CLEP Natural Sciences Practice Test
CLEP Natural Sciences Practice Test
CLEP Natural Sciences Practice Test
Practice Test
Time—90 Minutes For each question below, choose the best answer from the
120 Questions choices given.
1
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CLEP Natural Sciences
2
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CLEP Natural Sciences
15. Plants with phenotype round seed shape and tall 18. The gene for a lethal disease is carried on the X
stem length are only fertilized with plants of chromosome. What is the probability that a woman
wrinkled seed shape and dwarf stem length, and who is a carrier passes this gene to her son?
the same fertilization pattern is followed for the
(A) 100 %
successive generations. Which of the following
(B) 75 %
statements is true?
(C) 50 %
(A) The frequencies of the dominant genes will (D) 25 %
increase (E) 33 %
(B) The frequencies of the dominant genes will
remain the same 19. Which of the following tissue types covers the
(C) The frequencies of the recessive genes will outside of the body and lines the internal organs
decrease and cavities?
(D) The frequencies of the recessive genes will (A) Epithelial
increase (B) Connective
(E) There will be no changes in the frequen- (C) Skeletal muscle
cies of dominant and recessive genes (D) Smooth muscle
(E) Neuron
16. When a red snap dragon flower is pollinated us-
ing pollen from a white snap dragon, the follow- 20. Which of the following issue types that sends sig-
ing number of flowers and colors is observed: nals throughout the body?
23 red, 20 white, 57 pink. The genotype of the
pink flowers is (A) Epithelial
(B) Connective
(A) RR (C) Skeletal muscle
(B) WW (D) Smooth muscle
(C) RW (E) Nervous
(D) Cannot be determined from the informa-
tion provided 21. Which of the following tissue types is responsible
(E) More than one gene is involved for contractions that move food along the intestines?
17. Parents with blood types A and B have an off- (A) Epithelial
spring with type A blood. What are the probable (B) Connective
genotypes of the parents? (C) Skeletal muscle
(D) Smooth muscle
(A) AO BB (E) Neuron
(B) AB BB
(C) AO BO 22. Blood consists of the following tissue types
(D) AA BB except
(E) Cannot be determined from the informa-
(A) white cells
tion provided
(B) red cells
(C) platelets
(D) collagen
(E) plasma
3
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CLEP Natural Sciences
4
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was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this product.
CLEP Natural Sciences
5
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CLEP Natural Sciences
38. The breeding of race horses is an example of 41. Which ordering correctly represents the appear-
ance of these types of organisms from oldest to
(A) natural selection
the most recent?
(B) selective breeding
(C) Lamarck’s theory of inheritance (A) Land plants, reptiles, mammals, marine
(D) increased genetic diversity invertebrates
(E) unlimited natural resources (B) Marine invertebrates, reptiles, mammals,
land plants
39. Genetic tests can resolve ambiguities about (C) Reptiles, land plants, marine invertebrates,
whether a trait is homologous or analogous be- mammals
cause (D) Marine invertebrates, land plants, mam-
(A) the closer the DNA base sequence, the mals, reptiles
more likely two genes originate from a (E) Marine invertebrates, land plants, reptiles,
common ancestor mammals
(B) the sequence of base pairs in DNA is not
42. The common scientific name for the red maple
relevant
tree is Acer rubrum. This name includes which
(C) the more divergent the sequence of DNA
of the following classification divisions?
base pairs, the more closely related two
species are (A) Family, species
(D) the closer the sequence of DNA base pairs, (B) Genus, species
the less related the species are (C) Family, genus
(E) proteins determine relatedness, not DNA (D) Phylum, order
(E) Phylum, species
40. The bottleneck effect occurs when natural disas-
ters such as earthquakes or floods drastically re- 43. Two organisms are more related if they share
duce the size of a population. Which of the fol- which of the following classification divisions?
lowing best describes the resulting effect on the
(A) Phylum
gene pool of the surviving population?
(B) Class
(A) The surviving population is representative (C) Order
of the original population in its genetic (D) Family
makeup. (E) Kingdom
(B) Natural selection guarantees the least fit
will survive. 44. Which of the following is an example of natural
(C) The surviving population is not representa- selection?
tive of the original population in its genetic (A) Son having the same blood type as his
makeup. mother
(D) Mutations are more likely to occur. (B) The development of pesticide-resistant
(E) Genetic variability increases. bacteria
(C) Father and son developing large muscles
from weight lifting
(D) Daughter does not inherit gene for cancer
(E) Children of two parents are shorter than
the parents
6
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was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this product.
