Ninth Grade Science Standards
Content Standard:
9th PS1A
Average velocity is defined as a change
in position (displacement) with respect
to time. Velocity includes both speed and
direction.
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
Performance Expectations:
Enabling Knowledge:
Sample Tasks:
Calculate the average velocity of a
moving object, given the object’s
change in position and time.
(v = x2-x1/ t2-t1)
Students will understand that a
change in position over a period of
time produces average velocity.
Determine if two students traveling
at 1 m/s in different directions have
the same velocity.
Students will understand that a
change in position from point A to
point B is called displacement.
Describe the velocity of an object
that travels north 6.9 m in 3 s, then
turns and travels south 2.8 m in 4 s.
Students will understand that
average velocity can be calculated
using the formula (v = x2-x1/ t2-t1)
A bus leaves Pasco at 6:00 am and
travels to Seattle, a distance of 212
miles, and arrives at 12:00 pm.
Determine its average velocity.
Explain how two objects moving at the
same speed can have different
velocities.
Students will understand that
velocity has two components: speed
and direction.
9th PS1B
Average acceleration is defined as a
change in velocity with respect to time.
Acceleration indicates a change in speed
and/or a change in direction.
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
Calculate the average acceleration of
an object, given the object’s change in
velocity with respect to time. (a = v2-v1/
t2-t1)
Students will understand that a
change in direction and speed in a
given amount of time produces
average acceleration.
Explain how an object moving at
constant speed can be accelerating.
Students will understand that
acceleration includes velocity
and/or change of direction.
Students will understand that
average acceleration can be
calculated using the formula
(a = v2-v1/ t2-t1)
If Joe walked two blocks south,
three blocks west, then three more
blocks south, what is his
displacement?
How are acceleration, time, and
velocity related?
What are three ways an object can
accelerate?
How can an object’s acceleration be
calculated?
An airplane starts at rest and
accelerates down the runway for 25
s. At the end of the runway, its
velocity is 90 m/s south. What is its
acceleration?
9th PS1C
An object at rest will remain at rest
unless acted on by an unbalanced force.
An object in motion at constant velocity
will continue at the same velocity unless
acted on by an unbalanced force.
(Newton’s First Law of Motion, the Law
of Inertia)
Given specific scenarios, compare the
motion of an object acted on by
balanced forces with the motion of an
object acted on by unbalanced forces.
Students will understand that it
takes a force to create motion.
Students will understand that the
greater the force exerted on an
object, the greater the unbalanced
force will be.
Students will understand that the net
force on an object is the
combination of all the forces acting
on the object.
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
Students will understand that when
forces are equal in opposite
directions on the same object they
create a balanced force.
9th PS1D
A net force will cause an object to
accelerate or change direction. A less
massive object will speed up more
quickly than a more massive object
subjected to the same force. (Newton’s
Second Law of Motion, F=ma)
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
Predict how objects of different masses
will accelerate when subjected to the
same force.
Calculate the acceleration of an object,
given the object’s mass and the net
force on the object, using Newton’s
Second Law of Motion (F=ma).
Students will understand that
gravity and mass have a large
influence on balanced and
unbalanced forces.
Students will understand that the
greater the mass of an object, the
greater the force required to cause it
to accelerate.
Students will understand that the
force it takes to cause and object of
any given mass to move can be
determined using the equation
F=ma.
Students will understand that the
acceleration of an object can be
determined using the equation
a=Fnet/m.
How are force and motion related?
Must there be an unbalanced force
acting on a moving object?
Explain.
Two students push on a box
easterly, and one student pushes
westerly. What is the net force on
the box if each student pushes with
a force of 50N?
Discuss what force keeps all the
planets in orbit in our solar system
and whether it is a balanced or
unbalanced force.
If an objects mass increases 10
times, how does that affect the force
needed to make it move? Would an
increase in gravity have the same
effect? Explain.
