Enroll in Physical Science with Dolphin STEM Academy

Course Overview

Science is the study of the natural world. It relies on experimentation and evidence to
describe the natural events that occur around us. Physical science is the study of matter
and energy. In Physical Science A, you’ll describe the atomic and molecular structure of
substances using models. You will investigate how chemical reactions involve energy
and lead to changes in properties of substances. You’ll also model different kinds of
forces and the effect they have on the motion of objects. You’ll solve problems involving
work and power and apply these principles to simple machines. Finally, you will see
how simple machines make up more complex machines that are important in our lives.

Course Goals

By the end of this course, you will be able to do the following:
Apply the steps of the scientific method to explain phenomena involving matter and energy.
Classify matter by its composition and properties.
Model atomic and molecular structures of substances.
Explain the relationship between thermal energy and states of matter.
Describe the Bohr model of an atom.
Research historical models of the atom developed by scientists.
Compare properties of reactants and products to determine whether a chemical
reaction has occurred.
Develop a model to show that atoms are conserved in chemical reactions.
Describe energy changes that occur during a chemical reaction.
Design, build, test, and modify a device that relies on a transfer of thermal energy.
Describe the properties and uses of synthetic materials and how they affect society.
Identify and sketch forces that act on real-world objects.
Analyze the motion of objects using words, equations, and graphs.
Explain how the concepts of force and motion are related.
Analyze input and output forces in simple machines.
Solve problems involving work and power.
Design, build, test, and modify a device that uses one or more simple machines.