The TEAS 7 Science section has 50 questions (44 scored, 6 unscored/pretest) and a 60-minute time limit, making it the largest section of the exam at roughly 29% of your total scored questions. It is divided into four content areas: Human Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, and Scientific Reasoning. Because it spans four separate disciplines in about a minute per question, Science is the section most test-takers name as their hardest — and the one where uneven study time hurts the most.
Want to jump straight into practice? TEAS Academy has a dedicated TEAS Science practice test with 600+ rationale-backed questions across all four content areas.
How the TEAS 7 Science Section Is Weighted
Anatomy & physiology carries the most weight of any single content area, with biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning splitting the remainder. Exact question counts can shift slightly between exam forms, so treat the numbers below as approximate study-planning guidance rather than a guaranteed blueprint — always confirm current weighting with ATI's official TEAS 7 study manual.
| Content Area | Approx. Share of Science Questions | Core Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy & Physiology | Largest single area | 10 major body systems, structure/function, basic pathology |
| Biology | Second-largest | Cell structure, macromolecules, mitosis/meiosis, genetics, DNA |
| Chemistry | Similar size to Biology | Atomic structure, periodic table, reactions, acids/bases, states of matter |
| Scientific Reasoning | Smallest area | Scientific method, experimental design, data/graph interpretation |
1. Human Anatomy & Physiology
This is the highest-yield topic on the entire Science section. Know the structure, function, and interactions of these 10 body systems:
- Integumentary (skin, hair, nails)
- Skeletal
- Muscular
- Nervous
- Endocrine
- Cardiovascular/circulatory
- Lymphatic/immune
- Respiratory
- Digestive
- Urinary/excretory
Expect questions on how systems work together — for example, how the respiratory and cardiovascular systems cooperate in gas exchange, or how the endocrine system regulates blood glucose. Cardiovascular and endocrine questions are especially common, so prioritize those two systems if you're short on time.
2. Biology
TEAS 7 biology questions focus on cellular and molecular concepts, including:
- Cell membrane structure and selective permeability
- Organelles and their functions (mitochondria, ribosomes, nucleus, etc.)
- Macromolecules (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids)
- Cellular reproduction: mitosis vs. meiosis
- Basic genetics: dominant/recessive traits, Punnett squares, DNA structure
- Introductory evolution concepts
Diagrams are common here — you may need to label an organelle or interpret a genetic cross rather than just recall a fact.
3. Chemistry
Chemistry is new to the scored Science section as of TEAS 7 (it replaced the older, more general "Life and Physical Sciences" category). Focus on:
- Atomic structure and the periodic table (groups, periods, valence electrons)
- Types of chemical bonds (ionic, covalent)
- Balancing simple chemical equations
- Acids, bases, and pH
- States of matter and phase changes
4. Scientific Reasoning
These questions test your ability to think like a scientist, not just recall facts:
- Steps of the scientific method
- Identifying independent vs. dependent variables
- Evaluating experimental design (controls, sample size, bias)
- Interpreting data from tables, graphs, and charts
- Drawing valid conclusions from evidence
Study Strategy for the Science Section
- Start with anatomy & physiology. It's the single biggest point source, so a strong foundation here has the largest impact on your composite score.
- Don't skip biology and chemistry just because they're newer. Together they represent a meaningful share of scored questions, and many students under-prepare for them because older TEAS 6 study guides don't cover them well.
- Practice scientific reasoning with real data sets. These questions reward comfort with graphs and tables more than memorization.
- Use full-length, timed practice. At about one minute per question, pacing matters as much as content knowledge. TEAS Academy's Science practice test includes instant scoring and rationales so you can see exactly why an answer is right or wrong, and its Tutor Mode lets you review explanations as you go.