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GAMSAT Physics: How to Prepare

Although only 20% of Section 3 of the GAMSAT exam will test your Physics knowledge this oft-neglected topic can be the make or break for your Section 3 score. Learn the best ways to prepare for GAMSAT Physics and succeed in the exam.

Free GAMSAT Practice Questions and Materials

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Completing GAMSAT ® Practice Questions is arguably the most important aspect of your GAMSAT ® Exam Preparation as it allows you to develop your reasoning skills and familiarise yourself with the style of questions you’ll face on the day of the exam. Practicing with GAMSAT ® Style Questions is often one part of an overall preparation strategy and is usually approached following a familiarisation with the different areas of content that typically appear in the GAMSAT ® Exam.

We’ve created this page to give you easy access to some free GAMSAT ® practice questions. You’ll get a better idea of the types of questions you should expect from the GAMSAT ® exam. Plus, we’ve asked one of our expert tutors, Catarina, to briefly go through each practice question and help you solve them in this Free GAMSAT ® Practice Questions video guide.

To learn more, you can visit our free guide on How to Prepare for the GAMSAT ® . In addition, if you’re yet to familiarise yourself with the different sections of the GAMSAT ® Exam, you can find further free GAMSAT ® Preparation Materials below:

Free GAMSAT Preparation Materials

  1. GAMSAT Preparation Materials: Section 1

    Guide: How to Prepare for GAMSAT ® Section 1

    An overview of what to expect in Section 1 of the GAMSAT ® Exam and how to prepare: Includes study tips, MCQ tricks and a reading list.

  2. GAMSAT Preparation Materials: Section 2

    Guide: How to Prepare for GAMSAT ® Section 2

    An overview of what to expect in Section 2 of the GAMSAT ® Exam and how to prepare: Learn how to build up an ideas bank and how to structure your writing.

    Essay Topics: Free GAMSAT ® Section 2 Quote Generator

    Get over 90 free essay topics for Section 2 of the GAMSAT ® Exam

    Guide: GAMSAT Example Essays

    Download our GAMSAT ® Essay Writing guide with 3 marked GAMSAT ® example essays of varying qualities.

  3. GAMSAT Preparation Materials: Section 3

    Guide: How to Prepare for GAMSAT ® Section 3

    An overview of what to expect in Section 3 of the GAMSAT ® Exam and how to prepare. Get a topic list of everything you need to know for Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

    Guide: How to Prepare for GAMSAT ® Biology

    Get even further details and specific tips for the Biology component of Section 3 of the GAMSAT ® Exam

    Guide: How to Prepare for GAMSAT ® Chemistry

    Further advice and information specific to GAMSAT ® Section 3 Chemistry - Get a detailed breakdown of various topics.

    Guide: How to Prepare for GAMSAT ® Physics

    Not sure about the value of preparing for GAMSAT ® Physics? Think again - The Physics component of Section 3 can be a key separator of student performance, get further details on how to prepare.

It’s important to remember that the GAMSAT ® exam that tests your reasoning and problem solving skills rather than your recall of specific content - As such, it's important that you avoid trying to study for it as if it were a knowledge-based exam. The greater focus should lie in learning to apply that knowledge and using it in a problem-solving setting - i.e. Problem Based Learning (you can learn more here ). This is most effectively done by completing GAMSAT ® Practice Questions.

GradReady GAMSAT Free Trial

To get even more free MCQs, make sure you sign up for our GAMSAT Free Trial which includes 50 free MCQs from our Intelligent MCQ Bank as well as a wealth of other free resources.

Our Intelligent GAMSAT ® MCQ Bank utilises cutting edge web education technology in performance tracking and topic targeting.

The 4000+ MCQs are categorised into 43 subtopics - our advanced MCQ system not only tracks your performance in each subtopic, it also allows you to create sets of MCQs based on subtopics of your choosing – meaning you can focus on what you need to. In addition, you are able to set the difficulty of the questions, allowing you to tailor the MCQs to your own ability. Fully Worked Solutions are provided for all MCQs.

By signing up to our GAMSAT ® Free Trial, you will also get access to GradReady’s Online Exam System, which mimics the official ACER GAMSAT ® exam in detail, allowing you to familiarise yourself with the online delivery of the exam before test date. You can simulate the full GAMSAT ® experience with the associated time pressures, or complete the exam at your own pace if you prefer. You will also get access to worked solutions, extra supplementary resources, performance tracking, percentile reporting, and more!