Diagram the four forces acting on
an ice-skater skating forward.
Indicate net force as balanced or
unbalanced.
Explain why an object with a
smaller mass has a larger
acceleration than an object with a
larger mass if the same force acts on
each.
If a helicopter’s mass is 4,500 kg
and the net force on it is 18,000 N
upward, what is its acceleration?
9th PS1E
Whenever one object exerts a force on
another object, a force of equal
magnitude is exerted on the first object
in the opposite direction. (Newton’s
Third Law of Motion)
Illustrate with everyday examples that
for every action there is an equal and
opposite reaction (e.g., a person exerts
the same force on the Earth as the Earth
exerts on the person).
Students will understand that when
an object exerts a force on a second
object, the second object exerts a
force on the first object.
For a hit in baseball, compare the
force exerted by the bat on the ball
to the force exerted by the ball on
the bat. Explain how bats
sometimes break.
Predict how the gravitational force
between two bodies would differ for
bodies of different masses or different
distances apart.
Students will understand that the
force that draws an apple toward the
Earth when it falls from a tree is the
same force that draws the moon
toward the Earth.
Anita is very concerned about her
weight but seldom does anything
about it. After learning about
Newton's law of universal
gravitation in Science class, she
becomes all concerned about the
possible affect of a change in
Earth's mass upon her weight.
During a free moment at the lunch
table, she speaks up "How would
my weight change if the mass of the
Earth increased by 10%?" How
would you answer Anita?
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
9th PS1F
Gravitation is a universal attractive force
by which objects with mass attract one
another. The gravitational force between
two objects is proportional to their
masses and inversely proportional to the
square of the distance between the
objects. (Newton’s Law of Universal
Gravitation)
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
Explain how the weight of an object
can change while its mass remains
constant.
Students will understand that any
object with mass has a gravitational
pull. The greater the mass, the
greater its gravitation attraction.
Students will understand that
gravity has a direct influence on an
objects weight, the greater the
gravitational attraction the greater
the objects weight.
Students will understand that the
closer two objects are together the
greater the gravitational attraction.
9th PS1G
Electrical force is a force of nature
independent of gravity that exists
between charged objects. Opposite
charges attract while like charges repel.
Predict whether two charged objects
will attract or repel each other, and
explain why.
Students will understand that charge
is the property of an object that
causes electrical force.
Students will understand that
charges exist as positive or negative.
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
Students will understand that like
charges repel each other and unlike
charges attract each other.
9th PS1H
Electricity and magnetism are two
aspects of a single electromagnetic force.
Moving electric charges produce
magnetic forces, and moving magnets
produce electric forces.
Demonstrate and explain that an
electric current flowing in a wire will
create a magnetic field around the wire
(electromagnetic effect).
(Enduring Understanding: Multiple
forces affect an objects motion in
predictable ways. These affects are
explained by Newton’s Laws.)
Demonstrate and explain that moving a
magnet near a wire will cause an
electric current to flow in the wire (the
generator effect).
Indicate which pairs of charges will
repel and which will attract.
Explain what factors affect the
strength of the electric force.
Demonstrate the concept of
repelling charges and attractive
charges using two magnets.
Students will understand that an
electric current can create a
magnetic field.
Describe how hydroelectric power
plants use moving water to produce
electricity.
Students will understand that a
moving magnet near non-insulated
wire will create and electric current.
Demonstrate how one creates a
magnetic field using a battery, bare
wire, nail, and iron filings.
Students will understand that
different forces are created by
magnetism and electricity.
Demonstrate how one creates an
electric current using a battery, two
copper strips, magnet, and noninsulated copper wire.
9th PS3A
Although energy can be transferred from
one object to another and can be
transformed from one form of energy to
another form, the total energy in a closed
system remains the same. The concept of
conservation of energy, applies to all
physical and chemical changes.
Describe a situation in which energy is
transferred from one place to another
and explain how energy is conserved.
