Recommendation for individuals using a screenreader: please set your punctuation settings to "most."
Descriptive Statements:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the various historical and contemporary models of atomic structure and their supporting evidence.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the electron and nuclear characteristics, properties, and structure of an atom and the energy associated with an atom and its parts.
- Apply knowledge of physical and chemical properties of matter and how to classify mixtures (e.g., homogeneous, heterogeneous, suspensions) and pure substances (e.g., atoms, elements, compounds) based on their composition and other properties.
- Apply knowledge of the organization of the periodic table and trends of physical and chemical properties therein, including the relative reactivity of given elements.
- Apply knowledge of the basic principles (e.g., temperature, heat, energy) of the kinetic molecular theory, including the distinguishing characteristics and changes in the states of matter.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the behavior of ideal gases, including the relationships between pressure, temperature, and volume.
- Apply knowledge of stoichiometry and the mole concept, including balancing chemical equations and solving problems involving the mass relationships of reactants and products and the conservation of mass in chemical reactions.
- Apply knowledge of different types of chemical bonds (e.g., ionic, covalent, hydrogen) and their effect on the properties and characteristics of matter, including design requirements on materials (e.g., metal joints in bridges, elastic properties of molecular chains).
- Apply knowledge of nuclear processes (e.g., radioactive decay, fission, fusion), isotopes, typical nuclear reactions (i.e., alpha, beta, and gamma), and the scale of energy involved.
- Demonstrate knowledge of scientific practices (e.g., asking questions; developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; using mathematics and computational thinking; constructing explanations; engaging in argument from evidence; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information) and the engineering design process (e.g., defining problems, iterative design, designing solutions) related to the characteristics, properties, and structures within matter, including science ethics, safety procedures, and the proper use of equipment.
Sample Item:
Which of the following changes in a helium-4 atom would require the most energy?
- an electron being removed from the atom
- an electron transitioning from an excited state to a lower state
- a neutron being removed from the atom
- a neutron transitioning from the ground state to a higher state
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
C. Two neutrons and two protons are located in the nucleus of the helium-4 atom. The strong force which holds the protons and neutrons together takes a greater amount of energy to overcome than the electrostatic forces between protons and electrons. Because of this difference, the amount of energy required to remove a neutron from the atom is greater than the energy required for removal or movement of an electron.
Descriptive Statements:
- Analyze the properties and the energy of reactants and products in chemical reactions, including acid-base reactions and oxidation-reduction reactions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of factors that affect reaction rates (e.g., catalysts, concentration, temperature).
- Demonstrate knowledge of the concept of chemical equilibrium and the factors that influence chemical equilibrium, including Le Ch�telier's principle.
- Analyze phase changes, phase diagrams, and heating and cooling curves.
- Apply knowledge of the laws of thermodynamics and the principles of calorimetry, including solving basic calorimetry problems.
- Apply knowledge of factors that affect the solubility of a substance and the rate at which substances dissolve.
- Analyze energy changes involved in phase transitions, dissolving solutes in solvents, and diluting solutions.
- Demonstrate knowledge of scientific practices (e.g., asking questions; developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking; constructing explanations; engaging in argument from evidence; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information) and the engineering design process (e.g., defining problems, iterative design, designing solutions) related to chemical reactions and their relationship to energy within systems, including safety procedures and the proper use of equipment.
Sample Item:
Which of the following statements is valid when the concentration of NaClN A C L mixed in water is doubled?
- The enthalpy of the solution will remain the same since the energies needed to break the NaClN A C L bonds and hydrate the ions remain the same.
- The enthalpy of the solution will increase and be more positive because more energy is required to break more NaClN A C L bonds.
- The enthalpy of the solution will decrease because more energy is released, which will heat the system and help it dissolve.
- The enthalpy of the solution will remain the same since the ions are so much smaller than the water molecules.
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
C. When NaClN A C L is dissolved in water, an input of energy is required to separate its sodium and chloride ions. When the amount of the solute is doubled while the amount of the solvent remains the same, the energy needed to separate the ions is doubled.
Descriptive Statements:
- Apply knowledge of the laws of motion and their relationships to force and mass, including determining quantities within static and dynamic scenarios.