We are the only GAMSAT ® Preparation Provider with our own proprietary online system - Unlike other providers who simply purchase a 3rd Party System, we’ve gone to the trouble of creating our online system to allow you to track your performance, quickly identifying your weaknesses and pointing you to the most relevant materials and even tutor assistance. Our online algorithmic-assisted resources are designed to provide you with a targeted experience and makes learning into a science.

In addition, because it is a proprietary system, we are able to constantly make updates in line with student feedback to ensure that students are getting the best learning experience possible. Our newly updated Online Learning Management systems means that we are the only GAMSAT ® Preparation Provider with a mobile-friendly experience - You can now utilise our Intelligent MCQ Bank whenever and wherever your phone goes.

Free GAMSAT Practice Questions

If you’re looking for some free GAMSAT ® Practice Questions, you can find several examples below, separated according to their different Sections:

GAMSAT Section 1 Practice Question

The following is a poem titled A Bird Came Down The Walk by Emily Dickinson.

A bird came down the walk:
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angle-worm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw.

And then he drank a dew
From a convenient grass,
And then hopped sidewise to the wall
To let a beetle pass.

He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all abroad,
They looked like frightened beads, I thought;

He stirred his velvet head

Like one in danger; cautious,
I offered him a crumb,
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home

Than oars divide the ocean,
Too silver for a seam,
Or butterflies, off banks of noon,
Leap, splashless, as they swim.

1. What theme is most evident in A Bird Came Down The Walk?

  • a) Cruelty
  • b) Benevolence
  • c) Nature
  • d) Humanity

2. In the final two stanzas, the bird is described as flying away. The depiction that the bird's flight "rowed him softer..." than oars dividing the ocean implies:

  • a) Natural beauty surpasses man-made beauty
  • b) Passage by flight is more inspiring than passage by sea
  • c) There is a stark, superficial, contrast between animals and humans
  • d) Nature supersedes nurture

GAMSAT Section 2 Practice Question

Theme: Knowledge

  1. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot. (Albert Einstein)
  2. Some people still think knowledge is power. (Chuck Palahniuk, Lullaby)
  3. The power of human thought grows exponentially with the number of minds that share that thought. (Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol)
  4. The thing that's important to know is that you never know. You're always sort of feeling your way. (Diane Arbus, Diane Arbus Revelations)
  5. Any fool can know. The point is to understand. (Albert Einstein)

You can find more free GAMSAT ® Essay Topics and a Free GAMSAT ® Essay Quote Generator at our guide here: GAMSAT ® Section 2 Essays: How to Prepare

You can find some free example essays here: Free GAMSAT ® Example Essay

GAMSAT Section 3 Biology Practice Question

GAMSAT Section 3 Biology Practice Question

The diagram above shows the absorbance of NAD+ and NADH at various wavelengths of light. As NAD+ is a dinucleotide it absorbs, like all nucleotides, strongly in the 260-280 nm range. It can also be seen that the protonated form exhibits a modified absorbance spectra.

An important biochemical measure of the health of a cell is known as the redox state and is the ratio of NAD+ to NADH. A healthy cell has a redox state of around 700. This high ratio makes oxidative reactions favourable and thus enables oxidative phosphorylation, or the aerobic formation of ATP.

To do this, reference samples of known concentrations of NAD+ and NADH are made up and measured in a spectrophotometer. The unknown samples are then measured and compared to the reference samples to determine the quantity of NAD+ or NADH in the sample.

A molecular biologist has a number of samples that they wish to test the redox state of. For each question select the correct answer using the knowledge provided in this section

1. What wavelength would be most appropriate for determining the concentration of NAD + ?

  • a) 240 nm
  • b) 260 nm
  • c) 340 nm
  • d) 300 nm

2. What wavelength would be most appropriate for determining the concentration of NADH when discriminating against NAD + concentration?

