Science and General Knowledge
Science and General Knowledge
This domain samples basic biology, physical science, earth science, and current general information. Items are elementary but broad, so breadth of recall matters more than depth of calculation.
Core concepts
- Life science. The cell is the basic unit of life; plant cells have a cell wall and chloroplasts while animal cells do not. Photosynthesis (plants, using light, water and carbon dioxide) and respiration (all living things, releasing energy) are complementary, not identical.
- Body systems. Blood circulates through the heart, lungs exchange gases, the small intestine absorbs most nutrients.
- Matter. Solids, liquids and gases differ in particle arrangement. A physical change alters form only (melting, dissolving, boiling); a chemical change produces a new substance (rusting, burning, fermentation).
- Force and motion. Forces cause acceleration; friction opposes relative motion; mass is the amount of matter while weight is the pull of gravity on that mass.
- Energy and electricity. Energy transfers but total energy is conserved. Series circuits share current, parallel circuits share voltage.
- Earth and space. The water cycle runs evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection. Planets orbit the Sun; the Moon orbits Earth.
Worked example
Which is a chemical change: iron nail rusting, ice melting, sugar dissolving, or water boiling?
Melting, dissolving and boiling are changes of state or dispersion - the substance is still water or sugar. Rusting forms iron oxide, a new substance with different properties, so rusting is the chemical change.
Traps that cost marks
- Calling a theory a mere guess; in science it is a well-tested explanation.
- Confusing mass with weight, or speed with velocity (velocity includes direction).
- Assuming plants do not respire; they do, alongside photosynthesis.
- Mixing up the order of planets or the role of the Moon.
- Relying on vague memory for general-knowledge items instead of eliminating clearly wrong options.