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Exam Review

Key Facts: Basque PAU General Sciences Exam

90 Minutes

Exam time duration

UPV/EHU PAU Commission

EUR 86.33

Ordinary registration fee

UPV/EHU 2026 Fees

0–10 Scale

Grading scale for Bachillerato and PAU exams

Spanish Ministry of Education

4 Core Blocks

Official syllabus domains

UPV/EHU Syllabus

100 Questions

Practice bank size in OpenExamPrep

OpenExamPrep

Basque Country PAU General Sciences (UPV/EHU 2026) is a 90-minute university entrance exam assessing 2º Bachillerato syllabus domains.

Sample Basque PAU General Sciences Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Basque PAU General Sciences exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which principle, formulated by Karl Popper, asserts that a hypothesis must be capable of being proven wrong through empirical observation to be considered scientific?
A.Falsifiability
B.Verificationism
C.Inductive proof
D.Methodological determinism
Explanation: Karl Popper proposed falsifiability as the key criterion distinguishing scientific statements from non-scientific or pseudoscientific ones. For a hypothesis to be falsifiable, there must be a conceivable empirical observation or experiment that could demonstrate its falsehood.
2What is the primary purpose of conducting a double-blind clinical trial during medical drug testing?
A.To ensure all participants receive the therapeutic drug rather than an inert substance
B.To eliminate observer bias and participant placebo effects simultaneously
C.To allow researchers to modify the treatment protocol dynamically based on interim patient feedback
D.To reduce the total number of subjects needed to establish statistical power
Explanation: In a double-blind trial, neither the participants nor the administering researchers know who receives the active treatment and who receives the placebo. This setup prevents patient expectations from influencing subjective symptom reports and prevents researcher expectations from unconsciously influencing data evaluation.
3Which cognitive bias occurs when a researcher selectively emphasizes evidence that supports their existing hypothesis while ignoring or discounting conflicting data?
A.Hindsight bias
B.Availability heuristic
C.Confirmation bias
D.Anchoring bias
Explanation: Confirmation bias describes the psychological tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses. Scientists employ controls, blinding, and peer review specifically to minimize confirmation bias.
4What is the key role of peer review in academic scientific publishing?
A.Determining the retail market price of academic journal subscriptions
B.Guaranteeing that all published experimental results are 100% free of error
C.Securing patent protections and intellectual property rights for the authors
D.Evaluating research methodology, data integrity, and logical conclusions before publication
Explanation: Peer review involves independent experts evaluating a manuscript for methodological rigor, statistical validity, clarity, and logical consistency. While it cannot catch every error, it serves as an essential quality control filter in scientific literature.
5In experimental science, what is an independent variable?
A.The variable that the experimenter intentionally manipulates to observe its effect
B.The variable that is measured as the outcome or response in the experiment
C.A variable kept constant across all test groups to prevent confounding
D.An uncontrolled environmental factor that introduces random measurement error
Explanation: The independent variable is the factor deliberately altered or controlled by the experimenter to test its causal relationship with an outcome. The measured outcome that responds to changes in the independent variable is the dependent variable.
6Why does a statistical correlation between two variables not automatically prove a cause-and-effect relationship?
A.Correlation coefficients can only be calculated for qualitative rather than numerical data
B.A third confounding variable may drive changes in both observed variables simultaneously
C.Statistical correlation only exists when variables share identical physical measurement units
D.Causation can only be established using mathematical computer models, never empirical data
Explanation: Correlation does not imply causation because two variables may track together due to a shared underlying third variable (confounder). For example, warm summer weather increases both ice cream consumption and swimming activity, creating a correlation without a direct causal link.
7According to environmental law and public policy, what does the Precautionary Principle mandate when introducing a new technology or chemical product?
A.Banning all technological innovations that pose any non-zero risk of failure regardless of benefits
B.Delaying all regulatory action until definitive, 100% conclusive proof of environmental damage is demonstrated
C.Taking protective action when there is plausible evidence of serious harm, even if full scientific certainty is lacking
D.Shifting all financial liability from technology developers onto local government regulatory agencies
Explanation: The Precautionary Principle states that if an action or policy has a suspected risk of causing severe or irreversible harm, preventive action should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.
8Which characteristic is a typical hallmark of pseudoscience rather than legitimate scientific inquiry?
A.Quantifying measurement uncertainties and reporting statistical confidence intervals
B.Subjecting claims to rigorous double-blind testing and publishing in peer-reviewed journals
C.Continually revising core theoretical models when presented with reproducible novel empirical data
D.Relying on ad hoc hypotheses to explain away failed predictions without updating core premises
Explanation: Pseudoscience often relies on ad hoc hypotheses—untestable excuses invented on the spot to save a belief from being disproven by negative experimental results. In contrast, genuine science updates or abandons hypotheses when predictions fail in controlled experiments.
9What is the 'reproducibility crisis' currently discussed in biomedical research, and how does open science address it?
A.The inability of independent labs to replicate published experimental results; addressed by sharing raw data and protocols transparently
B.A shortage of qualified academic peer reviewers; addressed by using automated artificial intelligence to approve manuscripts
C.The exponential growth of scientific journals; addressed by capping the total number of papers a researcher can publish per year
D.The decline in funding for basic research; addressed by privatizing all university research facilities
Explanation: The reproducibility crisis refers to findings showing that many published scientific studies cannot be replicated by independent researchers. Open science initiatives tackle this problem by promoting open access to raw data, detailed methodologies, software code, and pre-registration of study designs.
10How does a systematic measurement error differ fundamentally from a random measurement error?
A.Systematic errors can be eliminated by averaging a large sample size, whereas random errors cannot
B.Systematic errors shift measurements consistently in one direction, whereas random errors scatter measurements unpredictably around the true value
C.Random errors are caused by faulty instrument calibration, whereas systematic errors stem from environmental fluctuations
D.Systematic errors only occur in qualitative research, whereas random errors only occur in quantitative physics experiments
Explanation: Systematic errors cause measurement readings to deviate predictably in the same direction (e.g., an uncalibrated balance reading 0.5g high). Random errors result from unpredictable fluctuations and scatter data around the mean value. Averaging multiple trials reduces random error but does not remove systematic bias.

