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Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Science (GS) Syllabus

The General Science (GS) syllabus for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) in full: 4 chapters, 14 topics and 47 sub-topics, every one listed below, plus 51 General Science (GS) flashcards with answers.

4Chapters

14Topics

47Sub-topics

51Flashcards

General Science (GS) syllabus: all 4 chapters

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics.

Life Science and Biology
4 topics
- Cell Biology and Microscopy
  - Prokaryotic vs. eukaryotic cells
  - Organelles and their functions
  - Cell membrane and transport (osmosis, diffusion)
  - Mitosis and meiosis
- Genetics and Heredity
  - DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis
  - Mendelian inheritance and Punnett squares
  - Dominant and recessive traits
  - Mutations and genetic disorders
- Human Body Systems
  - Skeletal and muscular systems
  - Circulatory and respiratory systems
  - Digestive and excretory systems
  - Nervous and endocrine systems
- Ecology and Classification
  - Food chains, food webs, and energy flow
  - Biomes and ecosystems
  - Taxonomy and the five/six kingdoms
  - Photosynthesis and cellular respiration
Earth and Space Science
3 topics
- Geology and Earth Structure
  - Earth's layers (crust, mantle, core)
  - Rock cycle and types of rocks
  - Plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes
  - Erosion and weathering
- Meteorology and Weather
  - Atmosphere layers and composition
  - Weather fronts and cloud types
  - Water cycle and precipitation
- Astronomy and the Solar System
  - Planets, moons, and the Sun
  - Phases of the Moon, eclipses, and tides
  - Stars, galaxies, and the universe
Chemistry
3 topics
- Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table
  - Protons, neutrons, and electrons
  - Elements, atomic number, and mass
  - Periodic table groups and periods
- Matter and Its Properties
  - States of matter and phase changes
  - Physical vs. chemical properties
  - Mixtures, compounds, and solutions
- Chemical Reactions and Bonding
  - Ionic and covalent bonds
  - Acids, bases, and the pH scale
  - Conservation of mass and balancing
Basic Physics
4 topics
- Forces and Motion
  - Newton's laws of motion
  - Speed, velocity, and acceleration
  - Gravity and friction
- Energy and Work
  - Kinetic and potential energy
  - Work, power, and conservation of energy
  - Heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation)
- Waves, Sound, and Light
  - Wave properties (frequency, wavelength, amplitude)
  - Sound and the electromagnetic spectrum
  - Reflection and refraction
- Electricity and Magnetism
  - Static and current electricity
  - Conductors and insulators
  - Magnets and electromagnetism

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Science (GS) flashcards — 51 questions with answers

What is the basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms?
The cell. All living things are made of one or more cells, which are the smallest units capable of carrying out life processes.
What is the key structural difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?
Prokaryotic cells (e.g., bacteria) lack a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles; eukaryotic cells (plants, animals, fungi, protists) have a true nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
Which organelle is called the 'powerhouse of the cell' and why?
The mitochondrion, because it carries out cellular respiration to produce ATP (energy) for the cell.
What two structures do plant cells have that animal cells lack?
A rigid cell wall (made of cellulose) and chloroplasts (which contain chlorophyll for photosynthesis).
What is the function of a compound light microscope's objective and ocular (eyepiece) lenses, and how is total magnification calculated?
Both lenses magnify the specimen. Total magnification = objective lens power x ocular lens power (e.g., 40x objective x 10x eyepiece = 400x).
What molecule carries genetic information, and what are its four nitrogenous bases?
DNA carries genetic information. Its four bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C); A pairs with T, and G pairs with C.
In genetics, what is the difference between a dominant and a recessive allele?
A dominant allele is expressed even when only one copy is present; a recessive allele is expressed only when two copies are present (no dominant allele masks it).
What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?
Genotype is the genetic makeup (allele combination, e.g., Bb); phenotype is the observable physical trait that results (e.g., brown eyes).
In a cross between two heterozygous parents (Bb x Bb), what is the expected phenotypic ratio?
3:1 (three dominant phenotype to one recessive). The genotypic ratio is 1 BB : 2 Bb : 1 bb.
How many pairs of chromosomes do humans have, and which pair determines biological sex?
23 pairs (46 total chromosomes). The 23rd pair determines sex: XX is female, XY is male.
What are the main functions of the human circulatory (cardiovascular) system?
To transport oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and wastes throughout the body via the heart, blood, and blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries).
What is the role of the respiratory system, and where does gas exchange occur?
It brings oxygen in and removes carbon dioxide. Gas exchange occurs in the alveoli (tiny air sacs) of the lungs.
Which body system includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, and what does it do?
The nervous system. It senses stimuli, processes information, and controls/coordinates body responses.
What is the largest organ of the human body, and what system does it belong to?
The skin, which belongs to the integumentary system. It protects against injury and infection, regulates temperature, and prevents water loss.
What is the function of the digestive system, and where does most nutrient absorption occur?
It breaks down food into nutrients the body can absorb. Most nutrient absorption occurs in the small intestine.
In ecology, what is the difference between a producer, a consumer, and a decomposer?
Producers (plants/algae) make their own food via photosynthesis; consumers eat other organisms; decomposers (bacteria/fungi) break down dead matter, recycling nutrients.
What are the levels of ecological organization from smallest to largest?
Organism, population, community, ecosystem, biome, biosphere.
List the levels of taxonomic classification from broadest to most specific.
Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species.
What is binomial nomenclature, and how is a species name written?
A two-name naming system using Genus and species. The genus is capitalized, the species lowercase, and both are italicized (e.g., Homo sapiens).
What are the three main layers of the Earth from outside to inside?
The crust (thin outer layer), the mantle (thick middle layer of semi-molten rock), and the core (outer liquid core and inner solid core, mostly iron and nickel).

