals of a species on the planet.D.) The number of species living today.
Q: D.) Potassium- Metallic elements usually form cations, while non-metallic elements usually form anions. The main exceptions are hydrogen, hydronium, and ammonium. Carbon does not form ionic species under normal circumstances.
Answer: Which of the following is most inclined to become a cation rather than anion?A.) Chlorine.B.) Sulfur.C.) Carbon.D.) Potassium.
Q: D.) Kinetic friction is independent of the sliding velocity. So irrespective of the speed at which an object is made to slide over a surface the force of friction acting in the opposite direction remains the same.
Answer: How does kinetic friction change with the sliding velocity?A.) Increases till the critical velocity is reached and then decreasesB.) DecreasesC.) IncreasesD.) Does not change
Q: A.) The wave’s amplitude – As a result of reflection, the frequency does not change. The incident and reflected wave travel in the same medium, so the velocity has the same magnitude (but different direction). Since frequency and velocity are the same, the wavelength also remains the same. A reflecting surface does not have a 100% coefficient of reflection. That leads to the reflected light beam having a lower amplitude than the incident beam.
Answer: Which of the following undergoes change when a wave is reflected from a bedroom mirror?A.) The wave’s amplitude.B.) The wave’s frequency.C.) The wave’s length.D.) The wave’s speed.
Q: C.) Flourine – Only fluorine and iodine are non-metals, and of the two, fluorine is the most active because it has only two electron energy shells and is missing only one valence electron. Fluorine removes electrons from almost any substance that it contacts.
Answer: Which of the following is the most chemically-active non-metal?A.) Sodium.B.) Francium.C.) Fluorine.D.) Iodine.
Q: B.) Venus is considered a terrestrial planet because it is small, and has a hard surface.The other three planets are much closer to Jupiter in size and gas make-up. They are Jovian planets.
Answer: All planets are classified into two main groups. The terrestrial planets and the Jovian planets. Which planet cannot be considered a Jovian planet ?A.) Neptune.B.) Venus.C.) Uranus.D.) Saturn.
Q: B.) Higher salinity means that water in the Great Salt Lake is more dense, and would make people more buoyant, not less buoyant. People will float more easily.
Answer: Normal sea water has a salt content of about 3.5 % by mass, and the Great Salt Lake has a salt content of up to 18%. What is not explained by this great difference in salinity?A.) There is very little sea life in the Great Salt Lake.B.) The buoyancy of floating objects is less in the Great Salt Lake.C.) Salt sometimes crystallizes out of the water in the Great Salt Lake.D.) Water in the ocean freezes at a higher temperature than water in the Great Salt Lake.
Q: A.) James Hutton is best known for expanding our notion about the absolute age of the Earth.By observing geological formations, he found evidence supporting that the Earth was much older than had been previously believed.
Answer: Your lesson plan requires you to prepare a report on James Hutton. What is the basis of his fame?A.)He expanded our notion about the age of the Earth.B.) He discovered the neutron.C.) He developed a way to successfully clone sheep.D.) He found the first neutron star.
Q: B.) The intestines have their own nervous system that aids in peristalsis and the forward movement of digested material. This system is known as the enteric nervous system and can function separately from the brain, spinal cord and even the autonomic nervous system.
Answer: If the intestines were to be separated from the autonomic nervous system, actions like peristalsis could still take place because the intestines have their own nervous system. What is it called?A.) ParasympatheticB.) EntericC.) SympatheticD.) Peripheral
Q: A.) The productivity of the open ocean suffers continuously due to the animal and plant remains always sinking below the sunlit layer of water where photosynthesis can occur. Coral reefs are among the most productive ecosystems. They are very efficient at extracting nutrients from the water and recycling them; and are close enough to the surface of the water to receive adequate sunlight. Coral reefs often exist in nutrient poor areas.
Answer: The productivity in a coral reef is higher than that of the open ocean because the coral reef has more of which of the following?A.) Sunlight.B.) Nutrients.C.) Water.D.) Heat.
Q: B.) A hurricane occurs over water and is larger and slower than a tornado.
Answer: What is the difference between a hurricane and a tornado?I. A hurricanes occurs on water, while a tornado occurs on land.II. A hurricanes is bigger than a tornado.III. A hurricane is faster than a tornado.A.) I only.B.) I and II only.C.) II and III only.D.) I, II, and III.
Q: B.) Supernova are thought to produce every element heavier than carbon. That means that any element found on Earth heavier than carbon is thought to have been produced in a previous supernova explosion.
