WGU C165 Integrated Physical Science Vocabulary:
Modules 1-11 Overview Study Guide
Integrated Physical Science Vocabulary
• Module 1: Introduction to Physical Science—
• Chemistry- study of atoms and molecules, how they are structured and how interact to form
new things.
• Physics- the study of forces, energy, and motion.
• Earth science- earths structure and composition, as well as the processes they go through to
change the earth- volcano or earthquake.
• Physical science- the study of intimate natural objects- physics, chemistry, astronomy and more.
• Astronomy- the study of space and what’s there.
• Controlled experiment- changes one thing to see what happens.
• Variable- changing quantities in an experiment.
• Independent variable- what you change in purpose to get different results.
• Dependent variable- what changes due to the independent variable
• Control variable- what you don’t want to know so you keep it the same or get rid of it.
• Observational study- when an experiment is performed and there are variables you can’t or
don’t try to change- when the moon sets, what the temperature is outside.
• Field studies- when you do an experiment outside the lab.
• Laboratory experiment- highly controlled experiment done in a laboratory.
• Physical model- an object that represents a real object, usually in a smaller scale- the planets.
• Conceptual model- model used to visualize things we can’t see- atoms are one example,
molecules.
• Mathematical model- model that describes physical objects using math methods.
• Computer model- model that uses computers to explain or predict systems- weather, planets.
• Principle of falsification,
• Hypothesis- a testable theory- educated guess.
• Theory- wide range of observations and is supported by a lot of evidence. What comes after a
hypothesis?
• Law- concise statement that is supported by scientific evidence and repeated experiments
widespread pattern in nature.
• Scientific investigation
• Direct proportionality: a mathematical relationship between two variables whose ratio remains
constant as their numerical values change (synonymous with positive correlation)
• Inverse proportionality: a mathematical relationship between variables in which an increase in
the value of one causes a decrease in the value of the other (synonymous with negative
correlation)
• No correlation: a lack of relationship between variables on a graph; a change in one value does
not affect the other.
• Proportionality constant: a parameter that quantifies the relative changes in variables that
are directly or inversely proportional.
, • Module 2: Units & Measurement—
Modules 1-11 Overview Study Guide
Integrated Physical Science Vocabulary
• Module 1: Introduction to Physical Science—
• Chemistry- study of atoms and molecules, how they are structured and how interact to form
new things.
• Physics- the study of forces, energy, and motion.
• Earth science- earths structure and composition, as well as the processes they go through to
change the earth- volcano or earthquake.
• Physical science- the study of intimate natural objects- physics, chemistry, astronomy and more.
• Astronomy- the study of space and what’s there.
• Controlled experiment- changes one thing to see what happens.
• Variable- changing quantities in an experiment.
• Independent variable- what you change in purpose to get different results.
• Dependent variable- what changes due to the independent variable
• Control variable- what you don’t want to know so you keep it the same or get rid of it.
• Observational study- when an experiment is performed and there are variables you can’t or
don’t try to change- when the moon sets, what the temperature is outside.
• Field studies- when you do an experiment outside the lab.
• Laboratory experiment- highly controlled experiment done in a laboratory.
• Physical model- an object that represents a real object, usually in a smaller scale- the planets.
• Conceptual model- model used to visualize things we can’t see- atoms are one example,
molecules.
• Mathematical model- model that describes physical objects using math methods.
• Computer model- model that uses computers to explain or predict systems- weather, planets.
• Principle of falsification,
• Hypothesis- a testable theory- educated guess.
• Theory- wide range of observations and is supported by a lot of evidence. What comes after a
hypothesis?
• Law- concise statement that is supported by scientific evidence and repeated experiments
widespread pattern in nature.
• Scientific investigation
• Direct proportionality: a mathematical relationship between two variables whose ratio remains
constant as their numerical values change (synonymous with positive correlation)
• Inverse proportionality: a mathematical relationship between variables in which an increase in
the value of one causes a decrease in the value of the other (synonymous with negative
correlation)
• No correlation: a lack of relationship between variables on a graph; a change in one value does
not affect the other.
• Proportionality constant: a parameter that quantifies the relative changes in variables that
are directly or inversely proportional.
, • Module 2: Units & Measurement—
