Name Physical Science Final Core Exam Student Study Guide Your Physical Science Final Exam addresses the basic study of Physics including the Scientific Method and Laboratory Techniques and Safety. The 100-point exam consists of two major parts: Part I: Seventy percent (70%), or 70 points, of the exam is made up of core questions developed by a committee of St. Charles Parish Public Schools Science Teachers. This portion consists of: A. 50 selected response questions, each worth 1 point each. Total value: 50 points B. 5 problems, each worth 2 points. Total value: 10 points. and 2 essay questions, each worth 5 points. Total value: 10 points The core portion of the final exam is worth a total of 70 points. Part II: Thirty percent (30%), or 30 points, of the exam is determined by each individual Physical Science teacher as she/he feels appropriate for her/his classes. Questions on the exam include the following types: (a) Knowledge Level: Selected or constructed response. These questions involve the mastery (knowing and understanding) of subject matter. (b) Reasoning Level: Selected or constructed response. These questions require the use of knowledge to reason and solve problems. (c) Skills/Application Level: Constructed response. These questions involve the demonstration of application of procedural knowledge and reasoning. (d) Products Level: Constructed response. These questions require the use of skills to create a tangible product or performance. NOTE: Selected response questions are those questions tested by a multiple choice, matching, or true-false questions. Constructed response questions are those questions, which require the student to respond in writing. St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 1 of 14
CHAPTER 1- Nature of Science 1. Define problem, hypothesis, independent variable, dependent variable, constant, and conclusion. 2. Read the experiments below. List the problem, independent (manipulated) variable, dependent (responding) variable, constants, control, and the conclusion for each experiment. Experiment 1 10 ivy plants are placed in one window so each plant receives the same sunlight and temperature every day. Plants 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are given 1 ml of the new fertilizer, SQUIRT, in 10 ml of water every week. Plants 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are given only 10 ml of water every week. The experiment continues for 5 weeks. Observations of the plant are made every week, which include the number and color of leaves. After 5 weeks plants 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 had more green leaves than all other plants. Experiment 2 An experiment was designed to investigate the effect of mass on the rate of fall of different objects. The students were given the following materials and asked to find the mass of each: a. small block of wood b. large block of wood c. flat piece of loose leaf paper d. crumbled piece of paper e. metal rod f. block of Styrofoam The students used the same meter stick, stopwatch, and dropped each object from the same height. After dropping all of the objects, the students found that the heaviest objects were not necessarily the fastest. The students also noticed that the crumbled paper and the flat paper, both with the same mass, fell at different rates. St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 2 of 14
3. Reading a graph. Average Speed of Sound in Different Substances Speed of Sound ( m/s) 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 Solids Liquids Gases Vacuum Series1 Substance a. What is the concept shown in the graph? b. What conclusion can you make based on the information given in the graph? c. What can you NOT conclude from the graph? 4. Convert the following: a. 10m = km b. 2km = cm c. 250mL = L **Remember: KEEP HOT DONUTS BECAUSE DONUTS CAN T MELT KILO-HECTO-DECA-BASE UNIT-DECI-CENTI-MILLI CHAPTER 2 - Motion 1. Define motion. Make sure you use reference point or point of reference in your definition. 2. What is the difference between distance and displacement? 3. How is instantaneous speed different from average speed? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 3 of 14
4. Define balanced forces. What do balanced forces cause? 5. Define unbalanced forces. What do unbalanced forces cause? 7. Define and give an example of velocity. 8. In the above graph, how far does the car travel in 2 s and 4 s? 9. In the above graph, what is the speed of the car? 10. A car travels 240 kilometers in 3 hours. What is the speed of the car during that time? 11. The speed of a cruise ship is 50 km/hr. How far will the ship travel in 14 hours? 12. A roller coaster is moving at 25m/s at the bottom of a hill. Three seconds later it reaches the top of the next hill, moving at 10m/s. What is the deceleration of the roller coaster? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 4 of 14
CHAPTER 3 Forces and Newton s Laws 1. a. State the Law of Conservation of Momentum. b. Relate this law to the game of billiards (pool). 2. List and define Newton s Three Laws of Motion. 3. Define friction. How does friction affect the motion of objects? 4. List and define the 3 main types of friction? 5. State which law applies best to each of the following examples: a. an athlete can throw a baseball farther than he can throw a shot-put b. a cat slides off the end of a counter top c. as air moves out of a balloon, the balloon moves the opposite direction d. a small car accelerates quicker than a large truck e. an object travels in a straight path until it hits the wall and is stopped. 6. Define gravity. 7. List the two factors that affect the force of gravity. 8. If the force of gravity is the same on the whole planet, then why do objects fall at different rates? 9. Define air resistance. 10. What stays the same no matter where you are weight or mass? Explain. St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 5 of 14
