HiSET Science case studies
HiSET Science · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The HiSET® exam is a high school equivalency (HSE) pathway offered through PSI, giving adults who did not finish a traditional high school program a route to a credential that can open doors to college, training, and employment. The Science subtest is one of the five subject tests that make up the battery; it is delivered in a multiple-choice format and, like the other subtests, is designed to measure reasoning with scientific information rather than memorized vocabulary alone. The HiSET Science case studies are 5 cases and about 2,792 words.
1Duckweed, Fertilizer, and a Shady Corner
Priya wants to know whether fertilizer runoff changes how quickly duckweed, a tiny floating plant, grows. She fills six identical 500 mL jars with 200 mL of pond water and adds 20 duckweed fronds to each.
554 words, about 3 min2Identifying an Unknown Metal by Calorimetry
Andre is given an unknown metal sample and asked to identify it. He heats 100.0 g of the metal in boiling water until it reaches 90.0 °C, then quickly transfers it into a foam cup holding 200.0 g of water at 20.0 °C.
515 words, about 3 min3A Sealed Plant Chamber
A class team seals a leafy potted plant inside a clear 2 L chamber fitted with a carbon dioxide sensor and a lamp. In bright light, CO₂ falls from 800 ppm to about 420 ppm over 20 minutes, then holds steady near 420 ppm even though the lamp stays on.
561 words, about 3 min4The Falling Water Table
A farming town draws irrigation water from wells drilled into a sandstone aquifer. A nearby creek is fed partly by groundwater.
588 words, about 3 min5Two Flat Spots on the Heating Curve
A student places 100 g of crushed ice in a beaker on a 100 W hot plate and stirs while recording temperature every 30 seconds. The data show: a rise from −10 °C to 0 °C; a flat stretch at exactly 0 °C lasting about 6 minutes; a rise from 0 °C to 100 °C; and a long flat stretch at exactly 100 °C.
574 words, about 3 min