The trap with General Science is studying one subject deeply while the test samples all of them lightly. Work the six problems below - they deliberately span the full range. Pick an answer first, then open the solution.
Q1Life science: blood
- A. White blood cells
- B. Red blood cells
- C. Platelets
- D. Plasma
Show the solution
Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that binds oxygen in the lungs and releases it in the tissues.
Answer: B. Red blood cells
Keep the other three straight, because the test loves to swap them: white cells fight infection, platelets clot, and plasma is the liquid that carries everything else.
Q2Earth science: Earth's layers
- A. Inner core
- B. Outer core
- C. Mantle
- D. Magma chamber
Show the solution
From the surface inward, the order is: crust, mantle, outer core, inner core. The mantle is the thick rocky layer immediately under the crust and makes up most of Earth's volume.
Answer: C. Mantle
A one-line memory hook: "Crust, Mantle, Outer, Inner" - surface to center. Layer-order questions appear constantly in earth science.
Q3Physics: work
- A. 4 joules
- B. 25 joules
- C. 100 joules
- D. 200 joules
Show the solution
Work equals force times distance when the force points along the motion:
W = F × d = 20 N × 5 m = 100 J
Answer: C. 100 joules
Choice A (4) is what you get by dividing instead of multiplying - a classic wrong-operation trap. If the units are newtons and meters, the answer in joules comes from multiplying.
Q4Chemistry: pH
- A. Strongly basic
- B. Weakly basic
- C. Neutral
- D. Acidic
Show the solution
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral (pure water), values below 7 are acidic, and values above 7 are basic. A pH of 3 is well below 7.
Answer: D. Acidic
Anchor the scale with examples: lemon juice is around 2 (acid), water is 7 (neutral), household ammonia is around 11 (base). Concrete anchors recall faster than the bare rule.
Q5Life science: anatomy
- A. Liver
- B. Pancreas
- C. Kidney
- D. Spleen
Show the solution
The pancreas produces insulin, which signals cells to absorb glucose from the blood. When the pancreas can't produce or use insulin properly, the result is diabetes.
Answer: B. Pancreas
The liver is the test's favorite wrong answer here because it also helps manage blood sugar - it stores glucose - but it doesn't make insulin. Read "produces" carefully.
Q6Space science: the Moon
- A. Earth's shadow falling on the Moon
- B. Clouds blocking part of the Moon
- C. The changing positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun
- D. The Moon rotating on its axis
Show the solution
Half of the Moon is always lit by the Sun. As the Moon orbits Earth, we see different amounts of that lit half depending on where the Moon is relative to the Earth and Sun - that's what creates the phases.
Answer: C. The changing positions of the Moon, Earth and Sun
Choice A describes a lunar eclipse, not phases - the single most common misconception in space science, which is exactly why the test offers it as a choice.
How to prepare for a broad, shallow section
Notice the spread: blood, rock layers, a physics formula, the pH scale, an organ, and the Moon. No single question was hard, but they came from six different corners of science. That's General Science in a nutshell - the recruit who reviews fundamentals across all three areas beats the one who studied a single subject deeply. Build breadth with practice questions, note every fact you miss, and review those misses until they're automatic.
Ready for a full-length practice set?
These six are a taste. Our downloadable ASVAB practice pack gives you a full timed exam with worked explanations for every question - start with the free sample, then grab the complete pack when you're ready.
Prefer the complete set? The full ASVAB practice tests covering all nine subtests are on Udemy with 300 practice questions and visuals.