Part II: Four Full-Length Practice Tests

Science Reasoning Test

Time: 35 Minutes
40 Questions

Directions: Each of the seven passages in this test is followed by several questions. After you
read each passage, select the correct choice for each of the questions that follow the passage.
Refer to the passage as often as necessary to answer the questions. You may NOT use a calcula-
tor on this test.

Passage I 2. Which of the following rules correctly

Table 1 displays the results of a series of ex- states the variation of viscosity shown
periments that measured the viscosities of in Table 1?
liquids at several temperatures. Viscosity is a
F. Higher viscosity with higher
property directly proportional to the resis-
molecular weight
tance to flow. For example, molasses is more
viscous than coffee. G. Lower viscosity with higher
temperature
Table 1
H. Lower viscosity with lower
Liquid Molecular
Weight
Viscosity
(millipoises)
molecular weight
0°C 20°C 40°C
J. Higher viscosity with higher
Water 16 17.92 10.05 6.56
temperature
Ethanol 46 17.73 12.01 8.34
Pentane 72 3.11 2.43 2.03
Benzene 78 9.12 6.52 5.03 3. Pentane, heptane, and octane are similar
Sulfuric acid 98 13.29 10.04 8.19
Heptane 100 5.24 4.09 3.41 hydrocarbons with a linear molecular
Octane 114 7.06 5.42 4.33 structure and 5, 7, or 8 carbon atoms,
Mercury 201 16.84 15.47 14.83
respectively. What is the likely viscosity
at 40°C for another such hydrocarbon,
hexane?
1. According to the data in Table 1, which
of the following liquids has the highest A. 2.72 millipoises
viscosity at normal room temperature?
B. 3.87 millipoises
A. Ethanol C. 4.18 millipoises
B. Mercury D. 5.25 millipoises
C. Sulfuric acid
D. Water

108
 Practice Test 1

4. An experimenter is attempting to Experiment 1

measure the rate at which steel ball The research began by studying the path of

Science Reasoning Test

bearings sink through water. However, one GBB in a darkened room illuminated
at 0°C the water quickly freezes, only by a dim red glow to permit tracking the
preventing any experiment. What liquid beetle. It was found to crawl in a reasonably
should be substituted for the water? straight line.

F. Benzene
Experiment 2
G. Ethanol This experiment began in a darkened room.
H. Mercury When the beetle had reached point P, shown
in Figure 1, the researcher turned on one
J. Sulfuric acid small white light on the floor to the left of
the insect’s path. The GBB slowly turned to-
5. Which of the following methods could ward the light until it was directly facing the
be used to measure the relative viscosity light and then continued straight ahead. In
of liquids? Figure 1, the eyes of the GBB are shown as
small open circles.
A. The amount of liquid passing
through a small hole in the base of
the beaker in 10 seconds
B. The diameter of the pool formed
when 100 milliliters of liquid are light
carefully poured onto a table
beetle
C. The distance to which the liquid
rises in the core of a very slender P
capillary tube
Figure 1
D. The intensity of light measured by
a light meter when a beam shines
through 5 centimeters of liquid
Experiment 3
The researcher then used black enamel to
Passage II paint over one eye on each of two beetles. In
Figure 2, the black circles represent the
To investigate the response of a primitive an-
painted eyes, which cannot perceive light.
imal to light, a researcher selected the Great
These GBBs were placed on the floor with
Burmese Beetle (GBB) as a subject. This
one bright light directly overhead. Both bee-
large, docile insect lacks any capacity to bite
tles crawled in endless circular patterns. The
or sting in self-defense. The GBB crawls
GBB with its right eye painted always turned
rapidly enough to complete each experiment
to the left, while the GBB with its left eye
within one or two hours. It has two very
painted invariably turned to the right. Several
prominent eyes that bulge at the sides of its
repetitions of this experiment yielded the
head, so it was considered likely to be quite
same sense of turning for each GBB.
sensitive to illumination from different direc-
tions. Each of the following experiments
maps the Great Burmese Beetle’s movements
as seen from above.
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109
Part II: Four Full-Length Practice Tests
light is overhead 8.
Figure 2
Experiment 4
Finally, the two beetles with painted eyes
were studied in the darkened room with dim
red illumination. Each GBB tended to move 9.
along a straight path.
6. At the moment when the light was
turned on in Experiment 2, what was
the relative illumination of the eyes of
the GBB?
F. The left eye received more light
than the right.
G. The right eye received more light
than the left.
H. Both eyes were equally illuminated
from floor level.
10.
J. Both eyes were equally illuminated
from overhead.
7. What is the most likely reason that the
GBB in Experiment 2 wouldn’t move
in a circular pattern like that of
Experiment 3?
A. The beetle had not yet been trained
to crawl along a circular path.
B. Circular motion could occur only
when the source of light is
overhead.
C. It stops turning as soon as it is
facing directly toward the light.
D. Neither eye of the beetle was
painted to induce crawling in a
circle.
110
Any change of direction of the GBB
may be described as:
F. Turning away from the eye that
receives the most light
G. Turning toward the eye that
receives the most light
H. Turning away from the eye that is
covered by paint
J. Turning toward the eye that is
covered by paint
According to the experimental results,
in a lighted room, the GBB would crawl
in a straight line only if:
A. Its two eyes were equally
illuminated.
B. The light bulb was in the center
of the room.
C. The light was frequently
switched off.
D. Neither of its eyes were covered
by paint.
What is the most likely reason that the
researcher needed to perform
Experiment 4?
F. To prove that dim red light cannot
be perceived by the GBB
G. To prove that the behavior in
Experiment 1 was not altered by
paint
H. To prove that the turning in
Experiment 3 was not due to the
paint alone
J. To prove that the GBB does not
learn during a series of experiments
 Practice Test 1