11. What law explains why the planets orbit around the sun? 12. Explain how to calculate the weight of a person on Earth. 1. Define energy. CHAPTER 4 Work and Energy 2. List the FIVE forms of energy and give an example of each. 3. Define kinetic energy. 4. Define potential energy. 5. What are the three types of potential energy? 6. Give two examples of each type of potential energy. 7. Draw a swinging pendulum and label the points of maximum kinetic energy, maximum potential energy, and the point at which kinetic energy is equal to potential energy. 8. Explain the Law of Conservation of Energy. St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 6 of 14
9. Relate the figure below to the Law of Conservation of Energy. 10. When a car begins to move, what type of energy conversion occurs? 11. Describe the energy conversions which take place when you rub your hands together. 12. What types of energy are in fuel? 13. Explain the energy conversions that occur when you blow-dry your hair. 14. In the roller coaster below, at which point is there: a. maximum kinetic energy? b. maximum potential energy? c. potential energy = kinetic energy? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 7 of 14
15. Define power and give its formula. 16. Define work and give examples. 17. Give the units for energy, work, and power. 18. How does a machine make work easier? 19. Define mechanical advantage. 20. Could work input ever equal work output? Explain. 21. How can the efficiency of a machine be increased? 22. What are some ways in which friction can be reduced? 23. Define the six simple machines and give examples of each. 1. Wheel and axle - 2. 2. Pulley - Lever a. 1 st classb. 2 nd classc. 3 rd class- 4. Wedge - 5. Inclined Plane - 6. Screw - 24. A 900 Newton mountain climber scales a 100-meter cliff. How much work does the mountain climber do? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 8 of 14
CHAPTER 5 Thermal Energy 1. Define temperature. 2. How is kinetic energy related to the temperature of an object? 3. Define heat. 4. List the three methods of transferring thermal energy. CHAPTER 6 - Electricity 1. A balloon is rubbed through a person s hair making it negatively charged. When the balloon is pulled away, the hair is attracted to the balloon and stands on end. Explain what is happening. 2. Define electrical insulator. Give two examples. 3. Define electrical conductor. Give two examples. 4. Define static electricity. 5. Explain why lightning occurs. 6. What type of current is found in batteries direct or alternating? 7. Define and give an example of alternating current. 8. Define and give an example of direct current. 9. Give the units and symbols used to represent the following: a. Resistanceb. Voltagec. Current- 10. Give the formula for Ohm s Law. 11. If a battery has a voltage of 5 volts and a resistance of 2 ohms, what is the current? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 9 of 14
1 2 3 1 2 3 A B 15. Which diagram above represents a series circuit? 16. Which diagram above represents a parallel circuit? 17. What will happen in each circuit if light bulb 2 burns out? 18. Give an example of where each circuit could be used. 1. What is magnetic force? CHAPTER 7 Magnetism and Its Uses 2. Opposite charges ; like charges. 3. State whether the following will repel or attract: a. north pole and north pole b. south pole and north pole c. south pole and south pole 3. Define magnetic pole. 4. Define magnetic domain and explain how they are aligned in magnetic objects. 6. Define electromagnetism. 7. How do you increase the strength of an electromagnet? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 10 of 14
1. Define radioactivity. CHAPTER 8, Sect. 2 Only- Radioactivity 2. What is the difference between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion? 3. Define the four basic forces of an atom: strong force, electromagnetic force, weak force, and gravitational force 1. Define wave. CHAPTER 9 Introduction to Waves 2. Waves are the transfer of. 3. Define mechanical wave and give an example. 4. Define electromagnetic wave and give an example. 5. Compare and contrast transverse and compression waves. 6. Sound is a wave. 7. Light is a wave. 8. Define the following wave behaviors and give examples of each: rarefaction, compression, reflection, refraction, interference, and diffraction. 9. How are wavelength and frequency related? 10. An echo that is produced when you yell into a cave is an example of what type of wave interaction? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 11 of 14
11. Identify and define the parts of the wave below. 12. Identify and label the parts of a compression wave. CHAPTER 10 - Sound 1. In which medium does sound travel fastest? (solid, liquid or gas) Explain why. 2. Will sound travel in a vacuum? Explain. 3. What determines the pitch of a sound? What causes the pitch of a police car siren to sound higher when it is moving toward you? St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 12 of 14
CHAPTER 11 Electromagnetic Waves 1. How is the electromagnetic spectrum arranged? 2. On the electromagnetic spectrum, which waves have the: a. highest frequency and lowest wavelength? b. lowest frequency and highest wavelength? 4. Label the electromagnetic spectrum on the blank lines. Identify the use of each type of wave. 5. What color in the visible light spectrum has the most energy? Explain. St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 13 of 14
CHAPTER 12 - Light 1. Explain the index of refraction. 2. Explain the law of reflection. 1. Define mirror. CHAPTER 13 Mirrors and Lenses 2. Define lens. 3. Draw and describe how light rays are refracted by a: a. convex lens. b. concave lens. 4. Draw and describe how light rays are reflected by a: a. convex mirror. b. concave mirror. 5. Define focal point. 6. Identify the focal points and type of lens in the diagrams below. III Fig. 1 Fig. 2 St. Charles Public Parish Schools Physical Science FINAL Core Exam Page 14 of 14