Students will understand that energy
can be transferred from one medium
to another.
Explain, using different resource
materials, how energy is transferred
from one resource to another.
Describe a situation in which energy is
transformed from one form to another
and explain how energy is conserved.
Students will understand that energy
is never lost but conserved in one
form or another.
Explain how energy is transformed
from moving water to heat created
by a light bulb.
Students will understand that energy
can be transformed from one form
to another.
Describe, in detail, an open system.
Students will understand that there
is a difference between an open
system and a closed system.
Relate, through an open system , the
existence of different forms of
energy.
(Enduring Understanding: Energy can
take many forms and be transferred
or transformed. Within a closed
system the total energy is conserved.)
Describe, in detail, a closed system.
Students will understand that energy
exists in many forms, including
kinetic, potential, chemical,
electrical, thermal (heat), and light.
9th PS3B
Kinetic energy is the energy of motion.
The kinetic energy of an object is
defined by the equation: Ek = ½ mv2
(Enduring Understanding: Energy can
take many forms and be transferred
or transformed. Within a closed
system the total energy is conserved.)
Calculate the kinetic energy of an
object, given the object’s mass and
velocity.
Students will understand that kinetic
energy has to do with an objects
motion.
A falling apple can do more work
than a cherry falling at the same
speed. Explain why.
Students will understand that the
object must have mass and velocity
in order to have kinetic energy.
An apple that is moving at 10 m/s
can do more work than an apple
moving at 1 m/s can. Explain why.
Students will understand that mass
(kg) times speed (m/s) equals joules
(J). (Kg x m/s = J)
Determine the kinetic energy of a 44
Kg cheetah running at 31 m/s.
Students will understand that kinetic
energy can be determined using the
following equation: Ek = ½ mv2
Determine the kinetic energy in
joules of a 0.02 kg bullet traveling
at 300 m/s.
9th PS3C
Gravitational potential energy is due to
the separation of mutually attracting
masses. Transformations can occur
between gravitational potential energy
and kinetic energy, but the total amount
of energy remains constant.
Give an example in which gravitational
potential energy and kinetic energy are
changed from one to the other (e.g., a
child on a swing illustrates the
alternating transformation of kinetic
and gravitational potential energy).
(Enduring Understanding: Energy can
take many forms and be transferred
or transformed. Within a closed
system the total energy is conserved.)
9th PS3D
Waves (including sound, seismic, light,
and water waves) transfer energy when
they interact with matter. Waves can
have different wavelengths, frequencies,
and amplitudes, and travel at different
speeds.
(Enduring Understanding: Energy can
take many forms and be transferred
or transformed. Within a closed
system the total energy is conserved.)
Students will understand that
gravitational potential energy
depends on both mass and height.
Students will understand that
gravitational potential energy can be
determined by using the following
equation: PE = mgh
(Grav.PE=mass x gravity x height)
Students will understand that energy
can be transformed from
gravitational potential energy to
kinetic energy and back to
gravitational potential energy all in
a single movement.
Demonstrate how energy can be
transmitted by sending waves along a
spring or rope. Characterize physical
waves by frequency, wavelength,
amplitude, and speed.
Apply these properties to the pitch and
volume of sound waves and to the
wavelength and magnitude of water
waves.
Students will understand that energy
can be transferred through different
types of waves (sound, light,
seismic, and water ).
Students will understand that each
wave has certain characteristics
such as frequency, wavelength,
amplitude, and speed.
Students will understand that wave
properties can affect pitch, volume,
and magnitude of waves.
A diver has gravitational potential
energy as she stands at the end of a
diving board. How would the
diver’s potential energy change if
she stood on a platform twice as
high?
If the diver has a mass of 55kg and
is 12 meters above the water,
determine her gravitational potential
energy.
Describe a situation in which GPE
changes to KE and then back to
GPE.
Illustrate and describe the properties
of a wave.