CLEP Natural Sciences
7
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CLEP Natural Sciences
51. Which type of organism comprises the largest 56. Post World War II traffic in the South Pacific
amount of biomass in the energy pyramid? resulted in the introduction of the brown tree
snake to the island of Guam, which was previ-
(A) Decomposers
ously snake-free. Since the introduction of the
(B) Primary consumers
brown tree snake many indigenous species of
(C) Third-level consumers
birds and lizards have disappeared. Which of the
(D) Producers
following statements best describes this situa-
(E) Secondary consumers
tion?
52. Which of the following is an example of a hu- (A) The brown tree snake is a well-adapted
man activity that has decreased biodiversity? species
(A) Genetic modification of food (B) The brown tree snake is a super-predator in
(B) Irradiation of food the Guam ecosystem
(C) Crossing a plum and an apricot to create a (C) The brown tree snake is an effective
pluot scavenger
(D) Planting a few types of wheat that com- (D) This is an example of habitat destruction
pose 90% of the harvest (E) This is an example of an environment in
(E) Use of pesticides for pest control stable equilibrium
53. The abiotic environment and biotic community 57. Organisms in which type of relationship both
together make up a/an benefit from their association?
54. Half of all species on Earth are contained in the 58. What percentage of energy is passed on to each
successive organism in the energy pyramid?
(A) deserts
(B) oceans (A) 1%
(C) tundra (B) 10%
(D) tropical rainforests (C) 40%
(E) coniferous forests (D) 60%
(E) 80%
55. Humans contribute to the extinction of species
by which of the following mechanisms? 59. Which of the following organisms is responsible
for breaking down dead organisms and animal
i) Habitat reduction and modification waste products?
ii) Overexploitation
iii) Introduction of exotic species (A) Primary consumer
(B) Secondary consumer
(A) i (C) Omnivore
(B) i and ii (D) Producer
(C) ii (E) Decomposer
(D) i, ii, iii
(E) ii and iii
8
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CLEP Natural Sciences
Questions 60 and 61 refer to graphs in figure 2 62. Graph that represents the potential energy of a
spring that follows Hooke’s law.
9
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was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this product.
CLEP Natural Sciences
67. At the top of the highest hill on an ideal roller 72. The escape velocity of a rocket is
coaster (no frictional forces) all of the energy is
(A) the velocity required to break the speed of
(A) kinetic energy only sound
(B) kinetic and potential energy (B) the velocity required to overcome the
(C) potential energy only gravitational pull of the Earth
(D) kinetic energy and thermal energy (C) the velocity required to propel the rocket
(E) potential energy and thermal energy into the atmosphere
(D) the speed of light
68. A child swings a yo-yo around his head in a circle. (E) the speed of sound
The direction of centripetal acceleration is
73. An object such as a spring undergoes simple har-
(A) in the direction of motion along the circle
monic motion. For an ideal spring there are no
(B) in the opposite direction of motion along
dissipative forces and the total energy of the sys-
the circle
tem remains constant. In a particular system, a
(C) located at points tangent to the yo-yo’s
spring with a weight attached is anchored to a
position
wall. The spring is stretched to its maximum dis-
(D) directed along a line towards the center of
tance and is released. Which of the following
the circle
statements is NOT true for this system?
(E) there is only linear acceleration
(A) The velocity of the particle is zero when
69. Glass is a/an the spring is fully stretched.
(A) ordered solid (B) The direction of acceleration of the particle
(B) super cooled liquid is opposite the direction of motion.
(C) liquid (C) A plot of the displacement versus time is
(D) gas periodic.
(E) gel (D) Mechanical energy is not conserved.
(E) The displacement, velocity, and accelera-
70. During the winter, salt is spread on icy roads to tion all vary periodically with time but are
not in phase.
(A) lower the boiling point of water
(B) lower the melting point of ice 74. The nucleus of an atom is made up of
(C) increase the frictional forces between car
tires and the road (A) electrons and protons
(D) change the viscosity of water (B) protons only
(E) help remove water from the road (C) protons and neutrons
(D) electrons and neutrons
71. The entropy of a system is a measure of _____ (E) neutrons only
of a system.
(A) the energy
(B) the pressure
(C) the temperature
(D) the disorder
(E) the electrical potential
10
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CLEP Natural Sciences
209
75. Isotopes contain the same number of ____ but 80. What product is formed when 81
Tl undergoes
different numbers of _____. beta decay?
