CSET Science Test Practice Questions

1. Which of the following is used as evidence for plate tectonics?

A) Some continents are shaped in such a way that they look like they would fit together like a jig-saw puzzle.
B) Only a few elements make up the majority of all chemical compounds in living organisms; these few elements simply combine in many different ways.
C) Global warming
D) Phases of the moon

2. Sickle cell anemia is a condition caused by gene mutation. A mutation is:

A) A temporary change in a gene.
B) A permanent change in a gene.
C) A virus.
D) A disease.

3. The Milky Way is:

A) A galaxy with around one million stars.
B) A galaxy with around one billion.
C) A galaxy with several hundred billion stars.
D) Not a galaxy.

4. Which of the following is a solvent?

A) Water
B) Oxygen
C) Salt
D) Sugar

5. Which of the following best illustrates Newton's third law of motion: "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

A) A boy lines up blocks in a row.
B) A boy pushes a toy car and watches it roll.
C) A boy throws a ball as hard as he can.
D) A boy and his brother run into each other, and both fall down.

CSET Science Test Answers

1. Answer: A

Plate tectonics is the theory that the earth's crust is split into big, moving plates, and that these plates continue to come together, move away, and move past each other. This plate movement is thought to be the cause of volcanoes and earthquakes. The theory explains continental drift, which is implied in answer choice A. Answer choice B is true, but does not have anything to do with plate tectonics.

2. Answer: B

A mutation is a permanent structural change in a gene.

3. Answer: C

The Milky Way is a galaxy with several hundred billion stars. There are just three galaxies that we can see beyond the Milky Way, including Andromeda (or Andromeda Nebula) and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. In addition to stars, galaxies have a lot of dark matter in which there is no discernible light or energy. Answer choices A, C, and D are incorrect.

4. Answer: A

Water is the most common solvent. A solvent is something that is capable of absorbing or dissolving another liquid, gas, or solid. Answer choices B, C, and D are examples of solutes, or the substances that get dissolved in solvents. A solute and a solvent combine to create a solution.

5. Answer: D

The boys' fall is a good example of Newton's third law. Answer choices A and B are examples of Newton's first law of motion, the law of inertia. Answer choice C is an example of Newton's second law of motion, the law of resultant force.