About the Basque PAU General Sciences Exam

The Basque Country PAU General Sciences practice question bank provides practice questions for 2º Bachillerato students preparing for university admission (UPV/EHU). Items cover science, technology & society, energy transition, matter and chemical principles, health, molecular genetics, and human biology.

Exam sponsor: PAU Organising Commission of the Basque Country / UPV/EHU. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Written 90-minute standardized exam. Local practice items are an English-language MCQ study adaptation of the official open/semi-constructed Basque Country PAU paper, not an official translation or format simulation.

Time Limit

90 minutes (1.5 hours)

Passing Score

Marked on a 0–10 scale. Minimum 4.0 required in Access Phase to combine with Bachillerato GPA (60% Bachillerato + 40% PAU >= 5.0 to pass).

Exam / Certification Fees

EUR 86.33 ordinary registration fee (UPV/EHU 2026 PAU)

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

20%

Science, Technology & Society

Scientific methodology, epistemology, experimental controls, peer review, scientific communication, ethics, and distinguishing science from pseudoscience.

25%

Energy & Sustainability

Renewable and non-renewable energy sources, climate change, greenhouse gas dynamics, ecological and carbon footprints, energy transition, and circular economy.

25%

Matter & Chemistry Principles

Atomic structure, chemical bonding, stoichiometry, chemical reactions, solution chemistry, acids and bases, organic compounds, and environmental chemistry.

30%

Health, Genetics & Human Biology

Pathogens, immunity, vaccines, antibiotics, public health, molecular genetics, gene expression, biotechnology, Mendelian genetics, and human inheritance.

Preparing for the Basque PAU General Sciences Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Marked on a 0–10 scale. Minimum 4.0 required in Access Phase to combine with Bachillerato GPA (60% Bachillerato + 40% PAU >= 5.0 to pass).
  • Assessment: Written 90-minute standardized exam. Local practice items are an English-language MCQ study adaptation of the official open/semi-constructed Basque Country PAU paper, not an official translation or format simulation.
  • Time limit: 90 minutes (1.5 hours)
  • Exam / certification fees: EUR 86.33 ordinary registration fee (UPV/EHU 2026 PAU) Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Basque PAU General Sciences: Suggested Study Strategy

1Review key 2º Bachillerato General Sciences concepts and authoritative definitions.
2Practice solving past open and problem-solving questions under timed 90-minute conditions.
3Pay attention to precise terminology and clear step-by-step reasoning in explanations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the registration fee for PAU General Sciences in the Basque Country?

The fee is EUR 86.33 for ordinary registration for the PAU at UPV/EHU for 2026.

How is the PAU General Sciences paper scored?

The paper is scored from 0 to 10 points. A minimum score of 4.0 points in the Access Phase is required to average with Bachillerato grades.

How long is the PAU General Sciences exam?

The examination duration is 90 minutes (1.5 hours).

What languages are available for the exam at UPV/EHU?

The official exam paper is provided in Basque (Euskara) and Spanish (Castellano).