- Analyze motion in terms of vector and scalar concepts (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration).
- Analyze free body diagrams to solve problems involving multiple forces in one and two dimensions.
- Analyze and evaluate systems to meet or refine criteria involving net force on a system.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the universal law of gravitation and its applications.
- Apply knowledge of the types and uses of simple machines and their principles of operation, including understanding work and power and their relationship to force.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the conservation of energy and momentum, including collisions.
- Apply knowledge of different types of energy (e.g., potential, kinetic, thermal) and types of energy transfer (i.e., convection, conduction, and radiation).
- Apply knowledge of the work-energy theorem, including using models and determining changes and rates of changes in the amounts of different types of energy in systems.
- Demonstrate knowledge of scientific practices (e.g., asking questions; developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking; constructing explanations; engaging in argument from evidence; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information) and the engineering design process (e.g., defining problems, iterative design, designing solutions) related to force, motion, work, and energy, including safety procedures and the proper use of equipment.
Sample Item:
A ramp has a height of h = 1.5 m meters and an efficiency of 80%. Which of the following energies is required to move a 100 kg kilograms object up the ramp to height h?
- 792 J joules
- 1,470 J joules
- 1,764 J joules
- 1,838 J joules
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
D. The efficiency of the ramp is E = work (energy) output / work (energy) input (� 100%) E equals work energy output divided by work energy input times 100 percent . First, work (energy) output can be calculated by using the equation work (energy) = (mass) (acceleration of gravity) (height) work energy equals mass times acceleration of gravity times height . The resulting value 1,470 J joules can then be substituted into the efficiency equation, yielding the equation .8 = 1,470 J / x point 8 equals 11470 joules over X . Solving for x provides the work (energy) input of 1,838 J joules .
Descriptive Statements:
- Apply knowledge of the properties of different types of waves (e.g., speed, frequency, wavelength), including the differences in these properties when waves are moving in various types of media.
- Apply knowledge of the properties and propagation of sound waves, including the Doppler effect.
- Analyze the effects of mirrors, lenses, and prisms on the behavior of light.
- Demonstrate knowledge of refraction, reflection, and polarization of electromagnetic waves.
- Apply knowledge of waves carrying energy.
- Demonstrate knowledge that information can be embedded in waves in analog or digital format, including the advantages and disadvantages of each format.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the particle and wave behavior of electromagnetic radiation, including supporting experimental evidence.
- Apply knowledge of the particle and wave models of electromagnetic radiation (e.g., photoelectric effect, ionizing radiation, photoelectric cells).
- Apply knowledge of Coulomb's law and the characteristics of electric charge, electric force, electric fields, static electricity, electric current, and potential difference.
- Analyze the operation of series and parallel circuits and the relationships between electric current, voltage, and resistance described by Ohm's law, including the underlying atomic and molecular properties that give rise to conductors.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of permanent magnets and magnetic fields, including the underlying atomic and molecular properties that contribute to a macroscopic-scale magnetic effect.
- Demonstrate knowledge of electromagnets and the principles and applications of electromagnetism (e.g., transformers, inductors, motors, generators).
- Demonstrate knowledge of scientific practices (e.g., asking questions; developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking; constructing explanations; engaging in argument from evidence; obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information) and the engineering design process (e.g., defining problems, iterative design, designing solutions) related to waves, electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetism, including safety procedures and the proper use of equipment.
Sample Item:
Which of the following explanations best describes how solar sails are able to propel spacecraft?
- Solar sails convert the physical bombardment of solar particles to kinetic energy of the spacecraft.
- Solar sails convert the energy of electromagnetic waves striking the sail to kinetic energy of the spacecraft.
- Solar sails convert the energy of the upper atmospheric wind striking the sail to kinetic energy of the spacecraft.
- Solar sails convert kinetic energy from particles produced during radioactive decay that strike the sail to kinetic energy of the spacecraft.
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
B. Solar sails rely on radiation pressure to propel spacecraft. A portion of the momentum of the photons emitted by the sun is transferred to the sail, giving it the kinetic energy to move in space.
View Cart