Praxis 5005 Life Science

Content category II of the Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005): about 18–19 of the 55 questions (33%). The topics ETS lists, how they are tested and practice questions with explanations.

Take a full timed Praxis 5005 practice test

55 questions on the real 60-minute clock, weighted like the ETS test, with a score by content category and an explanation for every answer.

Or start the free Life Science drill

What ETS lists

  • The structure and function of living systems (cells, tissues and organs, life processes)
  • Reproduction and heredity
  • Change over time in living things (life cycles, mutations, adaptation, natural selection)
  • Regulation and behavior
  • Unity and diversity of life, adaptation and classification
  • The interdependence of organisms (ecosystems, populations, communities)
  • Personal health (nutrition, communicable diseases, substance abuse)

From the ETS Elementary Education: Science Subtest (5005) Study Companion, content category II.

Line drawing of a microscope, a potted seedling and a butterfly

How Life Science is tested

Cells and body systems, photosynthesis and respiration, inheritance and Punnett squares, life cycles and adaptation, classification, food chains and webs, and personal health. Expect a few data and experiment questions as well.

Start the free Life Science drill

Praxis 5005 Life Science practice questions

Answer each question, then open the explanation.

Question 1

A small tree gains substantial dry mass while growing in soil whose dry mass changes very little. What is the main source of the carbon in the tree’s new wood?

  1. A.Solid mineral particles absorbed intact by roots
  2. B.Water molecules absorbed from the soil
  3. C.Carbon dioxide taken from the air
  4. D.Oxygen gas absorbed from the atmosphere
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: C: Carbon dioxide taken from the air

Photosynthesis incorporates carbon from atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic molecules used to build wood. Water and minerals are essential inputs, but they do not supply the carbon atoms in those molecules.

Question 2

A student reads that a particular fertilizer increases bean growth. Which source best allows the student to evaluate the evidence for that claim?

  1. A.An advertisement quoting one gardener without describing a comparison group
  2. B.A package label repeating that the product is the best available
  3. C.A social post showing a single large plant without its growing conditions
  4. D.A study reporting treatment groups, sample sizes, methods, and growth measurements
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D: A study reporting treatment groups, sample sizes, methods, and growth measurements

A report of methods and results allows a reader to examine controls, sample size, and measured effects. A testimonial or isolated photograph does not provide that basis for evaluation.

Question 3

Select all that apply.

Which organisms have a pupal stage as part of complete metamorphosis? Select all that apply.

  1. A.Beetles
  2. B.Dragonflies
  3. C.Grasshoppers
  4. D.Butterflies
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: A: Beetles; D: Butterflies

Butterflies and beetles develop through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Grasshoppers and dragonflies undergo incomplete metamorphosis and lack a pupal stage.

Question 4

A dog learns to sit when it hears a particular tone after repeated pairing of the tone with a food reward. Which description best characterizes this behavior?

  1. A.A mutation passed to offspring during training
  2. B.A learned response shaped by experience
  3. C.An inherited reflex that requires no experience
  4. D.A maturational behavior appearing at a fixed age regardless of training
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: B: A learned response shaped by experience

The dog’s response develops through repeated experience with the tone and reward. An inherited reflex does not depend on this training history.

Take the full test under the real clock

Take a full timed Praxis 5005 practice test

55 questions on the real 60-minute clock, weighted like the ETS test, with a score by content category and an explanation for every answer.

Or start the free Life Science drill

Common questions

How many Life Science questions are on the Praxis 5005?

ETS lists about 18–19 of the 55 questions in Life Science, about 33% of the test.

What does Life Science cover on the Praxis 5005?

The structure and function of living systems (cells, tissues and organs, life processes); Reproduction and heredity; Change over time in living things (life cycles, mutations, adaptation, natural selection); Regulation and behavior; Unity and diversity of life, adaptation and classification; The interdependence of organisms (ecosystems, populations, communities); Personal health (nutrition, communicable diseases, substance abuse).

How should I study Life Science for the Praxis 5005?

Cells and body systems, photosynthesis and respiration, inheritance and Punnett squares, life cycles and adaptation, classification, food chains and webs, and personal health. Expect a few data and experiment questions as well.

Praxis is a registered trademark of ETS. Original independent practice questions written to the published ETS Study Companions; not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS.