PHYSICAL SCIENCE STUDY GUIDE
YOU NEED TO ALSO REVIEW YOUR STUDY GUIDES ON ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM AND
THE OVERALL GEORGIA MILESTONES STUDY GUIDE YOU WERE GIVEN. YOU WILL ALSO
NEED TO KNOW HOW TO CALCULATE VELOCITY & ACCELERATION
1. The number of
protons defines the identity of the element.
2. The electrons determine the reactivity of the atom. Valence means
outer.
3. Both protons and neutons are located in the nucleus and weigh 1 a.m.u.
4. Electrons rotate around the nucleus in an
electron cloud; they are also organized into
energy levels.
5. Atoms with different numbers of protons are not the same element. Atoms with different numbers
of neutrons are called
isotopes
and they have a different atomic
mass.
Atoms with different numbers of electrons are called ions. An atom that has lost electrons is
called a anion and has a positive charge. An atom that has gained electrons is called an
cation
and has a positive charge.
6. Light can travel through a
vacuum/empty space.
Sound cannot.
7. All electromagnetic waves travel at the same speed which is the speed of
8. Sound travels fastest through
vacuum!
light. (3X108 m/s)
solids and slowest through gases, and not at all through a
Sound must have a medium to travel through.
9. The Doppler
effect
is the perceived difference in sound due to either the movement of the
listener or the sounds source.
10. The electromagnetic wave with the shortest wavelength is
electromagnetic wave with the longest wavelength is the
gamma rays and the
radio wave.
RIVUXG!
11. Wavelength and frequency are inversely related, so the wave with the highest frequency is
and the lowest frequency is
12.
radio.
Refraction is the bending of light due to changes in the density of the mediums.
13. The particle that carries radiant energy/light is a photon
gamma
14. Current that reverses direction is
direction is
alternating (AC) current.
direct (DC) current.
15. The location of the strongest magnetic forces is the magnetic
which the magnetic force acts is called the magnetic
poles The region around a magnet in
field.
16. A device that increases or decreases voltage is called a
17.
Current that travels in one
transformer.
Static electricity is the build-up of charge on an object.
Ex:
lightning
18. A path that allows only one route for an electric current is called a
If there is more than one route it is called a
19.
V = IR
Voltage = Current X Resistance
series circuit.
parallel circuit.
Voltage is measured in
volts
Current is measured in amps/Amperes Resistance is measured in
Force is measured in Neutrons. Power is measured in
Ohms Ω
watts.
20.
Acids taste sour and are H+ (donors or acceptors?). They turn blue litmus paper red
21.
Bases taste bitter and are H+ (donors or acceptors). Most household cleaners are bases.
Bases turn red litmus paper blue.
22. You need to know the different types of chemical reactions:
synthesis, decomposition, single
displacement and double displacement. You also need to know how to balance chemical reactions.
23. The Law of
Conservation of Mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed.
Therefore,
the mass of the products must equal the mass of the reactants.
24. A molecule, such as water, that is positively charged on one end and negatively charged on the other
is called a polar molecule.
25. A solution is homogenous. The substance being dissolved is the solute and the substance that is
dissolving is the solvent. The solvent has to be the greatest quantity.
Water is the universal
solvent.
26. The most reactive metals are the alkali metals and they have a charge of
The most reactive metal on the periodic table is
francium.
+1.
27. The most reactive non-metals are the halogens. They are found in group 7/17 and have a
charge of -1. They are also called the salt formers.
28. Members of the noble gases are unreactive because they have a full valence. They are found in
group 8A or
18.
29. Horizontal rows on the periodic table are called
periods and they have the same number of
energy levels/electron shells.
30. Vertical columns are called
groups they have the same number of valence electrons.
31. The most common state of matter in the universe is
plasma.
32. Hydrogen is not a metal. Why is it on the left side of the periodic table?
It has 1 valence
electron.
33.
Solids have a definite volume and shape.
They have the least amount of kinetic energy.
34. Liquids have a definite volume but not a definite shape, they take the shape of their container.
They have more kinetic energy than solids but less than gases.
35.
Gases have no definite volume of shape.
A gas with a charge is called
plasma, it is made of very
fast ions.
36. Most elements need
8 valence electrons to have a full shell.
37. The atomic mass is the number of
This is called the
octet rule.
protons + neutrons
38. The atomic number is the number of
protons in the nucleus., also equal to the number of
electrons in an uncharged atom.
39. Atomic mass – atomic number = the number of
neutrons in the atom.
40. # of protons - # of electrons = the charge of the atom
41. You need to know the difference between alpha, beta & gamma radiation and know how to calculate
half lives.
42. The amount by which a machine multiplies effort force is called the mechanical
You need to know how to calculate them!
advantage.
43. The rate at which work is done is called
power. The formula is work/time
44. The sun transmits its energy to the earth by radiation
45. Liquids and gases that have currents transmit energy by
convection.
46. Thermal energy transferred by conduction requires the objects to be
touching
47. The amount of gravitational attraction between 2 objects depends on their
mass
and the distance between them.
48. Force = mass X acceleration
Force is measured in
Neutrons, mass in grams
or kilograms, and acceleration in m/s2 (usually).
49. Velocity is speed in a certain
direction
50. A horizontal line on a velocity/time graph shows
0 acceleration/steady speed
51. A horizontal line on a distance/time graph means
the object is stopped.
52. What is the difference between displacement and distance?
Distance is how far you
travelled, displacement is how far you are from your starting point.
+ for Tyndall effect
separates upon standing