Illustrate and discuss the difference
between frequency and amplitude.
Explain how energy is transferred
through different types of waves
(transverse waves, longitudinal
waves, and surface waves).
9th PS3E
Electromagnetic waves differ from
physical waves because they do not
require a medium and they all travel at
the same speed in a vacuum. This is the
maximum speed that any object or wave
can travel. Forms of electromagnetic
waves include X-rays, ultraviolet, visible
light, infrared, and radio.
Illustrate the electromagnetic spectrum
with a labeled diagram, showing how
regions of the spectrum differ regarding
wavelength, frequency, and energy, and
how they are used (e.g., infrared in heat
lamps, microwaves for heating foods,
X-rays for medical imaging).
(Enduring Understanding: Physical
principles apply to the origins and
development of the Earth and the
Universe.)
Discuss and identify the six main
wave components of the
electromagnetic spectrum (labeled
diagram is acceptable).
Students will understand that
electromagnetic waves are
identified by their wavelength,
frequency, and energy.
Looking at a visual of the
electromagnetic spectrum, identify
which waves have the longest and
shortest wavelengths and which
have the highest and lowest
frequencies.
Students will understand that certain
electromagnetic waves are used for
unique purposes.
(Enduring Understanding: Energy can
take many forms and be transferred
or transformed. Within a closed
system the total energy is conserved.)
9th ES1A
Stars have “life cycles.” During most of
their “lives”, stars produce heavier
elements from lighter elements starting
with the fusion of hydrogen to form
helium. The heaviest elements are
formed when massive stars “die” in
massive explosions.
Students will understand that
electromagnetic waves include all
forms of waves found in the
electromagnetic spectrum.
Connect the life cycles of stars to the
production of elements through the
process of nuclear fusion.
Students will understand that all
stars have a life cycle, they are born
and they die.
Students will understand that they
go through a long process of nuclear
fusion in which lighter elements are
changed into heavier elements.
Students will understand that as
stars fuse elements together they
become more massive which
eventually leads to their death.
Do research to identify and list
possible commercial products that
use waves from the electromagnetic
spectrum.
9th ES1B
The Big Bang theory of the origin of the
universe is based on evidence (e.g., red
shift) that all galaxies are rushing apart
from one another. As space expanded
and matter began to cool, gravitational
attraction pulled clumps of matter
together, forming the stars and galaxies,
clouds of gas and dust, and planetary
systems that we see today. If we were to
run time backwards, the universe gets
constantly smaller, shrinking to almost
zero size 13.7 billion years ago.
Cite evidence that supports the “Big
Bang theory” (e.g., red shift of galaxies
or 3K background radiation).
Students will understand that our
universe is continuously expanding
based on red shift evidence.
Students will understand that all
stars, galaxies, and planetary
systems were formed from matter
from the Big Bang Theory.
Students will understand that the red
shift and 3K background radiation
support the Big Bang Theory.
(Enduring Understanding: Physical
principles apply to the origins and
development of the Earth and the
Universe.)
9th ES2A
Global climate differences result from
the uneven heating of Earth’s surface by
the Sun. Seasonal climate variations are
due to the tilt of Earth’s axis with respect
to the plane of Earth’s nearly circular
orbit around the Sun.
(Enduring Understanding: Energy
from the Sun drives our weather
system and climate, while energy from
Earth’s interior drives the rock cycle
and crustal plates.)
Students will understand that the
Big Bang is a theory about how the
universe began.
Explain that Earth is warmer near the
equator and cooler near the poles due to
the uneven heating of Earth by the Sun.
Students will understand that that
Earth’s global climate variations are
due to Earth’s orbit around the Sun
and its axis tilt.
Explain that it’s warmer in summer and
colder in winter for people in
Washington State because the intensity
of sunlight is greater and the days are
longer in summer than in winter.
