General Science and Technology
What this domain tests
General science and technology tests basic concepts in physics, chemistry, biology, and their applications in space, information technology, health, and energy. Expect definition-plus-application questions and simple reasoning about everyday phenomena.
Core rules
- Physics: use SI units and distinguish scalar from vector quantities. Force changes motion; energy is conserved but transforms. Light shows reflection, refraction, and scattering.
- Chemistry: atomic number determines the element; groups show periodic trends. Acids and bases are defined by proton or electron-pair behaviour; carbon compounds are central to fuels and polymers.
- Biology: the cell is the functional unit; photosynthesis, respiration, digestion, and immunity are frequently tested. Vaccines train adaptive immunity.
- Technology: know the purpose of satellites, launch vehicles, AI, and biotechnology. Verify mission names and payload functions rather than memorising headlines.
- In everyday science, link a phenomenon to one law and state the direction of cause and effect.
Worked example
Question: A rocket accelerates upward in space. How can it move if there is no air to push against? Reasoning: The engine expels exhaust gases downward. By Newton’s third law, the exhaust exerts an equal and opposite upward force on the rocket. Conservation of momentum gives the same result. A rocket carries its own oxidiser, so it does not need atmospheric oxygen or air to push against.
Traps
Do not say a rocket needs air for propulsion. Antibiotics do not treat viral infections. Do not confuse mass with weight, or frequency with amplitude. In light questions, remember that blue light is scattered more strongly than red light, which is why the clear sky looks blue.