(A) electrons, protons (A) 209
Tl
81
(B) protons, neutrons 210
(B) Hg
(C) neutrons, electrons 80
209
(D) protons, electrons (C) 80
Hg
(E) neutrons, protons (D) 209
82
Pb
210
(E) Pb
76. The highest ionization energy occurs for which 82
11
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CLEP Natural Sciences
84. Which of the following statements best describes 89. Of the following compounds, which one reacts
the molecule CCl4? the most vigorously with water?
(A) HCl
(A) It is a non-polar molecule with polar bonds.
(B) Na
(B) It is a non-polar molecule with non-polar
(C) Zn
bonds.
(D) Fe
(C) It is a polar molecule with polar bonds.
(E) Li
(D) It is a polar molecule with non-polar bonds.
(E) It is an ionic molecule.
90. The bond that contains the most energy is
85. The reaction HCl + NaOH → H2O + NaCl is an
(A) H-H
example of a
(B) N≡ N
(A) redox reaction (C) N=N
(B) single replacement (D) C=C
(C) combustion reaction (E) O=O
(D) neutralization reaction
(E) nuclear reaction 91. In the reaction Zn + Cu+2 → Cu + Zn+2
(A) Zn is oxidized and Cu is reduced
86. Select the arrangement of bonds in order of least
(B) Zn is oxidized and Cu is oxidized
polar to most polar.
(C) Zn is reduced and Cu oxidized
(A) C-F, C-Cl, C-H, C-C (D) Zn is reduced and Cu is reduced
(B) C-C, C-H, C-F, C-Cl (E) None of the above statements apply
(C) C-C, C-H, C-Cl, C-F
(D) C-H, C-C, C-Cl, C-F 92. The oxidation number of chromium in Cr2O7–2 is
(E) C-C, C-F, C-Cl, C-H (A) 1
(B) 2
87. Which of the following compounds has an isomer?
(C) 3
(A) CH4 (D) 6
(B) CH3CH3 (E) 7
(C) CH3CH2 CH2CH3
(D) CH2CHCH3 93. The two strands of DNA in the double helix are
(E) CCl2H2 held together by
(A) covalent bonds
88. Chlorine has the highest oxidation state in which
(B) ionic bonds
of these compounds?
(C) hydrogen bonds
(A) HCl (D) strong forces
(B) HClO (E) weak forces
(C) HClO4
(D) HClO3
(E) Cl2
12
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CLEP Natural Sciences
94. Of the following compounds and elements, 99. The elements in the universe have been created
which one reacts most vigorously with water? from _____ by _____.
(A) HF (A) hydrogen and helium, the earth
(B) NaOH (B) hydrogen and helium, the sun
(C) Li (C) hydrogen and helium, stars
(D) K (D) hydrogen and carbon, stars
(E) CO2 (E) hydrogen and oxygen, stars
95. Which are the gaseous planets? 100. Which of the following terms describes as a fro-
(A) Mercury, Mars, Venus zen mass of gas and dust with a definite orbit
(B) Mercury, Pluto, Uranus through the solar system?
(C) Jupiter, Mars, Saturn (A) A moon
(D) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus (B) A comet
(E) Jupiter, Saturn, Venus (C) An asteroid
(D) A meteorite
96. Which planet has the most elliptical orbit about (E) A nebula
the sun?
(A) Mars 101. Which of the following statements is NOT true
(B) Pluto regarding black holes?
(C) Jupiter (A) Light escapes at the other end.
(D) Saturn (B) Light cannot escape the gravity of a black
(E) Uranus hole.
(C) Black holes exert the same force on
97. The length of a planet’s day is determined by something far away as something with the
(A) how fast it orbits the sun same mass.
(B) how large it is (D) Black holes swallow matter around them.
(C) how much it weighs (E) Black holes are the evolutionary end points
(D) what materials it is composed of of stars with 10–15 times the mass of the
(E) how fast it rotates about its axis sun.