11. In Experiment 3, it is most likely that a 12. According to the data in Figure 1, in
GBB with both eyes covered by paint which state does iodine exist at 100°C

Science Reasoning Test

would: and a pressure of 0.5 atmosphere?

A. Stand still F. Gas

B. Crawl in a straight line G. Liquid
C. Always turn in one direction H. Solid
D. Turn irregularly in both directions J. The information cannot be
determined from the data presented

Passage III 13. Based on the information given, what is

By alteration of the temperature or the pres- the lowest pressure at which iodine may
sure, most substances may be transformed occur as a liquid?
from one state (solid, liquid, or gas) into an-
other state. For the chemical element iodine, A. 0.04 atm
Figure 1 shows which state exists at each B. 0.12 atm
specific combination of temperature and
pressure. C. 0.45 atm
D. 0.78 atm
STATES OF IODINE

1.4 14. At what temperature do iodine crystals

Liquid
melt?
1.2
F. 92°C
1.0
[atmospheres]

G. 114°C
PRESSURE

0.8 Solid
H. 12°C
0.6 J. 182°C
0.4
15. The boiling point of any substance is
0.2 defined as the temperature of the
Gas liquid/gas transition at a pressure of 1
0 atmosphere. What is the boiling point of
0 40 80 120 160 200
TEMPERATURE iodine?
[degrees Celsius]
A. 168°C
Figure 1
B. 176°C
C. 184°C
D. 192°C