Answer: Normal stars produce heavier elements by fusing atoms together, but elements heavier than carbon cannot be produced in a normal star. What process is thought to produce all the elements that are heavier than carbon?A.) Magnetron stars.B.) Supernova.C.) Pulsars.D.) White dwarf stars.
Q: A.) The current estimate is that there are between 150-200 billion stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. It is also estimated that there are about 100 billion galaxies.
Answer: By current estimates, approximately how many stars are there in the Milky Way Galaxy?A.) 180 billion stars.B.) 180 million stars.C.) 180 trillion stars.D.) 180 thousand stars.
Q: B.) There are two (2) types of translocation: Reciprocal and Robertsonian. Reciprocal translocation is usually an exchange of material between nonhomologous chromosomes.
Answer: A chromosome abnormality caused by the rearrangement of parts between non-homologous chromosomes is known as which of the following?A.) Transduction.B.) Translocation.C.) Tran subjugation.D.) Transferism.
Q: C.) To help create an era of personalized medicine.
Answer: Why is it important to map the human genome ?A.) You can identify which genes are better.B.) Medical science can use the information to create new antibiotics.C.) To help create an era of personalized medicine.D.) To create better babies.
Q: A.) The last three answer choices indeed represent properties of a base. Acids rather than bases however, corrode active metals.
Answer: Which of the following is not a base property?A.) It corrodes active metals.B.) It will react with an acid.C.) Its pH in solution is above 7.0.D.) It generates [OH-] in solution.
Q: B.) Metamorphic means “change in form”. Metamorphic rock is another type of rock that has been subjected to high temperature and pressure, and that has been chemically transformed into a new rock type.
Answer: Metamorphic rocks are formed by which of the following processes?A.) Hot lava is extruded from a volcano.B.) Other types of rock are subjected to high temperature and pressure.C.) Sediment aggregates and changes form.D.) Biological activity.
Q: C.) Fusion is a reaction that combines two nuclei to form a new particle. Fusion reactions occur on the sun where hydrogen nuclei combine to form Helium. Fission is the opposite of fusion; it is the splitting of a nucleus into two new elements. A fusion reaction produces more energy than a fission reaction. The first atom bomb was a fission reaction. In a nuclear reactor a fission reaction is controlled. Controlled fusion reactions have not been produced on earth.
Answer: What do you call the nuclear reaction that results from the addition of hydrogen nuclei?A.) FissionB.) Electron captureC.) FusionD.)Alpha decay
Q: D.) A cDNA library contains complementary DNA (cDNA) that has been formed from mature mRNA. That means that all of the introns have been spliced out but the Poly-A tail and exons remain.
Answer: Which of the following would be contained in a cDNA from a mRNA?A.) IntronsB.) ExonsC.) Poly-A tailD.) Both B and C
Q: B.) Alexander Fleming accidentally discovered a mold colony that had contaminated his bacteria plate. The mold was inhibiting the growth of the bacteria, and said discovery led to modern-day antibiotics.
Answer: Who discovered that a bread mold known as penicillin could inhibit bacteria growth?A.) Pasteur.B.) Fleming.C.) Jenner.D.) Spalanzani.
Q: D.) The Mendeleev Period Table of Elements is a direct result of Mendeleev’s work. Recognizing common relationships between elements, he was the first to organize them by their atomic weight and valence.
Answer: What is Dmitri Mendeleev’s fame based on?A.) Genetics.B.) Chemical dot diagrams.C.)The number of atoms in a mole.D.) Establishing relationships between different elements.
Q: A.) An increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere may cause greenhouse gas effects. Those effects could increase the average atmospheric temperature, melt more ice, and cause the average ocean level to rise.
Answer: According to scientists, concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are increasing every year due to man’s activities. One possible effect of this might be which of the following?A.) Rising water levels in the Earth’s oceans.B.) An average decrease in the Earth’s atmospheric temperature.C.) Cooler average ocean temperatures in the Gulf Stream currents.D.) A huge decrease in average plant growth.
Q: A.) The Alkali Metals in Group I all react with water by bursting into flame producing an hydroxide and hydrogen gas. While sodium is well known for doing this, potassium is also a correct answer. This can be a dangerous reaction.
Answer: Which of the following elements reacts violently with water?A.) PotassiumB.) IronC.) MercuryD.) Chlorine
Q: B.) Aristotle is considered to be the first person in history to devise methods for trying to arrive at reliable knowledge based on observation. He is without a doubt one of history’s most original thinkers.
Answer: Which individual can be considered the first person in history known for devising methods of trying to arrive at reliable knowledge based on observation?A.) Roger Bacon.B.) Aristotle.C.) Galileo.D.) Descarte.
