Natural Sciences
Description of the Examination
The Natural Sciences examination covers a wide range of topics frequently taught in introductory courses surveying both biological and physical sciences at the freshman or sophomore level. Such courses generally satisfy distribution or general education requirements in science that usually are not required of nor taken by science majors. The Natural Sciences exam is not intended for those specializing in science; it is intended to test the understanding of scientific concepts that an adult with a liberal arts education should have. It does not stress the retention of factual details; rather, it emphasizes the knowledge and application ofthe basic principles and concepts of science, the comprehension of scientific information, and the understanding of issues of science in contemporary society.
The primary objective of the examination is to give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate a level of knowledge and understanding expected of college students meeting a distribution or general education requirement in the natural sciences. An institution may grant up to six semester hours (or the equivalent) of credit toward fulfillment of such a requirement, for satisfactory scores on the examination. Some may grant specific course credit, on the basis of the total score for a two-semester survey course covering both biological and physical sciences. The examination contains 120 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. Some of these are pretest questions that will not be scored. Any time candidates spend on tutorials and providing personal information is in addition to the actual testing time.
Knowledge and Skills Required
The Natural Sciences examination requires candidates to demonstrate one or more of the following abilities in the approximate proportions indicated:
- Knowledge of fundamental facts, concepts, and principles (about 40 percent of the examination)
- Interpretation and comprehension of information (about 20 percent of the examination) presented in the form of graphs, diagrams, tables, equations, or verbal passages
- Qualitative and quantitative application of scientific principles (about 40 percent of the examination), including applications based on material presented in the form of graphs, diagrams, tables, equations, or verbal passages; more emphasis is given to qualitative than quantitative applications
The subject matter of the Natural Sciences examination is drawn from the following topics. The percentages next to the main topics indicate the approximate percentages of exam questions on those topics.
Approximate Percent of Examination
Biological Science (50%)
| 10% | Origin and evolution of life, classification of organisms |
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| 10% | Cell organization, cell division, chemical nature of the gene, bioenergetics, biosynthesis |
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| 20% | Structure, function, and development in organisms; patterns of heredity |
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| 10% | Concepts of population biology with emphasis on ecology |
Physical Science (50%)
| 7% | Atomic and nuclear structure and properties, elementary particles, nuclear reactions |
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| 10% | Chemical elements, compounds and reactions; molecular structure and bonding |
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| 12% | Heat, thermodynamics, and states of matter; classical mechanics; relativity | |
| 4% | Electricity and magnetism, waves, light and sound |
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| 7% | The universe: galaxies, stars, the solar system |
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| 10% | The Earth: atmosphere, hydrosphere, structure, properties, surface features, geological processes, history |
The examination includes some questions that are interdisciplinary and cannot be classified in one of the above categories. Some of the questions cover topics that overlap with those listed above, drawing on areas such as history and philosophy of science, scientific methods, science applications and technology, and the relationship of science to contemporary problems of society, such as environmental pollution and depletion of energy. Some questions are laboratory oriented.
Study Resources
Most textbooks used in college-level natural sciences courses cover the topics in the outline given earlier, but the approaches to certain topics and the emphasis given to them may differ. To prepare for the Natural Sciences exam, it is advisable to study one or more college textbooks (selecting at least one biological science and one physical science textbook), which can be found in most college bookstores. When selecting a textbook, check the table of contents against the "Knowledge and Skills Required" for this test.
If candidates maintain an interest in scientific issues, read science articles in newspapers and magazines, watch public television programs such as "Nova," or work in fields that require a knowledge of certain areas of science, such as nursing and laboratory work, they will probably be knowledgeable about many of the topics included on the Natural Sciences exam. The Internet is another resource candidates could explore.