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111
Part II: Four Full-Length Practice Tests
16. The direct transition from a solid to a
gas, without an intermediate liquid
state, is called sublimation. Which of
the following statements describes the
conditions under which iodine may
sublime?
F. The pressure must be less than
0.12 atm.
G. The pressure must be more than
0.05 atm.
H. The temperature must be less than
94°C.
J. The temperature must be more than
110°C.
Passage IV
What was the cause of the Ice Age? Two dif-
fering viewpoints are presented below.
Scientist 1
Variation in the amount of energy radiated
by the sun would change the energy received
by the earth. During this century, the sun’s
radiation has fluctuated by up to 3 percent. It
is reasonable to assume a far greater varia-
tion over immensely long time spans, like
the 3 million years of the Pleistocene Ice
Age. If the sun’s radiation were considerably
higher several million years ago, the warmer
atmosphere of the earth would have induced
evaporation and greater humidity. The in-
creased cloudiness must have increased the
precipitation of both rain and snow. The
cloud cover would also have inhibited any
melting of snow during the summer months.
The abundant snow and its persistence
throughout the year must have led to rapid
expansion of the polar ice caps, yielding the
great continental ice-sheets. Surprisingly,
then, the Ice Age may have been initiated by
the effects of a temporarily warmer sun.
112
Scientist 2
It has long seemed self-evident that only a
cooler atmosphere could produce the great
precipitation of snow needed to nourish con-
tinental glaciers. Although a warmer atmos-
phere might well be more humid due to
evaporation from the oceans, it is not likely
to precipitate as snow. The central issue
seems to be whether the atmosphere was
warmer or cooler at the inception of the
Pleistocene glaciation. Species of mollusks
which live today in cool waters at high lati-
tudes have been found as Pleistocene fossils
at numerous sites closer to the equator, indi-
cating that Pleistocene seas were colder than
the present. Seawater temperatures of both
epochs may also be estimated from oxygen
isotope ratios in shells of mollusks, bra-
chiopods, and other marine creatures; these
temperature determinations also show cooler
oceans several million years ago. That obser-
vation is further supported by the distribution
of temperature-sensitive ocean sediments, in-
cluding limestone, chert, and red clay. All
these data demonstrate that oceans were
colder during the Ice Age.
17. According to the hypothesis of
Scientist 1, the end of continental
glaciation would be caused by:
A. A decrease in the amount of
evaporation
B. Inadequate cloud cover during the
summer
C. A lasting decrease in solar
radiation
D. A warmer atmosphere melting
the ice

18. The two scientists are in direct
disagreement about:
F. Atmospheric humidity in the past
and present
G. The minimum amount of variation
in solar radiation
H. The reliability of oxygen isotope
temperature determinations
J. Temperature changes over the last
3 million years
19. The theory propounded by Scientist 1
was developed primarily to explain the:
A. Effects produced by variation in
solar radiation
B. Increased precipitation needed for
glacial expansion
C. Relation between humidity,
precipitation, and glaciation
D. Temperature extremes experienced
in the past
20. Although Scientist 2 opposes the theory
of Scientist 1, the evidence presented by
Scientist 2 is relevant to the dispute
only if:
F. Cooler oceans imply a cooler
atmosphere
G. Oxygen isotope temperature
determinations are accurate
H. Several marine species have
survived for millions of years
J. Solar energy has not varied by
more than 3 percent
Practice Test 1
21. Scientist 1 could best refute the
temperatures calculated from oxygen
Science Reasoning Test
isotope ratios by:
A. Pointing out that few such
measurements have been made
B. Reminding us that his theory calls
for greater atmospheric humidity
C. Showing that a factor besides
temperature can affect the ratios
D. Suggesting that chemical laws may
have been different in the past
22. Coral reefs live only in water exceeding
20°C. According to Scientist 2, how
should reefs have changed from the Ice
Age to the present?
F. They have migrated toward the
equator.
G. They have migrated toward the
poles.
H. They have progressively decreased
in size.
J. They have progressively increased
in size.
23. The theory of Scientist 1 would be
greatly strengthened by a study of data
from the last 50 years showing that:
A. More extensive cloud cover
occurred during periods of high
precipitation.
B. More evaporation from the oceans
occurred during periods of high air
temperature.
C. More glacial movement occurred
during periods of warmer
temperature.
D. More precipitation occurred during
periods of high solar radiation.
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113
Part II: Four Full-Length Practice Tests

Passage V After the water vapor was removed from the

A common method of preparing a pure gas
sample, as shown in Figure 1, is to pass a
mixture of two gases over a substance that
reacts with one of the gases to yield a non-
volatile solid. The remaining vapor repre-
sents the gas that did not react with the
substance.
emerging gas, the sample should have been
pure nitrogen, derived partly from the am-
monia and partly from the initial air. The
density of this nitrogen was measured and
found to be very similar to that from the first
experiment, as shown in Table 1.
Table 1

GLASS TUBE WITH HEATED COPPER

Density of Nitrogen
(grams/liter)
one gas reacts
mixture of gases with copper pure gas Experiment 1 1.256
copper shavings Experiment 2 1.255

