Physical Science Study Guide for Nine Weeks Exam
The following chapters will be covered on the exam:
Ch. 1: The Nature of Science
Ch. 15: Classification of Matter
Ch. 16: Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Ch. 17: Properties of Atoms and the Periodic Table
Ch. 18: Radioactivity and Nuclear Reactions
Review questions:
Ch. 1: Nature of Science
1. What does SI stand for? – International System of Units
2. List the SI units for mass, length, time, volume, temperature, and density.
Mass = g Length = m Volume = cm3 or 1 ml Time = sec Temp.= sec Density = g/cm3
3. Convert the following:
a. 100.0 m to dm = 1000dm
b. 1.32 mm to Km = .00000132 Km
c. 756,000.0 Dm to cm = 756,000,000 cm
4. What numerical value do the following prefixes represent?
a. Kilo = 1000
d. deci = .1
b. Hecto = 100
e. centi = .01
c. Deka = 10
f. milli = .001
5. How is volume determined for a rock? a cube? Rock = water displacement
Cube = LxWxH
6. How is density calculated? D = m/v
7. Why is the metric system used in the scientific community? Easy to use and
based on units of 10
8. What is gathered using the five senses? Observations
9. What is an educated guess called? Hypothesis
10. Describe the difference in the dependent and independent variable.
Dependent variable = the factor that is measured or observed
Independent variable = the factor that is changed or manipulated
11. When creating a graph, where is each variable placed?
X = independent Y = dependent
12. At the end of an experiment, what is the data compared to?
The control group data
13. What factors are never changed during an experiment? Control variables
14. What is an organized manner in which a problem is solved? Scientific Method
Ch. 15/16: Classification of Matter and Solids, Liquids, and Gases
15. Define matter. Anything that has mass and volume
16. What is the shape and volume of each state of matter?
Gas – no fixed shape and no fixed volume
Liquid – no fixed shape and fixed volume
Solid – fixed shape and fixed volume
17. What is the kinetic theory?
1. All matter is composed of small particles
2. These particles are in constant motion
3. Particles are colliding with each other and their container
18. Define the following:
a. evaporation – going from a liquid to a gas
b. condensation – going from a gas to a liquid
c. boiling – going from a liquid to a gas
d. melting – going from a solid to a liquid
e. freezing – going from a liquid to a solid
f. sublimation – going from a solid to a gas
19. Name 3 physical changes that can occur in matter
Change in shape, size, or state
20. Name 3 chemical changes that can occur in matter.
Burning, Rusting, Formation of a solid
21. What happens to energy during a chemical change?
Energy is given off and transformed into different forms
22. Name the two types of mixtures.
Homogenous and Heterogeneous
23. Differentiate between a pure substance and a mixture.
Pure substances contain only a single atom or compound. Mixtures are substances
that are not joined chemically and retain their own properties. Pure substances
are separated chemically and mixtures are separated physically.
24. Name the two parts of a solution.
Solute – the substance being dissolved
Solvent – the substance in which the solute is dissolved
Ch. 17: Atoms and The Periodic Table
25. Name the 3 subatomic particles and name where they are found in an atom.
Proton – nucleus
Neutron – nucleus
Electron – around the outside of the nucleus in energy shells
26. How many electrons are in the first, second and third energy levels of an
atom? 1st – 2 2nd – 8 3rd - 18
27. What does the atomic # tell you? The number of protons in the nucleus
28. What does the atomic mass tell you? The number of protons and neutrons in
the nucleus
29. How do you find the number of neutrons in an atom? Subtract the atomic
number from the atomic mass
30. Where are the noble gases found in the periodic table? Far right group
31. What are the columns called in the periodic table? The rows? Columns are
groups, rows are periods
32. Draw a Bohr model of Na.
Ch. 18: Radioactivity and Nuclear Reactions
33. Why are some elements radioactive? Unstable nucleus due to an imbalance of
protons and neutrons.