98. Which two planets do not have any moons? 102. The reaction that occurs in the sun’s core is
(A) Mercury and Venus (A) He4 → 4H1 + energy
(B) Mercury and Mars (B) 4H1 → e4 + energy
(C) Mars and Venus (C) He4 + He4 → Be8 + energy
(D) Pluto and Venus (D) Be8 + He4 → C12 + energy
(E) Pluto and Mars (E) O16 + He4 → Ne20 + energy
13
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CLEP Natural Sciences
103. Which of the following colors of light has the 107. The sky appears blue because
shortest wavelength? (A) the particles in the atmosphere scatter
(A) Red longer wavelengths of light
(B) Violet (B) the particles in the atmosphere scatter the
(C) Green shorter wavelengths of light to a larger
(D) Orange degree
(E) Blue (C) red light is absorbed
(D) blue light is absorbed
104. Waves have an associated frequency and wave- (E) the sun emits electromagnetic radiation
length. The product of the wavelength and fre- that contains a higher percentage of blue
quency is equal to a constant. The relationship wavelength light
between wavelength and frequency is best de-
scribed as 108. Most of the earth’s oxygen is produced by
(A) squared (A) coniferous forests
(B) logarithmic (B) tropical rain forests
(C) inverse (C) tundra
(D) exponential (D) taiga
(E) additive (E) deserts
105. As a train approaches a railway station, the people 109. Almost all of the earth’s weather occurs in the
waiting will hear the squeal of the train tracks (A) thermosphere
before they here the train. The reason for this is (B) mesosphere
(A) the speed of sound in steel is greater than (C) troposphere
the speed of sound in air (D) stratosphere
(B) the speed of sound is constant (E) exosphere
(C) the sound is dissipated in the air but not
along the steel tracks 110. The most abundant component of the earth’s at-
(D) the rails are better conductors of electricity mosphere is
(E) the effect is not real (A) oxygen
(B) nitrogen
106. When a magnet is cut in half, all of the follow- (C) argon
ing are true except (D) water
(A) There are two magnetic poles (E) ozone
(B) There is only one magnetic pole
(C) The lines of the magnetic field form closed
lines
(D) The magnetic field arises from moving
charges
(E) The direction of the magnetic force does
not change
14
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CLEP Natural Sciences
111. The burning of fossil fuels is thought to increase 114. The earth is not a sphere, rather it is an ellipsoid;
the possibility of global warming. When fossil it is flatter at the poles and bulges at the equator.
fuels undergo a combustion reaction the by-prod- This is a result of
ucts are carbon dioxide and water. Carbon diox- (A) the pull of the moon being stronger at the
ide contributes to the greenhouse effect by which equator than at the poles
of the following mechanisms? (B) the pull of the sun being stronger at the
(A) Carbon dioxide absorbs short wavelengths equator than at the poles
and allows infrared radiation to escape. (C) how the continents have drifted
(B) Carbon dioxide absorbs infrared wave- (D) warmer temperatures at the equator
lengths and allows other wavelengths to (E) centripetal forces resulting from the earth’s
escape. rotation about its axis
(C) All wavelengths of electromagnetic
radiation are absorbed by carbon dioxide. 115. The earth’s early atmosphere is thought to have
(D) Carbon dioxide increases the temperature been composed of mostly carbon dioxide with
of the ocean. less than a percent of molecular oxygen present.
(E) Carbon dioxide does not have any effect. Life first evolved in this atmosphere. Where did
the molecular oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere come
112. Which of the following phenomena is NOT from?
caused by the movement of the plates on the (A) Hydrolysis of water
earth’s upper mantle? (B) Photosynthesis
(A) Earthquakes (C) Cellular respiration
(B) Volcanic activity (D) Lightning strikes
(C) Production of new crust along with de- (E) Nuclear reactions
struction of old crust
(D) Erosion 116. Depletion of the ozone layer is of concern be-
(E) Formation of mountains cause ozone
(A) deflects infrared radiation from the sun
113. Two hundred and fifty million years ago, which (B) helps maintain the molecular oxygen
of the following continent(s) existed? content of the earth
(A) Laurasia (C) is involved in the water cycle
(B) Gondwanaland (D) absorbs 99% of ultraviolet radiation
(C) Pangea emitted by the sun
(D) Panthalassa (E) absorbs 99% of all radiation emitted by
(E) The current continents the sun
15
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CLEP Natural Sciences
118. The movement of two tectonic plates away from 120. Which of the following materials is formed by
each other results in the solidification of magma?
(A) mountain formation (A) Minerals
(B) recycling of oceanic crust (B) Igneous rock
(C) formation of new oceanic crust (C) Sedimentary rock
(D) trench formation (D) Metamorphic rock
(E) an earthquake (E) Diamond
16
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was not involved in the production of and does not endorse this product.