Experiment 3
Bunsen burner

A third sample of nitrogen was obtained

without using any air by simply reacting am-
monia with pure oxygen. The density of this
Figure 1 nitrogen was also measured, and the results
of the three density determinations are tabu-
lated in Table 2.
Experiment 1 Table 2
Air is basically a mixture of two gases, oxy-
gen and nitrogen. Many substances react Density of Nitrogen
with the former but not the latter, so a puri- (grams/liter)
fied sample of nitrogen may be obtained by
Experiment 1 1.256
passing air over red-hot copper shavings to Experiment 2 1.255
form copper oxide. The experiment was car- Experiment 3 1.250
ried out and the density of the resulting ni-
trogen was found to be 1.256 grams per liter.

24. Considering the entire set of three

Experiment 2
experiments, from how many different
A second sample of nitrogen was prepared
sources was nitrogen derived?
by mixing dry air with ammonia gas and
passing the mixture over heated copper. F. 1
4NH3 + 3O2 → 2N2 + 6H2O G. 2
amnonia oxygen nitrogen water vapor
H. 3
J. 4

114

25. Based on the experimental results, how
should the differences in densities be
reported?
A. Nitrogen obtained in early
experiments is slightly denser than
that in later experiments.
B. Nitrogen obtained in later
experiments is slightly denser than
that in earlier experiments.
C. Nitrogen obtained from air is
slightly denser than that from
ammonia.
D. Nitrogen obtained from ammonia is
slightly denser than that from air.
26. Both of the first two experiments were
planned by the researchers before
beginning laboratory work. Which of
the following best explains why the
second experiment was considered
necessary?
F. To check that the oxygen in the air
had reacted completely
G. To compare nitrogen from more
than one source
H. To contrast the properties of dry air
and moist air
J. To ensure the copper shavings were
of uniform purity
27. Experiment 3 was not originally
planned. Which of the following best
explains why it was determined to be
desirable?
A. To avoid contamination by material
evaporated from the red-hot copper
shavings
B. To check whether the density
difference of the first two
experiments was meaningful
Practice Test 1
C. To determine whether any residual
ammonia was mixed with the
Science Reasoning Test
emerging nitrogen
D. To eliminate the problem of having
to dehydrate the emerging gas
28. By volume, air contains four times as
much nitrogen as oxygen. Experiment 2
yielded ammonia-derived nitrogen
equal to two-thirds of the oxygen. In
that experiment, what fraction of the
emerging nitrogen was derived from
ammonia?
F. One-half
G. One-third
H. One-fourth
J. One-seventh
29. The set of three experiments resulted in
the discovery that air contains about 1
percent of a previously unknown gas.
What properties of that gas were
revealed by the three experiments?
A. It reacts with copper and is denser
than nitrogen.
B. It reacts with copper and is less
dense than nitrogen.
C. It doesn’t react with copper and is
denser than nitrogen.
D. It doesn’t react with copper and is
less dense than nitrogen.
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115
Part II: Four Full-Length Practice Tests

Passage VI 32. In relation only to the carbon cycle, the

Carbon is the key chemical element in principal role of bacteria is to:
the molecules necessary for life. Figure 1
F. Prevent the animal population from
summarizes the recycling of carbon in our
becoming too large
environment.
G. Provide nourishment for both
THE CARBON CYCLE animals and plants
H. Release chemical elements stored
Air
re
in plants and animals
s
pi J. Remove waste gases from the
ion respiration ra
st tio
atmosphere
bu

n
com

photosynthesis
33. Photosynthesis in the green leaves of
Coal
Plants feeding Animals
plants produces oxygen. The reverse
& Oil process, which consumes oxygen, is
burial called:
death
A. Combustion
de

ca
at

y de B. Metabolism
Bacteria C. Nutrition
D. Respiration
Figure 1

34. A modern buildup of carbon dioxide

levels threatens our climates with global
30. The carbon stored in the tissues of warming, the highly publicized
living animals is ultimately returned to greenhouse effect. The diagram of the
the atmosphere by: carbon cycle shows four main ways that
carbon dioxide is released into the air.
F. Burial or respiration Only one of the four sources of carbon
G. Death or combustion is the problem because that stored
carbon is being converted rapidly and
H. Decay or respiration
completely into carbon dioxide. Which
J. Respiration or feeding source of carbon threatens us with the
greenhouse effect?
31. Carbon dioxide is removed from the air
principally by the: F. Animals
G. Bacteria
A. Combustion of fossil fuels
H. Coal and oil
B. Decay of dead animals and plants
J. Plants
C. Photosynthesis of green plants
D. Respiration of animals