34. Name the 3 types of radiation that can leave an element. Alpha, Beta, and
Gamma
35. Distinguish between the three types of radiation.
Alpha is a helium atom given off, Beta is an electron given off and Gamma is
radiation
36. What type of force holds the nucleus together?
The Strong Force
37. Write an example of a beta and alpha nuclear decay problem.
14
4
Beta – 14 C
N + 0 e Alpha – 222 RA
He + 218 Rn
6
7
-1
88
2
86
Physical Science Second Nine Weeks Study Guide
The following chapters will be covered:
Ch. 20: Chemical Bonds
Ch. 21: Chemical Reactions
Ch. 22: Solutions
Ch. 23: Acids and Bases
Ch. 20
43. How are compounds and solutions different?
Compounds contain only a single compound. Solutions are mixtures that are not
joined chemically and retain their own properties. Pure substances are separated
chemically and mixtures are separated physically.
44. In the following compounds, count the number of atoms of each element:
a. Fe2O3 2 Iron 3 Oxygen =5 total
b. (NH4)2 2 Nitrogen 8 Hydrogen = 10 total
c. Cu2(CaCl)3 2 Copper 3 Calcium 3 Chlorine = 8 total
45. What type of elements create ionic bonds? Covalent bonds?
Ionic – Metal and Nonmetal
Covalent – Nonmetal and nonmetal
46. The name diphosphorus tetrasulfide tells you what?
That the compound is composed of 2 phosphorus and 3 sulfide atoms
47. Name the following compounds:
a. Ag2O
Silver (I) Oxide
b. BeS
Beryllium Sulfide
c. Na3N
Sodium Nitride
48. Write the formula from the following names:
a. barium bromide
BaBr2
b. iron (III) oxide
Fe2O3
c. magnesium sulfide
MgS
49. What is an oxidation number?
The number of electrons lost or gained by an element
Ch. 21: Chemical Reactions
50. What substances undergo a change during a chemical reaction?
The reactants
51. What law must stay satisfied during a chemical reaction?
The Law of Conservation of Matter
52. When making soap, if 890 g of fat reacts completely with 120 g of sodium
hydroxide, the products formed are soap and 92 g of glycerin. Calculate the mass
of soap formed to satisfy the law of conservation of mass.
890 g + 120 g = 1010 1010 – 92 g = 918 g of soap
53. How can sugar be dissolved faster?
Put it in hot water or crush it up before you place it in the solvent.
54. What type of reaction is occurring when substances are combined together to
create a larger substance?
55. What type of reaction is occurring when two compounds react to form two new
compounds? Double Displacement Reaction
56. When balancing a chemical reaction, what numbers can never be changed?
The subscripts
57. Balance the following reactions:
a. Fe + Cl2  FeCl3
2Fe +3Cl2
2FeCl3
b. C3H8 + O2  CO2 + H20
C3H8+5O2
3CO2+4H2O
Ch. 22: Solutions
58. What is a solute? The substance being dissolved
59. What is a solvent? The substance in which the solute is dissolved
60. What are the three types of solutions? Unsaturated, Saturated, and
Supersaturated
61. What four things can change the rate of dissolving?
Stirring, changing the crystal size, increasing the temperature, and combine 2 or
more techniques
62. What are electrolytes?
The compounds that produce solutions of ion that conduct electricity in water
63. What two processes create ions? Ionization & Dissociation
64. Understand how to read a Solubility graph.
Ch. 23: Acids and Bases
65. What is pH?
A measure of the concentration of Hydrogen ions in a substance.
66. List 5 characteristics of acids.
Sour taste, corrosive, react with indicators and turns red, has pH less than 7,
conducts electricity, and neutralizes bases
67. List 5 characteristics of bases.
Taste bitter, feels slippery or soapy, turns red litmus paper blue, has a pH greater
than 7, conducts electricity, neutralizes acids
68. What is an indicator?
An organic compound that changes color in acids and bases
69. What are four examples of indicators?
Litmus paper & Red cabbage juice (These 2 are the only necessary examples)
70. What determines the strength of acids and bases?
How easily a Hydrogen ion is removed. This is called dissociation.
71. What is the difference between a strong and weak base?
Weak bases only partially ionize in a solution. A strong base dissociates completely
in solution.
72. What is the difference between a strong and weak acid?
Weak acids only partially ionize in a solution. When a strong acid dissolves in
water, nearly all the acid molecules dissociate into ions.
73. How do you dilute a solution?
Increase the amount of solvent
74. How can you change the concentration of a solution?
Increase the amount of solute
75. What is a neutralization reaction?
A neutralization reaction is when an acid and a base react to form water and a salt
and involves the combination of H+ ions and OH- ions to generate water.
The neutralization of a strong acid and strong base has a pH equal to 7.