QUARTER 3

Unveiling the Mysteries of Physical Science

This quarter, you will journey into the exciting world of physical science! You will uncover how the heavier elements in the universe are formed during the life and death of stars. You'll also explore transmutation, where one element changes into another—just like magic, but backed by science. Then, you will dive into the polarity of molecules and explore how intermolecular forces affect the way substances behave, like why water sticks to surfaces or why oil and water don't mix. Finally, you’ll learn what controls the speed of chemical reactions—a key idea in chemistry that affects everything from how fast your food digests to how medicines work. Get ready to explore how the invisible world of atoms and molecules shapes the world you experience every day.

Physical Science, the systematic study of the inorganic world, as distinct from the study of the organic world, which is the province of biological science. Physical science is ordinarily thought of as consisting of four broad areas: astronomy, physics, chemistry, and the Earth sciences. Each of these is in turn divided into fields and subfields. This article discusses the historical development—with due attention to the scope, principal concerns, and methods—of the first three of these areas (Brush & Spencer, 1999).