  • a) 240 nm
  • b) 260 nm
  • c) 340 nm
  • d) 300 nm

3. What redox state would most likely be found in a cell that was overwhelmed with the work of metabolizing alcohol?

  • a) NAD+/NADH greater than 700
  • b) NAD+/ NADH less than 700
  • c) NAD+/ NADH equal to 700
  • d) Not enough information to determine

GAMSAT Section 3 Chemistry Practice Question

GAMSAT Section 3 Chemistry Practice Question

The increased emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere leads to a decrease in the pH of ocean water due to a chemical equilibrium between carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ) which can then contribute protons into the ocean:

CO 2 + H 2 O ↔ H 2 CO 3

H 2 CO 3 ↔ H + + HCO 3 -

HCO 3 - ↔ H + + CO 3 2-

The relative abundance of the above species at a given pH is represented on a Bjerrum Plot.

1. In 1751 the ocean pH was 8.25, but it is expected by 2100 that [H+] in the ocean will increase by 2.5 fold. Which of the following indicates the expected ocean pH in 2100?

  • a) 10.75
  • b) 7.85
  • c) 7.25
  • d) 5.75

2. The initial [H + ] in 1751 was 5.62 * 10 -9 M, and Ca(OH) 2 is a strong base that is expected to dissociate completely. How much Ca(OH) 2 (1.0 M) would be required to return a 4 L water sample from the year 2100 back to the acidities of year 1751?

  • a) 11.2 nanolitres
  • b) 17.0 nanolitres
  • c) 28.1 nanolitres
  • d) 56.2 nanolitres

3. Oceanic species such as corals and plankton have calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) skeletal structures that require the levels of CO 3 2- to be saturated in ocean waters. What effect would an increase in CO 2 emissions have on these species?

  • a) The dissolving of their skeletons
  • b) The forming of carbonate aggregates on their skeletons
  • c) A thriving environment for skeletal formation
  • d) No obvious effect

GAMSAT Section 3 Physics Practice Question

GAMSAT Section 3 Physics Practice Question

Hydraulic force multiplication is one of the mechanisms that allow the force applied to a car’s brake pedal by a person's foot to be multiplied to a level that can stop a car quickly. A very simplified diagram is provided below.

Piston A and B are both cylindrical and are at the same height. The fluid used, in blue, is water. The diameter of Piston A is 10 cm.

1. How much pressure would the person be applying to the water if they push down on the brake pedal with 200 N of force?

  • a) 10/π kPa
  • b) 2/π kPa
  • c) 20/π kPa
  • d) 80/π kPa

2. It is known that a fluid’s density increases as temperature increases and decreases as the temperature decreases. If the efficiency of the hydraulic braking system is defined as how effectively the forces are multiplied, what happens to the braking system efficiency on a hot day?

  • a) Pressure increases, brake efficiency increases
  • b) Pressure increases, Brake efficiency decreases
  • c) Pressure decreases, Brake efficiency remains constant
  • d) Pressure increases, brake efficiency remains constant

If you find the practice MCQs above useful, make sure you sign up for our GAMSAT ® Free Trial which includes 50 free MCQs from our Intelligent MCQ Bank. You will also get access to a GAMSAT ® practice test which mimics the official ACER GAMSAT ® exam in detail, allowing you to familiarise yourself with the online delivery of the exam before test date.

GAMSAT Practice Question Answers

Section 1 Answers

1. C is correct.

Dickinson repeatedly compares and contrasts the cruelty/fear ("...bit an angle-worm in halves" depicting the predator-prey relationship between bird and worm) and beauty ("...he unrolled his feathers, And rowed him softer home") of nature. Students may interpret the poem to represent the other themes, however these are either not suggested (Answers 1 and 2) or a minor theme (Answer 4).

2. A is correct.

As the comparative 'softer' is used, it suggests that the natural sight of a bird flying is more beautiful than boat oars that create gentle ripples in the water. This implies natural beauty surpasses man-made beauty, as oars and boats are man-made. Use of enjambment (the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza) creates a relaxed tone.

Section 3 Biology Answers

1. B is correct.

260nm is the answer as this is in the range light is most strongly absorbed by NAD + , which assists its measurement by a spectrophotometer

2. C is correct.

At 340nm, there is the greatest amount of difference between the standard molar absorbance of NAD + and NADH, and this would be the most appropriate point to measure the two comparatively.

3. B is correct.

In the stem, it is indicated that ' a healthy cell has a redox state of around 700. This high ratio makes oxidative reactions favourable and thus enables oxidative phosphorylation, or the aerobic formation of ATP '.

We can infer that a cell overwhelmed with the work of metabolizing alcohol is less healthy, and therefore the ratio would be less than 700.