Q: B.) The soil’s capacity to hold water is greatly influenced by the size of the soil particles. Some of the water that falls on the soil will drain away due to gravity, taking some of the dissolved nutrients with it. The water that remains, along with the dissolved minerals that it contains, is taken up by the plant root system.
Answer: Which of the following dissolves the minerals in soil and carries them into the root system?A.) Oxygen.B.) Water.C.) Organic matter.D.) Living organisms.
Q: B.) Volume – When the sphere is heated the diameter, volume and surface area increase. Since the mass is unchanged the density decreases. The percentage change in volume in the largest as the coefficient of volume expansion is greater than the coefficient of linear expansion and area expansion.
Answer: When a large solid metallic sphere is heated slowly, the largest percentage increase occurs in itsA.) diameterB.) volumeC.) surface areaD.) density
Q: B.) The torque applied is proportional to the length of the arm.
Answer: It is easier to twist a very tight screw using a wrench that has a long lever arm because of which of the following?A.) The force is proportional to the length of the arm.B.) The torque applied is proportional to the length of the arm.C.) The screws are designed in a way that makes the wrench fit properly.D.) The user does not have to come close to the screw.
Q: B.) Acidity is a measure of hydrogen ions. pH is actually an inverse logarithmic scale which means that as the concentration of hydrogen ions increases, the pH decreases, and the solution becomes more acidic. A pH of seven (7) is considered neutral. The sample solution has a pH of 10.2 which is fairly basic; and the opposite of acidic, which means that it contains relatively few hydrogen ions compared to neutral and certainly acidic solutions. Biologists use buffers to keep pH within certain ranges.
Answer: A student places a pH probe in solution and it shows a pH of 10.2. What can be said of that solution?A.) That it is neutral.B.) That it is basic.C.) That it is acidic.D.) That it is a buffer.
Q: D.) With an exothermic reaction, heat (thermal energy) is given off, and the chemical energy content of the product(s) is less than that of the reactants, so chemical energy is converted to thermal energy.
Answer: When an exothermic chemical reaction occurs, energy is converted from one form to another. Which one of the following accurately describes that energy type of conversion?A.) Internal energy is converted to enthalpy.B.) Enthalpy is converted to internal energy.C.) Kinetic energy is converted to thermal energy.D.) Chemical energy is converted to thermal energy.
Q: D.) An alkane is a simple saturated hydrocarbon chain. An alkene is a hydrocarbon chain containing a double bond. Following that trend, an alkyne is a hydrocarbon chain containing a triple bond, and does not require any of the others listed.
Answer: Which of the following is a necessary characteristic of an alkyne?A.) An oxygen atom.B.) Two double bonds.C.) A nitrogen atom.D.) A triple bond.
Q: B.) Many plants have roots modified as mycorrhizae, the symbiotic association between roots and fungi, helping the plant by enhancing mineral nutrition, water absorption, and pathogen resistance. The fungus either forms a sheath around the root, or penetrates the root tissue, thereby greatly increasing the surface area of the root through outward extensions of the hypha. The earliest land plants had mycorrhizae.
Answer: What are mycorrhizae?A.) Root hairs resembling fungi.B.) The symbiotic relationship between roots and fungi.C.) Nitrogen-fixing bacteria containing nodules on legume roots.D.) Plants that use other plants as a substratum, but do not take nutrients from them.
Q: B.) Temperate forests support large, broad-leaved, deciduous trees that show seasonal patterns of leaf drop and regrowth. Taiga supports dense coniferous or boreal forests. Soil quality, precipitation, and latitude are not main features of temperate forest and taiga distinction.
Answer: A characteristic difference between temperate forests and taiga is which of the following?A.) The type of dominant tree species.B.) Soil quality.C.) The amount of precipitation.D.) Latitude.
Q: D.) By cloning organs, we can conceivably prolong life because a cloned organ will not result in rejection problems.
Answer: Cloning is a good way of conducting which of the following?A.) Prenatal testing.B.) Helping people with multiple birth issues.C.) Helping people with genetics selection for their children.D.) Prolonging life.
Q: C.) Farad
Answer: The SI unit of capacitance is which of the following?A.) Coulomb.B.) Henry.C.) Farad.D.) Volt.
Q: C.) The exosphere is the last layer in the Earth’s atmosphere. It stretches between 400 and 6000 miles from the Earth, and is the beginning of outer space.
Answer: Where within the Earth’s atmosphere is the exosphere located?A.) In its first layer.B.) Between the statosphere and the troposphere.C.) The last layer.D.) The exosphere is not an atmospheric layer.