First, let’s clear up what the terms cause and effect mean.

Cause and effect is the relationship between two things when one thing makes something else happen. A cause is something that happens. As a result of that, an effect is what follows. For example, as a cause, if you spend a week lounging around munching on junk food all day, the effect is that you’d gain a couple pounds.

• An effect answers the question*: “What happened?”
• A cause answers the question*: “How or why did it happen?”

From human evolution to the Earth’s placement in the cosmos, the GED science exam will test your knowledge of many different subjects. But before you start to feel overwhelmed, take this bit of encouragement: the GED science test has a 90% pass rate, meaning if you are well-prepared, you have a great chance of doing well on the exam.

By learning more about what to expect and spending time studying well in advance, you’ll be well prepared when test day arrives. Check out our tips to learn how to pass the GED science test.

What’s on the GED Science Exam?

The GED science test is a 90-minute exam with questions across three main topics: Earth and space science, life science, and physical science. As with the other GED exams, the science exam is scored from 100-200, with a passing score set at 145 or higher. Questions are in a variety of formats, such as multiple-choice, drop-down, short answer, and more.

Here’s an in-depth look at the topics you’ll be tested on for the GED science exam:

• Reading and meaning in science
• Designing and interpreting science experiments
• Using numbers and graphics in science

Are there Commonly Missed Questions?

The difficulty of the questions on the science exam depend on your preparedness. The hardest questions on the tests will be the ones you did not study enough. The best approach is to study, take a practice exam, spend additional time on the areas you fall short, then take the practice test again to make sure you improved. If you implement this strategy, you will be prepared for the test.

Tips for Passing the GED Science Exam

Keep in mind that the GED science exam isn’t about memorizing facts. Instead, you’ll need to use your reasoning skills to interpret scientific data. Here are some tips for passing this part of the GED.

• Use the question as a source of information (most include a graph, chart, diagram, text, etc.)
• Focus on the bigger picture—don’t get lost in the basic details of a topic.
• Remember to think like a scientist:
  • Use data to make conclusions
  • Review an experiment and find the hypothesis, variables, errors, etc.
  • Know how to apply math in a scientific setting
• Ready carefully before you answer a question

• Use data to make conclusions
• Review an experiment and find the hypothesis, variables, errors, etc.
• Know how to apply math in a scientific setting

Studying for the GED Science Exam

Are you ready to dive into your studies? Once you’ve spent time reading up on the three main topics, you can assess where you’re at by taking GED Ready, the official GED practice test. You can also try a free GED sample test to help further your studies. Once you’re happy with your score, you’ll know you’re ready to take the GED science exam with confidence.

Science is an exciting subject because we use it all the time; sometimes we don’t even realize we’re thinking in a scientific way. For example, the Scientific Method is a great way to imagine science in action.

The Scientific Method helps you put together experiments, use data to find conclusions and interpret them. In short, the Scientific Method is a step-by-step process:

• First, observe. Use your senses and take notes about the situation.
  • Then, ask a question about the problem at hand.
  • After that, form a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a potential explanation to your question.
  • Predict what the hypothesis may lead to and conduct an experiment to test it out.
  • Analyze the data to draw a conclusion from your findings.
  • Share your results.

• Then, ask a question about the problem at hand.
• After that, form a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a potential explanation to your question.
• Predict what the hypothesis may lead to and conduct an experiment to test it out.
• Analyze the data to draw a conclusion from your findings.
• Share your results.

Teachers often recommend starting with the test subject that is least challenging, to wade in gently with topics that are in your comfort zone. This approach helps build confidence as you gear up for the tough stuff.

To begin, login to your account at GED.com to check out free study guides. You’ll get a sense of all four subjects, then decide which one is best for you to take first.

Social Studies

Social Studies is interesting because there are many visuals involved, such as graphs, maps and charts. These help you understand trends and gather clues through imagery. You won’t feel pressured to answer every question based only on text.

You won’t have to memorize a lot for Social Studies. It’s more about applying concepts that you know already and interpret info presented in the test.

Science

Science uses formulas and analytical thinking. You’ll be given reference sheets during the test, so there’s very little memorization. Practice questions are a great way to stay sharp for Science.

RLA

To make Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) flow smoothly, get used to absorbing info quickly by reading articles on major news sites. The average article contains 500 to 700 words. Here’s a hint: it typically takes less than a minute to read 100 words. So you’re looking at just a few minutes of reading per article. For example, the blog post you’re reading now is under 400 words long.

Writing is something we do everyday, like texting and posting to social media; but when it comes to long-form essays, it’s great to have a writing tutor help you along. This virtual expert will help you organize thoughts, make content flow, catch spelling errors and clear up grammar confusion…like when to use an ellipsis.

Math

Many students agree that Math is the toughest subject. By enrolling in a local class or taking online courses, you can learn the skills you need to pass, such as algebra. Also, practicing a little at a time makes Math easier to get through. In just a few minutes a day, try GED Flash for thousands of interactive questions at home or on-the-go.

Last but not least, here’s a tip for test day from Captain Obvious: “Get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast and stay hydrated.”

Have other study tips that you’d like to share with other GED students? Put them in the comments below.

The GED Science test has a 90% pass rate so you have a very good chance of succeeding if you have a basic understanding of scientific concepts. Luckily, the science test is not a memorization test. For example, you won’t need to memorize the periodic table of elements.

Test Topics

The Science section of the GED includes three different topics:

• Reading for Meaning in Science
• Designing and Interpreting Science Experiments
• Using Numbers and Graphics in Science