NAS2 CHALLENGE LATEST 2026 PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔decomposition reaction - ✔✔single reactant breaks down to form multiple products
✔✔synthesis reaction - ✔✔multiple reactants combine to form a single product
✔✔exchange reactions - ✔✔multiple molecules exchange reactants to form two new
products
✔✔how do enzymes catalyze reactions? - ✔✔provide a different pathway to get to the
end product with a lower activation energy
✔✔why is water important to life? - ✔✔1. its a solvent
2. many compounds can ionize (convert themselves into an ion by removing electrons)
ex: electrolytes
3. water is very reactive
ex: dehydration synthesis
ex: hydrolysis
4. high heat capacity
ex: thermal inertia
ex: large heat of vaporization
5. lubrication: can reduce friction and build up
6. cushioning: very incompressible--> can compress and stretch easily
✔✔pH - ✔✔[hydrogen ions]
low = acid
high = base
✔✔organic compounds - ✔✔carbon-based molecules
✔✔monomer - ✔✔single molecule that can come together to form polymers
✔✔polymer - ✔✔large molecule formed by many repeating units (monomers)
✔✔4 major groups of organic compounds - ✔✔carbs, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
✔✔protein 3D structure - ✔✔protein structure is based on a few types of bonds that
form between side groups of the protein, this contributes to the bonds it can form with
other molecules
✔✔cell theory - ✔✔idea that all living things are composed of cells, cells are the basic
units of structure and function in living things, and new cells are produced from existing
cells
, ✔✔requirements for cellular life - ✔✔reproduction, metabolism, growth
✔✔cell cycle - ✔✔series of events that cells go through as they grow and divide
✔✔mitosis - ✔✔part of eukaryotic cell division during which the cell nucleus divides
✔✔steps of mytosis - ✔✔prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase
✔✔strucure of DNA - ✔✔repeating sugar phosphate base that connect to antiparrallel
strands via hydrogen bonds between bases.
✔✔dna replication - ✔✔helicase separates antiparrallel strands, dna polymerase I starts
a new chain, dna polymerase III makes it continuously in one direction and staggered in
the other direction, ligase binds the Okazaki fragments togetehr
✔✔transcription - ✔✔making rna from dna
✔✔translation - ✔✔making proteins from rna
✔✔cellular respiration (anaerobic) - ✔✔produce less ATP and lactic acid
✔✔cellular respiration (aerobic) - ✔✔produces a ton of ATP by breaking down glucose
in the presence of oxygen
✔✔steps of cellular respiration - ✔✔glycolysis, citric acid cycle, electron transport chain
✔✔compound light microscope - ✔✔
✔✔basic technique for using light microscope - ✔✔turn on light, place specimen on
aperature, start on lowest magnification, use rough focus, then fine adjustment, then
increase magnification, relocate specimen, rinse and repeat until you can see the
specimen at desired magnification and in focus
✔✔ What is the purpose of the Scientific Method? - ✔✔Test the hypothesis
✔✔What are the steps of the Scientific Method - ✔✔1. problem
2. hypothesis
3. procedure
4.analyze
5.conclusion
✔✔Independent Variable - ✔✔The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable
whose effect is being studied.
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔decomposition reaction - ✔✔single reactant breaks down to form multiple products
✔✔synthesis reaction - ✔✔multiple reactants combine to form a single product
✔✔exchange reactions - ✔✔multiple molecules exchange reactants to form two new
products
✔✔how do enzymes catalyze reactions? - ✔✔provide a different pathway to get to the
end product with a lower activation energy
✔✔why is water important to life? - ✔✔1. its a solvent
2. many compounds can ionize (convert themselves into an ion by removing electrons)
ex: electrolytes
3. water is very reactive
ex: dehydration synthesis
ex: hydrolysis
4. high heat capacity
ex: thermal inertia
ex: large heat of vaporization
5. lubrication: can reduce friction and build up
6. cushioning: very incompressible--> can compress and stretch easily
✔✔pH - ✔✔[hydrogen ions]
low = acid
high = base
✔✔organic compounds - ✔✔carbon-based molecules
✔✔monomer - ✔✔single molecule that can come together to form polymers
✔✔polymer - ✔✔large molecule formed by many repeating units (monomers)
✔✔4 major groups of organic compounds - ✔✔carbs, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
✔✔protein 3D structure - ✔✔protein structure is based on a few types of bonds that
form between side groups of the protein, this contributes to the bonds it can form with
other molecules
✔✔cell theory - ✔✔idea that all living things are composed of cells, cells are the basic
units of structure and function in living things, and new cells are produced from existing
cells
, ✔✔requirements for cellular life - ✔✔reproduction, metabolism, growth
✔✔cell cycle - ✔✔series of events that cells go through as they grow and divide
✔✔mitosis - ✔✔part of eukaryotic cell division during which the cell nucleus divides
✔✔steps of mytosis - ✔✔prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase
✔✔strucure of DNA - ✔✔repeating sugar phosphate base that connect to antiparrallel
strands via hydrogen bonds between bases.
✔✔dna replication - ✔✔helicase separates antiparrallel strands, dna polymerase I starts
a new chain, dna polymerase III makes it continuously in one direction and staggered in
the other direction, ligase binds the Okazaki fragments togetehr
✔✔transcription - ✔✔making rna from dna
✔✔translation - ✔✔making proteins from rna
✔✔cellular respiration (anaerobic) - ✔✔produce less ATP and lactic acid
✔✔cellular respiration (aerobic) - ✔✔produces a ton of ATP by breaking down glucose
in the presence of oxygen
✔✔steps of cellular respiration - ✔✔glycolysis, citric acid cycle, electron transport chain
✔✔compound light microscope - ✔✔
✔✔basic technique for using light microscope - ✔✔turn on light, place specimen on
aperature, start on lowest magnification, use rough focus, then fine adjustment, then
increase magnification, relocate specimen, rinse and repeat until you can see the
specimen at desired magnification and in focus
✔✔ What is the purpose of the Scientific Method? - ✔✔Test the hypothesis
✔✔What are the steps of the Scientific Method - ✔✔1. problem
2. hypothesis
3. procedure
4.analyze
5.conclusion
✔✔Independent Variable - ✔✔The experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable
whose effect is being studied.
