Chemistry & Biology Flashcards + TEAS Prep Tips

TEAS science questions fall into three big groups: Anatomy & Physiology, chemistry & biology, and the scientific method. The vast majority of your scored TEAS science questions will be about Anatomy and Physiology. Your next big group of TEAS science questions will be about chemistry and biology. These include questions on chemical bonding, the periodic table, and genetics. Fun stuff!

(By the way, you’ll also see questions about applying the scientific method on the TEAS, but our focus here is on chemistry and biology. You can read more about the types of Anatomy & Physiology questions you’ll see on the TEAS here.)

Let’s talk about some specific concepts you’ll likely see as TEAS science questions.

What’s the focus of chemistry on the TEAS?

Chemistry questions on the TEAS fall into some general groups:

✔ The organization of the periodic table

✔ Chemical bonding (ionic vs. covalent)

✔ The properties of water

✔ The properties of acids and bases

These topics are mandatory to master before test day. There are a few other topics that you might be tested on, but focusing here will give you the best bang for your study buck. If you master these, you will be in good shape on test day.

So how can you study these topics for chemistry on the TEAS? Focus on deep understanding. Rather than rely on practice exams questions, master the topics so that you are prepared for any question time.

For example, you might first…

1 | Break down the periodic table by column. What are the characteristics of the first column? How is different from the second column? The 8th column?

2 | Compare and contrast ionic and covalent bonds. Name some examples of each. What are some ways they are used in the human body?

3 | Make a chart about the characteristics of acids and bases. How are they different in terms of pH? Taste? Behavior in solution?

What’s the focus of biology on the TEAS?

Like the chemistry, there are a few biological concepts that you must master before test day. They include…

✔ Comparing and contrasting DNA, genes, chromosomes

✔ Identifying the basic structure of DNA and RNA

✔ Identifying expected ratios of Mendelian genetics

✔ Identifying types of non-Mendelian genetics

✔ Working with Punnett squares

✔ Describing the qualities of three macromolecules: carbohydrate, lipid, and protein

You might also see some overlap with anatomy and physiology, particularly cellular anatomy and organelle functions.

Like, chemistry, you’ll want to master the fundamental concepts first. Do this before you worry about TEAS practice tests and questions. For example, can you confidently answer the following biology questions?

1 | What is the expected dihybrid ratio? What does this look like in terms of phenotypes on a Punnett square?
2 | Can you name some examples of non-Mendelian inheritance in humans?
3 | Can you name 2 ways RNA and DNA are alike and 2 ways they are different?

One last tip to help you…

You might see what seems like a lot of chemistry and biology questions on the TEAS. Why? Because they might make up your unscored questions. Every section of the TEAS has questions that don’t count. You won’t know which ones they are, but every section has a standardized amount of unscored questions.

You might have chemistry and biology questions that are ultimately unscored because, well, the test makers have them on hand.

See, the previous version the TEAS exam (the TEAS V) had a much greater emphasis on chemistry and biology than the current version. This old version had only 11 scored questions on anatomy and physiology and 29 questions on chemistry and biology. This ratio is essentially flipped for the current test.

(You can read more about the types of Anatomy & Physiology questions you’ll see on the TEAS here.)

This means that the test makers have a ton of chemistry and biology questions lying around. Might as well put them to good use!

So if you see chemistry and biology questions that seem to come out of left field: don’t panic. Do your best. Focus on the material you know is probably scored.

I hope this information has helped you. Yes, it’s a lot to study. Tackle about the fundamentals first and give yourself time to prepare. Good luck!