Show the other 31 General Science (GS) flashcards

What are the three main types of rock and how does each form?
Igneous (from cooled magma/lava), sedimentary (from compacted/cemented sediments), and metamorphic (from existing rock changed by heat and pressure).
What is the theory of plate tectonics?
Earth's lithosphere is broken into large plates that move over the mantle, causing earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, and continental drift at their boundaries.
What scale measures the magnitude (energy) of earthquakes, and what tool records them?
The Richter scale (and the moment magnitude scale) measures earthquake magnitude; a seismograph records the seismic waves.
What are the four main layers of Earth's atmosphere from the ground up?
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. Weather occurs in the troposphere; the ozone layer is in the stratosphere.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is the short-term state of the atmosphere at a place (temperature, precipitation, etc.); climate is the long-term average weather pattern of a region over many years.
What is the water cycle, and what are its main processes?
The continuous movement of water through evaporation (liquid to vapor), condensation (vapor to clouds), precipitation (rain/snow), and collection/runoff.
What is the difference between a warm front and a cold front?
A warm front occurs when warm air advances over cold air, bringing gradual, steady precipitation; a cold front occurs when cold air pushes under warm air, bringing brief, intense storms.
List the eight planets of the solar system in order from the Sun.
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
What is the difference between the terrestrial planets and the gas giants?
Terrestrial (inner) planets—Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars—are small, rocky, and dense. Gas giants (outer) planets—Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune—are large and made mostly of gases.
What causes Earth's seasons?
The tilt of Earth's axis (about 23.5 degrees) as it orbits the Sun, which changes the angle and duration of sunlight different hemispheres receive.
What is the difference between rotation and revolution for a planet?
Rotation is the spin on its own axis (Earth: ~24 hours, causing day and night); revolution is the orbit around the Sun (Earth: ~365 days, one year).
What are the three main subatomic particles, their charges, and locations?
Protons (positive) and neutrons (neutral) are in the nucleus; electrons (negative) orbit the nucleus in shells/clouds.
What does an element's atomic number represent versus its mass number?
Atomic number = number of protons (defines the element). Mass number = protons + neutrons.
What is an isotope?
Atoms of the same element (same number of protons) that have different numbers of neutrons, giving them different mass numbers.
How is the periodic table organized into periods and groups?
Periods are horizontal rows (same number of electron shells); groups are vertical columns (same number of valence electrons and similar chemical properties).
What are the three classic states of matter and how do their particles behave?
Solid (particles tightly packed, fixed shape and volume), liquid (particles loosely packed, fixed volume but takes container shape), and gas (particles far apart, fills container).
What is the difference between a physical change and a chemical change?
A physical change alters form or appearance but not chemical identity (e.g., melting ice); a chemical change produces a new substance (e.g., burning wood).
What is the difference between an element, a compound, and a mixture?
An element is one type of atom; a compound is two or more elements chemically bonded in fixed ratios; a mixture is substances physically combined and separable, not chemically bonded.
How is density calculated, and what does it tell you?
Density = mass / volume (e.g., g/cm3). It measures how much mass is packed into a given volume; objects less dense than a fluid float in it.
What is the difference between an ionic bond and a covalent bond?
An ionic bond transfers electrons between a metal and nonmetal (forming charged ions); a covalent bond shares electrons between nonmetals.
What does the law of conservation of mass state?
Matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction; the total mass of the reactants equals the total mass of the products.
On the pH scale, what values indicate acids, bases, and neutral substances?
The pH scale runs 0-14: below 7 is acidic, exactly 7 is neutral (e.g., pure water), and above 7 is basic (alkaline).
State Newton's three laws of motion.
1) An object stays at rest or in motion unless acted on by a net force (inertia). 2) Force = mass x acceleration (F=ma). 3) For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
What is the difference between speed, velocity, and acceleration?
Speed is distance over time (scalar); velocity is speed with direction (vector); acceleration is the rate of change of velocity over time.
What is the formula for the force of gravity (weight) on an object near Earth's surface?
Weight = mass x gravitational acceleration (W = mg), where g is about 9.8 m/s^2. Mass stays constant, but weight changes with gravity.
What is the formula for work, and what is its SI unit?
Work = force x distance (W = F x d), measured in joules (J). Work is done only when a force moves an object in the direction of the force.
What is the difference between potential energy and kinetic energy?
Potential energy is stored energy due to position or condition (e.g., a raised object); kinetic energy is the energy of motion. KE = 1/2 x m x v^2.
What is the relationship among the speed, frequency, and wavelength of a wave?
Wave speed = frequency x wavelength (v = f x lambda). For a given speed, higher frequency means shorter wavelength.
How does sound travel, and in which medium does it move fastest?
Sound travels as a longitudinal (compression) wave that needs a medium; it cannot travel in a vacuum. It moves fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.
What is the difference between a conductor and an insulator in electricity?
A conductor (e.g., copper, metals) allows electric current to flow easily; an insulator (e.g., rubber, glass) resists the flow of current.
State Ohm's law and identify each variable.
V = I x R, where V is voltage (volts), I is current (amps), and R is resistance (ohms). Voltage equals current times resistance.

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Science (GS) FAQ

What is in the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Science (GS) syllabus?

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Science (GS) is split into 4 chapters: Life Science and Biology, Earth and Space Science, Chemistry and Basic Physics. Together they contain 14 topics and 47 sub-topics.

How many chapters are in Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Science (GS)?

4 chapters, containing 14 topics and 47 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Life Science and Biology, with 4 topics.

Are there flashcards for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) General Science (GS)?

Yes — a 51-card General Science (GS) deck, printed in full in the flashcards section of this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.