The enzymes used to metabolise ethanol (ADH and ALDH2) reduce NAD + to NADH, and therefore the cellular NAD + / NADH redox ratio is lowered as a consequence of ethanol metabolism.

Section 3 Chemistry Answers

1. B is correct.

Students should be familiar with pH being a logarithmic scale with a change in 1 pH unit corresponding to a [H+] change of a factor of 10. Therefore, for an acidification with a [H+] factor change of 2.5 the pH is expected to decrease, but by less than 1 pH unit. The only answer that fulfills this criteria is B.

2. B is correct.

Calculate difference in proton concentration by determining concentration in 2100 and taking away initial concentration.

In 1751: [H + ] = 5.62 * 10 -9 M (mol L -1 )

Multiply by 2.5 to get 2100 levels: [H + ] = 14.1 * 10 -9 mol L -1

Difference in [H + ] (2100 levels - 1751 levels) = 8.48 * 10 -9 mol L -1

Determine amount of H + to be neutralised in a 4 L sample (multiply difference by 4 L):

4 L sample = 33.9 * 10 -9 mol to be neutralised

Each Ca(OH) 2 provides two hydroxides, therefore we require half this amount of Ca(OH) 2 :

n(Ca(OH) 2 ) = 17.0 * 10 -9 mol

Concentration is 1.0 M (mol L -1 ), therefore answer is 17.0 nanolitres (17.0 * 10 -9 L).

3. A is correct.

Of the extra carbon dioxide added into the oceans, some remains as dissolved carbon dioxide, while the rest contributes towards making additional carbonic acid and additional bicarbonate as in the equilibria. This also increases the concentration of hydrogen ions, and the percentage increase in hydrogen is larger than the percentage increase in bicarbonate, creating an imbalance in the reaction HCO 3 ↔ CO 3 2− + H + . To maintain chemical equilibrium, some of the carbonate ions already in the ocean combine with some of the hydrogen ions to make further bicarbonate. Thus the ocean's concentration of carbonate ions is reduced, creating an imbalance in the reaction Ca 2+ + CO 3 2- ↔ CaCO 3 , and making the dissolution of formed CaCO 3 structures more likely. In other words, the CO32- concentration drops, so that the ocean is no longer saturated and CO 3 2- dissolves from the coral. This can be seen on the Bjerrum plot - as pH drops, the concentration of CO 3 2- drops too.

Section 3 Physics Answers

1. D is correct.

Using the formula P=F/A and keeping in mind that the radius of Piston A is 5 cm ,

p =

200

π x 5 2

N

cm 2

  =

200

π x 25

N

cm 2

  =

8

π

N

cm 2

  =

8

π

N

(1/100m) 2

  =

8

π

X

100 2

N

m 2

  =

8

π

X

10 4

Pa

  =

80

π

kPa

Remember that Pa (pascals) is the equivalent of N/m 2

2. D is correct.

On a hot day, the density of the water increases. Using the formula P = ρ X g X h it is clear that if the density (ρ) increases, then the pressure will increase.

However, this pressure increase is applied to both pistons. While this might increase the force applied to the water in Piston A, it increases the force applied to Piston B by the same proportion. In other words, the ratio of forces between the pistons remains the same, so the brake efficiency remains the same.

Free GAMSAT Practice Test

To see where you’re at, and what you need to work on when it comes to your GAMSAT® preparation, have a go taking our GAMSAT ® Free Trial practice test.

Taking practice tests for the GAMSAT ® examination is crucial to your preparation. A practice test allows you to try things out and see where you are at and which concepts you might be struggling with or strong in.

Most importantly, practice tests allow self-reflection on the key aspects of both general test-taking abilities and those specific to the GAMSAT ® :

Improve Your GAMSAT Time Management

Taking a GAMSAT ® free practice test allows you to gauge how quickly you are answering questions in sections 1 and 3. Many students struggle to finish these sections on time, and resort to guessing a significant portion of questions at the end of the time. Therefore, even simply finishing all questions on time gives you a significant edge over other students.

Doing a GAMSAT ® practice test online allows you to see whether you are completing Qs on time, or spending too long on individual questions. It allows you to gauge how long a set of Qs takes as opposed to individual Qs, and start to get a sense of how to allocate time between large and smaller stems.