Connect these seasonal changes in
sunlight to the tilt of Earth’s axis with
respect to the plane of its orbit around
the Sun.
Students will understand that the
Equator will always have a warmer
climate than that at the North and
South Pole no matter what the time
of year..
Students will understand that
Washington State’s seasonal
changes are also related to the
Earth’s orbit around the Sun and the
Earth’s axis tilt.
9th ES2B
Climate is determined by energy transfer
from the sun at and near Earth's surface.
This energy transfer is influenced by
dynamic processes such as cloud cover
and Earth's rotation, as well as static
conditions such as proximity to
mountain ranges and the ocean. Human
activities, such as burning of fossil fuels,
also affect the global climate.
Explain the factors that affect climate
in different parts of Washington state
Students will understand that
climate in Washington State is
diverse due to the Pacific Ocean and
the Cascade Mountain Range.
Students will understand that
Washington States climate west of
the Cascades is much more stable
than it is east of the Cascades due to
the west’s proximity to the pacific
Ocean.
(Enduring Understanding: Energy
from the Sun drives our weather
system and climate, while energy from
Earth’s interior drives the rock cycle
and crustal plates.)
Students will understand that other
factors play a role in area climates
such as latitude, elevation, nearby
water, ocean currents, topography,
prevailing winds, and vegetation.
Students will understand that large
populations of humans have a direct
influence on local climates as well
as global climates.
9th ES3A
Interactions among the solid Earth, the
oceans, the atmosphere, and organisms
have resulted in the ongoing evolution of
the Earth system. We can observe
changes such as earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions on a human time
scale, but many processes such as
mountain building and plate movements
take place over hundreds of millions of
years.
(Enduring Understanding: Evidence
provided by natural radioactive
material has made it possible to
determine the age of different
structures and of Earth as a planet.)
Interpret current rock formations of the
Pacific Northwest as evidence of past
geologic events. Consider which Earth
processes that may have caused these
rock formations (e.g., erosion,
deposition, and scraping of terrain by
glaciers, floods, volcanic eruptions, and
tsunami).
Construct a possible timeline showing
the development of these rock
formations given the cause of the
formations.
Students will understand that some
Earth processes are observable.
Students will understand that some
Earth processes take millions of
years to happen and therefore are
based on geological evidence.
Students will understand that the
Earth system is in constant flux due
to interactions of our solid Earth,
it’s atmosphere, it’s oceans, and all
of its living organisms.
9th ES3B
Geologic time can be estimated by
several methods (e.g., counting tree
rings, observing rock sequences, using
fossils to correlate sequences at various
locations, and using the known decay
rates of radioactive isotopes present in
rocks to measure the time since the rock
was formed).
Explain how decay rates of radioactive
materials in rock layers are used to
establish the timing of geologic events.
Given a geologic event, explain
multiple methods that could be used to
establish the timing of that event.
(Enduring Understanding: Evidence
provided by natural radioactive
material has made it possible to
determine the age of different
structures and of Earth as a planet.)
Students will understand that
radioactive dating is used to date
geological rock layers.
Students will understand that
information gathered from these
methods help determine the age of
geological events.
(Enduring Understanding: Evidence
provided by natural radioactive
material has made it possible to
determine the age of different
structures and of Earth as a planet.)
9th ES3D
Data gathered from a variety of methods
have shown that Earth has gone through
a number of periods when Earth was
much warmer and much colder than
today.
Students will understand that there
are several methods to determine
the age of various rocks and
organisms.
Describe factors that change climates
over long periods of time and cite
methods that scientists have found to
gather information on ancient climates.
Students will understand that
Earth’s climate changes were
brought about by changes in the
position of earth relative to the Sun,
changes in earth’s atmospheric
carbon dioxide levels, changes in
the positions of Earth’s landmasses,
and changes in the amount of solar
energy reaching Earth’s surface.
Students will understand that
evidence has been gather that
supports each possible change in
climates from the past.