Comprehensive preparation for the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
Knowledge of physical and biological sciences
Earth science encompasses the study of Earth's systems, including geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. Key concepts include:
Life science is the study of living organisms and their interactions with each other and their environments. Key concepts include:
Physical science is the study of non-living systems, including physics and chemistry. Key concepts include:
Question: Why do earthquakes frequently occur along the Pacific Ring of Fire?
Solution: The Pacific Ring of Fire is a region around the Pacific Ocean where many tectonic plates meet. When these plates interact—either by converging (pushing together), diverging (pulling apart), or transforming (sliding past each other)—they create stress and pressure. When this stress is suddenly released, it causes the ground to shake, resulting in an earthquake. The Ring of Fire experiences about 90% of the world's earthquakes because it contains numerous active plate boundaries.
Question: If a red blood cell is placed in a hypotonic solution (where the concentration of solutes is lower outside the cell than inside), what will happen to the cell?
Solution: In a hypotonic solution, water will move from an area of lower solute concentration (outside the cell) to an area of higher solute concentration (inside the cell) through the process of osmosis. This influx of water will cause the red blood cell to swell and potentially burst (lyse) since red blood cells don't have cell walls to prevent excessive expansion.
Question: A 2 kg object experiences a net force of 10 N. What is its acceleration?
Solution: According to Newton's Second Law, force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). Rearranging the equation to solve for acceleration: a = F/m = 10 N / 2 kg = 5 m/s². The object will accelerate at 5 meters per second squared in the direction of the applied force.
Question: What happens when baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO₃) reacts with vinegar (acetic acid, CH₃COOH)?
Solution: When baking soda and vinegar mix, they undergo a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium acetate (a salt). The reaction can be written as:
NaHCO₃ + CH₃COOH → CO₂ + H₂O + CH₃COONa
This is an example of an acid-base neutralization reaction. The bubbling observed is due to the release of carbon dioxide gas.
Question: If a homozygous tall pea plant (TT) is crossed with a homozygous short pea plant (tt), what will be the genotype and phenotype of the F1 generation?
Solution: In this cross, the tall plant contributes a "T" allele and the short plant contributes a "t" allele to each offspring. Since all offspring will have the genotype "Tt" and the tall trait is dominant over short, all plants in the F1 generation will have the phenotype of tall plants with the genotype of Tt (heterozygous tall).
| Trend | Left to Right | Top to Bottom |
|---|---|---|
| Atomic Radius | Decreases | Increases |
| Ionization Energy | Increases | Decreases |
| Electronegativity | Increases | Decreases |
| Metallic Character | Decreases | Increases |
| Quantity | Formula | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Velocity | v = d/t | m/s |
| Acceleration | a = (v₂ - v₁)/t | m/s² |
| Force | F = ma | N (Newton) |
| Work | W = Fd | J (Joule) |
| Power | P = W/t | W (Watt) |
Which of the following is NOT a layer of Earth's atmosphere?
The lithosphere is not a layer of Earth's atmosphere; it is the rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. The layers of Earth's atmosphere are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
Which organelle is known as the "powerhouse of the cell" because it produces most of the cell's energy?
Mitochondria are often called the "powerhouse of the cell" because they generate most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is used as a source of chemical energy. They do this through the process of cellular respiration.
Review the explanations for each question to understand the correct answers.