116
 Practice Test 1

Passage VII Table 1

Science Reasoning Test

In an investigation of the metabolism of Material Radioactive Phosphorous
phosphorous by mammals, a healthy female Fresh Material Dried Material
rat was fed a special meal containing 2 mil- (percent) (percent/gram)
ligrams of sodium phosphate as the sole Urine 26.3
source of phosphorus. The phosphorous Feces 31.8
Brain 0.5 14.7
atoms in the sodium phosphate were radioac- Kidneys 0.2 18.2
Liver 1.7 13.9
tive P32, which decays with a half-life of 17 Blood 0.4 1.8
days. Measurements of the radioactivity of Bones 24.8 2.8
Muscles 17.4 7.4
organic materials permitted tracing the uti-
lization of phosphorous by the rat. The spe-
cial diet was administered only once. All
subsequent meals contained common, nonra- 35. According to the data presented, just
dioactive phosphorous. before the rat was killed, the total
percentage of radioactive phosphorous
RADIOACTIVITY IN URINE OF RAT excreted by the rat each day was about:
PERCENT OF RADIOACTIVE PHOSPHOROUS

5
1
A. ⁄ 2%
4
B. 1%
excreted during day

3 C. 32%
D. 58%
2

1 36. Figure 1 shows high amounts of

radioactive phosphorous in the first
0 few days after the special meal. Most
1 5 10 15 20 25 30
NUMBER OF DAYS
of the P32 excreted during that early
after radioactive meal period was:
Figure 1
F. Permanently stored in the bones
G. Temporarily stored in kidney tissue
Figure 1 shows the percentage of the ra-
dioactive phosphorous excreted daily in the H. Distributed throughout the tissues
rat’s urine. Very similar percentages were ex- of several organs
creted each day in the feces. After one J. Not utilized in any tissue
month, approximately half of the radioactive
phosphorous had been excreted. The animal
was then killed and the distribution of the
residual phosphorous tracer was studied.

In Table 1, the first percentage shows the

fraction of radioactive P32 found in the vari-
ous components of the freshly killed rat,
while the second percentage represents the
concentration of P32 in each gram of dehy-
drated matter.
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117
Part II: Four Full-Length Practice Tests

37. The fact that most of the phosphorous 40. Which of these statements best
excreted by the rat was not radioactive describes the metabolism of
means that: phosphorous by rats?

A. Most of the phosphorous comes F. Any phosphorous atoms in the

from the rat’s tissues tissues are chemically isolated until
death disintegrates the tissues and
B. The phosphorous lost its
releases the phosphorous.
radioactivity after a few days
G. Only a small percentage of
C. The rat could not utilize the
phosphorous atoms in the diet are
radioactive phosphorous
utilized in the formation of tissues.
D. The rat was not harmed by the
H. As the tissues grow, new
radioactive phosphorous
phosphorous atoms are required,
but this process slows as time
38. The average time one phosphorous passes.
atom remains in the rat is about:
J. The tissues continually take up
F. 1 week phosphorous atoms, which will
later be displaced by other
G. 17 days
phosphorous atoms.
H. 1 month
J. 2 months

39. Which of the following reasons does

NOT help to explain the dramatically
different percentages in the two right-
hand columns of Table 1?

A. Some of the phosphorous is lost

during the drying procedure.
B. No dried excreta were analyzed for
radioactivity.
C. Some tissues use much more
phosphorous than other tissues.
D. The tissue systems have very
different weights.

IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIME IS CALLED, CHECK YOUR WORK ON THIS

SECTION ONLY. DO NOT WORK ON ANY OTHER SECTION IN THE TEST.
STOP

118