8th Grade Physical Science
The Nature of Science
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Define science and identify questions that science cannot answer.
Compare and contrast theories and laws.
Identify a system and its components.
Identify the three main branches of science.
Identify some skills scientists use.
Define hypothesis.
Recognize the difference between observation and inference.
Describe various types of models.
Discuss limitations of models.
Evaluate scientific explanations.
Evaluate promotional claims.
Determine how reasonable a measurement is by estimating.
Identify and use the rules for rounding a number.
Distinguish between precision and accuracy in measurements.
Identify the purpose of SI.
Identify the SI units of length, volume, mass, temperature, time, and rate.
Describe how to use pictures and tables to give information.
Identify and use three types of graphs.
Distinguish the correct use of each type of graph.
Matter
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Describe characteristics of matter.
Identify what makes up matter.
Identify the parts of an atom.
Compare the models that are used for atoms.
Describe the relationship between elements and the periodic table.
Explain the meaning of atomic mass and atomic number.
Identify what makes an isotope.
Contrast metals, metalloids, and nonmetals.
Identify the characteristics of a compound.
Compare and contrast different types of mixtures.
Recognize that matter is made up of particles in constant motion.
Relate the three states of matter to the arrangement of particles within them.
Explain why some things float but others sink.
Describe how pressure is transmitted through fluids.
Describe the common physical properties of matter.
Explain how to find the density of a substance.
Compare and contrast the properties of acid and base.
Describe chemical properties of matter.
Explain the chemical properties of acids and bases.
Explain how a salt is formed.
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Identify physical and chemical changes.
Exemplify how physical and chemical changes affect the world we live in.
Chemistry
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Identify how electrons are arranged in an atom.
Compare the relative amounts of energy of electrons in an atom.
Compare how the arrangement of electrons in an atom is related to its place in the
periodic table.
Compare and contrast ionic and covalent bonds.
Distinguish between compounds and molecules.
Identify the difference between polar and nonpolar covalent bonds.
Interpret chemical shorthand.
Determine whether or not a chemical reaction is occurring.
Determine how to read and understand a balanced chemical equation.
Examine some reactions that release energy and others that absorb energy.
Explain the law of conservation of mass.
Determine how to describe and measure the rate of a chemical reaction.
Identify how chemical reactions can be speeded up or slowed down.
Distinguish between substances and mixtures.
Explain how solutions form.
Describe different types of solutions.
Explain why water is a good general solvent.
Describe how the structure of a compound affects which solvent it dissolves in.
Identify factors that affect how much if a substance will dissolve in a solvent.
Describe how temperature affects reaction rate.
Explain how solute particles affect physical properties of water.
Compare acids and bases and their properties.
Describe practical uses of acids and bases.
Explain how pH is used to describe the strength of an acid or base.
Describe how acids and bases react when they are brought together.
Explain why carbon is able to form many compounds.
Describe how saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons differ.
Identify isomers of organic compounds.
Describe how new compounds are formed by substituting hydrogen in hydrocarbons.
Identify the classes of compounds that result from substitution.
Describe how large organic molecules are made.
Explain the roles of organic molecules in the body.
Explain why eating a balanced diet is important for good health.
Motion and Forces
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Define distance, speed, and velocity.
Graph motion.
Define acceleration.
Predict what acceleration will have on motion.
Explain the relationship between mass and inertia.
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Define momentum.
Predict motion using the law of conservation of momentum.
Distinguish between balanced and net forces.
Describe Newton’s first law of motion.
Explain how friction affects motion.
Explain Newton’s second laws of motion.
Explain why the direction of forces is important.
Identify the relationship between forces that objects exert on each other.
Define and calculate pressure.
Model how pressure varies in a fluid.
Explain how pressure in a fluid produces a buoyant force.
Define density.
Explain floating and sinking using Archimedes’ principle.
Explain how forces are transmitted through fluids.
Describe how a hydraulic system increases force.
Describe Bernoulli’s principle.
Energy
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Explain what energy is.
Distinguish between kinetic and potential energy.
Identify the various forms of energy.
Apply the law of conservation of energy to energy transformations.
Identify how energy changes form.
Describe how electric power plants produce energy.
Explain what renewable, nonrenewable, and alternative resources are.
Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using various energy sources.
Recognize when work is done.
Calculate how much work is done.
Explain the relation between work and power.
Explain how a machine makes work easier.
Calculate the mechanical advantage and efficiency of a machine.
Explain how friction reduces efficiency.
Distinguish among the different simple machines.
Describe how to find the mechanical advantage of each simple machine.
Explain how temperature is related to kinetic energy.
Describe three scales used for measuring temperature.
Define thermal energy.
Explain the difference between thermal energy and heat.
Describe three ways heat is transferred.
Identify materials that are insulators or conductors.
Describe what a heat engine does.
Explain that energy can exist in many forms but can never be created or destroyed.
Describe how an internal combustion engine works.
Explain how refrigerators move heat.
Waves, Sound, and Light
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Explain the relationship among waves, energy, and matter.
Describe the difference between transverse waves and compressional waves.
Describe the relationship between the frequency and wavelength of a wave.
Explain why waves travel at different speeds.
Explain how waves can reflect from some surfaces.
Explain how waves can change direction when they move from one material to another.
Explain how waves are able to bend around barriers.
Identify the characteristics of sound waves.
Explain how sound travels.
Describe the Doppler effect.
Explain the difference between music and noise.
Describe how different instruments produce music.
Explain how you hear.
Explain how electromagnetic waves are produced.
Describe the properties of electromagnetic waves.
Explain the differences among kinds of electromagnetic waves.
Identify uses of different kinds of electromagnetic waves.
Describe different ways of using electromagnetic waves to communicate.
Compare and contrast AM and FM radio signals.
Describe the wave nature of light.
Explain how light interacts with materials.
Determine why objects appear to have color.
Explain how light is reflected from rough and smooth surfaces.
Explain how mirrors form an image.
Describe how concave and convex mirrors form an image.
Determine why light rays refract.
Explain how concave and convex lenses form images.
Explain how microscopes magnify objects.
Explain how telescopes make distant objects visible.
Describe how a camera works.
Electricity and Magnetism
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Describe how objects can become electrically charged.
Explain how an electric charge can affect other electric charges.
Distinguish between electric conductors and insulators.
Describe how electric discharges such as lightning can occur.
Relate voltage to the electrical energy carried by an electric current.
Describe a battery and how it produces an electric current.
Explain electrical resistance.
Explain how voltage, current and resistance are related in an electric circuit.
Investigate the difference between series and parallel circuits.
Determine the electric power used in a circuit.
Describe how to avoid dangerous electric shock.
Describe the behavior of magnets.
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Relate the behavior of magnets to magnetic fields.
Explain why some materials are magnetic.
Explain how electricity can produce motion.
Explain how motion can produce electricity.
Compare and contrast between analog and digital signals.
Explain how semiconductors are used in electronic devices.
Describe the different parts of a computer.
Compare computer hardware with computer software.
Discuss the different types of memory and storage in a computer.