In Section 2 Written Communication, many students fail to complete two essays in the time-frame allocated. If you take a practice test, you can get a sense of what length and detail is reasonable to aim for for yourself, and challenge yourself to balance quality/quantity. You also get a sense of the bank of ideas you have at your disposal and whether you need to develop more knowledge and material to imbue your essays with.

However, in order to gain this benefit from a practice test, the formal GAMSAT ® time restrictions should be followed. Check out our blog article for more tips on how to manage time in the GAMSAT ® exam.

Get Familiar with GAMSAT Question Style

Understanding the format of each section and question styles is important. With Sections 1 and 3, you may want to read the stem first, or read the questions first, so finding what works for you early in preparation is key.

It is important to see how GAMSAT ® asks you to apply science concepts. While you may be studying endless amounts of chemistry, physics and biology, without knowing how questions ask you to apply such information, you will not fulfill your potential in the exam. If you come from a non-science background, you may find our guide to preparing for the GAMSAT ® with a non-science background useful.

Gauge Your GAMSAT Subject Knowledge

Most relevant to section 3, taking GAMSAT ® practice tests allows you to gauge in which topics your knowledge may be lacking. This helps you to direct your time towards studying subjects/topics which are going to take you to the next level, rather than constantly going over things you may already be competent at. This is especially helpful if you are preparing for the GAMSAT ® with a non-science background.

GradReady’s GAMSAT ® Free Trial includes Online Exams which are integrated into the same intelligent MCQ system that tracks your performance across 43 subtopics - Take our Diagnostic Test and easily identify your strengths and weaknesses!

Sign up to test our industry-leading online learning technology for yourself:

Further Free GAMSAT Preparation Materials

  1. Free GAMSAT Preparation Materials

    The most comprehensive library of free GAMSAT Preparation materials available.

  2. Understanding your GAMSAT ® Results

    Covers everything you need to know about your GAMSAT ® Results - How the scoring works, result release dates and even GAMSAT ® score cutoffs.

  3. How to study for the GAMSAT ® Exam

    A breakdown of how to approach study effectively and how to set up a GAMSAT ® study schedule

  4. How to prepare for GAMSAT ® Section 1

    An overview of what to expect in Section 1 of the GAMSAT ® Exam and how to prepare.

  5. How to prepare for GAMSAT ® Section 2

    An overview of what to expect in Section 2 of the GAMSAT ® Exam, how to prepare and how to perfect your essay technique.

  6. How to prepare for GAMSAT ® Section 3

    An overview of what to expect in Section 3 of the GAMSAT ® Exam and how to prepare for each of the topics - Biology, Chemistry, & Physics.

  7. How to prepare for GAMSAT ® Biology

    Get even further details and specific tips for the Biology component of Section 3 of the GAMSAT ® Exam

  8. How to prepare for GAMSAT ® Chemistry

    Further advice and information specific to GAMSAT ® Section 3 Chemistry - Get a detailed breakdown of various topics.

  9. How to prepare for GAMSAT ® Physics

    Not sure about the value of preparing for GAMSAT ® Physics? Think again - The Physics component of Section 3 can be a key separator of student performance, get further details on how to prepare.

GradReady GAMSAT Preparation Courses

Course Key Features Description
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GradReady GAMSAT ® Attendance Courses
Attendance (Essentials) 19 Day Course - 100+ hours of Learning
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Mock Exam and Subsequent Review
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Includes all the Online Resources included in our Online (Essentials) Course.
Attendance (Comprehensive) 19 Day Course - 100+ hours of Learning
10 Marked Essays with Personal Feedback
GetClarity: Tutor Assistance when you need it on whatever you need it on
Mock Exam and Subsequent Review
Complimentary Additional Round of Virtual PBLs
Our most popular course, includes all the live classes and Mock Exam as well as access to our Online (Comprehensive) resources
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To learn more about our GAMSAT ® Preparation courses and compare their different components, view an in depth comparison here: GradReady Course Comparison

If you’re not sure which course is best for you, try our Course Recommender.

If you’re after a single feature, such as our Textbook, or access to our 4000+ Intelligent MCQ Bank, or if you want to customise your preparation, you can do so here: GradReady GAMSAT ® Custom Course.

At GradReady, we pride ourselves on providing students with the Best Results at the Best Value:

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To learn more about our courses and compare us to the competition, visit: GradReady GAMSAT ® Preparation Courses