PUPCET Science Review: Bio, Chem, Physics, Earth Coverage
PUPCET Science Review: Bio, Chem, Physics, Earth Coverage
PUPCET Science is the second STEM-aligned sub-test (alongside Math). The 50 items cover biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science at the senior high school level — predominantly conceptual rather than computational.
For STEM-strand applicants, this should be a strong area. For non-STEM candidates, the gap to a 60-70% score is bridgeable in 4-6 weeks of focused drilling.
This post is the topic-by-topic plan that the PUPCET 2026 pillar guide hands off to.
What PUP actually asks
Approximate item distribution within the Science sub-test:
| Domain | Approx. items |
|---|---|
| Biology | 14 |
| Chemistry | 13 |
| Physics | 13 |
| Earth science | 10 |
The split is more balanced than UPCAT (which favours physics/chemistry slightly) or DOST-SEI (which favours physics/chemistry significantly).
Biology
Drill list:
- Cell biology: cell structure, organelles, plant vs animal cell
- Cell processes: diffusion, osmosis, active transport, mitosis vs meiosis
- Photosynthesis and cellular respiration as input-output diagrams
- Mendelian genetics: monohybrid and dihybrid Punnett squares
- Sex-linked inheritance basics
- DNA structure, transcription, translation at conceptual level
- Human body systems (function-level): circulatory, respiratory, digestive, nervous, endocrine, reproductive
- Ecology: food webs, energy flow, biogeochemical cycles
- Evolution and natural selection: four conditions, common misconceptions
- Taxonomy basics
Chemistry
Drill list:
- Atomic structure: protons, neutrons, electrons, isotopes, ions
- Periodic trends: atomic radius, ionisation energy, electronegativity, metallic character
- Chemical bonding: ionic vs covalent, polar vs non-polar
- Stoichiometry basics: mole concept, molar mass, balancing equations
- States of matter, basic gas laws (Boyle's, Charles's, ideal gas)
- Solutions: solubility, concentration units (molarity, mass percent)
- Acids and bases: pH scale, neutralisation
- Basic organic chemistry: hydrocarbons, functional groups
If you can read the periodic table backwards and forwards, ~50% of chemistry items become straightforward.
Physics
Drill list:
- Kinematics in one dimension: displacement, velocity, acceleration, free fall
- Newton's three laws applied to single-body systems
- Work, energy, power; conservation of mechanical energy
- Momentum and basic collisions
- Circular motion at conceptual level
- Wave properties: frequency, wavelength, speed
- Sound and light at conceptual level (Doppler effect intuition, electromagnetic spectrum order)
- Electricity: Ohm's law, basic series/parallel circuits
PUPCET physics rarely asks projectile motion at full 2D. Conceptual items dominate.
Earth science
Drill list:
- Plate tectonics: types of boundaries and what each produces
- Rock cycle: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
- Layers of the Earth (crust, mantle, outer/inner core)
- Atmospheric layers and weather basics
- Water cycle, ocean currents, tides
- Solar system structure: planet order, basic differences
- Phases of the moon, eclipses, seasons (axis tilt)
- Climate vs weather; greenhouse effect at conceptual level
A 4-week PUPCET Science drilling plan
| Week | Focus | Volume target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology: cell + genetics + ecology | 80 items |
| 2 | Biology: human systems + evolution; Earth science | 60 items |
| 3 | Chemistry: bonding + periodic + reactions | 80 items |
| 4 | Physics + mixed mock | 1 mock + 60 items |
Realistic Science scores
| Diagnostic baseline | Realistic test-day score |
|---|---|
| 45% | 65% |
| 55% | 73% |
| 65% | 80% |
Where Super Tutor fits
Super Tutor's PUPCET Science track covers biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science with item drilling. Free tier opens biology; the Focused plan (₱49/week, ₱249/month, ₱1,999/year) opens chemistry, physics, and the mock cycle.
What to read next
The PUPCET 2026 pillar guide covers the full review. The PUPCET Math review covers the other STEM-aligned sub-test.
Start your PUPCET review
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