Fall Semester 2025 | C165 – Integrated Physical Science
(WGU) Complete Study Guide & Competency Exam Prep |
Updated 2024–2025 WGU C165 Physical Science Review,
Key Concepts Explained, Practice Problems, Scientific
Principles, Exam Strategies & Mastery Notes
C165 – Integrated Physical Science
WITH COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND WELL-ELABORATED SOLUTIONS
Actual Real Exam Questions and Answers | Practice Exam Test Bank and Study
Guide | Professional Certification Review
Overview
This exam is designed to assess the knowledge and understanding of Integrated
Physical Science concepts foundational for certification and further academic pursuits.
It aligns with key curriculum standards, ensuring comprehensive preparation for
students as they navigate through their scientific education and assessments.
Key Features
• Actual exam-style questions from recent testing cycles
• Well-elaborated solutions with clinical/academic reasoning
• Comprehensive practice test bank with varied difficulty levels
• Updated guidelines, protocols, and concepts
• Scenario-based applications with real-world contexts
Exam Components
• Actual Exam Questions Bank: 170 questions
• Comprehensive Practice Exam: Included within the question bank
• Study Guide Section: Concept review + explanations
Core Content Areas
1. Fundamental Concepts of Physics - 30 questions
2. Chemistry Basics - 25 questions
3. Earth Science Principles - 25 questions
4. Biological Science Overview - 25 questions
, 5. Scientific Method and Experimentation - 20 questions
6. Energy and Its Transformations - 20 questions
7. Human Impact on the Environment - 15 questions
8. Technology and Society - 10 questions
Answer Format
Verified correct answers provided in bold green with step-by-step rationales, evidence-
based explanations, intervention pathways, and concept clarifications.
Exam Questions
1. What is the primary function of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?
• A) To convert sunlight into chemical energy
• B) To absorb nutrients from soil
• C) To provide structural support to plants
• D) To release oxygen into the atmosphere
Correct Option: A) To convert sunlight into chemical energy
Rationale: Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that absorbs light energy,
essential for converting sunlight into chemical energy during photosynthesis.
2. Which of the following statements is true about acids and bases?
• A) Acids taste bitter and turn litmus blue.
• B) Bases taste sour and turn litmus red.
• C) Acids produce hydrogen ions in solution.
• D) Bases do not react with acids.
Correct Option: C) Acids produce hydrogen ions in solution.
Rationale: Acids are substances that release hydrogen ions (H⁺) when dissolved in
water, while bases release hydroxide ions (OH⁻).
3. What is the primary cause of seasons on Earth?
, • A) The distance from the sun
• B) The tilt of the Earth's axis
• C) The rotation of the Earth
• D) The gravitational pull of the moon
Correct Option: B) The tilt of the Earth's axis
Rationale: The tilt of the Earth's axis at approximately 23.5 degrees leads to varying
sunlight angles, causing seasonal changes as the Earth orbits the sun.
4. In which of the following scenarios is kinetic energy the greatest?
• A) A stationary car
• B) A car driving at 60 mph
• C) A car parked on a hill
• D) A car rolling down a steep hill
Correct Option: D) A car rolling down a steep hill
Rationale: Kinetic energy is the energy of motion; thus, the car rolling down the hill has
the greatest speed and, therefore, the highest kinetic energy.
5. Which law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed?
• A) The Law of Conservation of Mass
• B) Newton’s First Law
• C) The Law of Conservation of Energy
• D) The Law of Motion
Correct Option: C) The Law of Conservation of Energy
Rationale: This law asserts that the total energy in an isolated system remains
constant, meaning it can change forms but cannot be created or annihilated.
6. What is the most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere?
• A) Oxygen
• B) Carbon Dioxide
• C) Nitrogen
• D) Argon
, Correct Option: C) Nitrogen
Rationale: Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, making it the most
abundant gas.
7. Which phenomenon explains why objects in water appear to be at a different
depth than they actually are?
• A) Refraction
• B) Reflection
• C) Diffraction
• D) Dispersion
Correct Option: A) Refraction
Rationale: Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another,
causing objects submerged in water to appear shallower than they are.
8. The atomic number of an element is determined by the number of what?
• A) Neutrons
• B) Electrons
• C) Protons
• D) Ions
Correct Option: C) Protons
Rationale: The atomic number is defined as the number of protons in the nucleus of an
atom, which also determines the element's identity.
9. Which type of bond involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms?
• A) Ionic bond
• B) Metallic bond
• C) Hydrogen bond
• D) Covalent bond
Correct Option: D) Covalent bond
Rationale: Covalent bonds form when two atoms share pairs of electrons, facilitating
the formation of molecules.
(WGU) Complete Study Guide & Competency Exam Prep |
Updated 2024–2025 WGU C165 Physical Science Review,
Key Concepts Explained, Practice Problems, Scientific
Principles, Exam Strategies & Mastery Notes
C165 – Integrated Physical Science
WITH COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND WELL-ELABORATED SOLUTIONS
Actual Real Exam Questions and Answers | Practice Exam Test Bank and Study
Guide | Professional Certification Review
Overview
This exam is designed to assess the knowledge and understanding of Integrated
Physical Science concepts foundational for certification and further academic pursuits.
It aligns with key curriculum standards, ensuring comprehensive preparation for
students as they navigate through their scientific education and assessments.
Key Features
• Actual exam-style questions from recent testing cycles
• Well-elaborated solutions with clinical/academic reasoning
• Comprehensive practice test bank with varied difficulty levels
• Updated guidelines, protocols, and concepts
• Scenario-based applications with real-world contexts
Exam Components
• Actual Exam Questions Bank: 170 questions
• Comprehensive Practice Exam: Included within the question bank
• Study Guide Section: Concept review + explanations
Core Content Areas
1. Fundamental Concepts of Physics - 30 questions
2. Chemistry Basics - 25 questions
3. Earth Science Principles - 25 questions
4. Biological Science Overview - 25 questions
, 5. Scientific Method and Experimentation - 20 questions
6. Energy and Its Transformations - 20 questions
7. Human Impact on the Environment - 15 questions
8. Technology and Society - 10 questions
Answer Format
Verified correct answers provided in bold green with step-by-step rationales, evidence-
based explanations, intervention pathways, and concept clarifications.
Exam Questions
1. What is the primary function of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?
• A) To convert sunlight into chemical energy
• B) To absorb nutrients from soil
• C) To provide structural support to plants
• D) To release oxygen into the atmosphere
Correct Option: A) To convert sunlight into chemical energy
Rationale: Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that absorbs light energy,
essential for converting sunlight into chemical energy during photosynthesis.
2. Which of the following statements is true about acids and bases?
• A) Acids taste bitter and turn litmus blue.
• B) Bases taste sour and turn litmus red.
• C) Acids produce hydrogen ions in solution.
• D) Bases do not react with acids.
Correct Option: C) Acids produce hydrogen ions in solution.
Rationale: Acids are substances that release hydrogen ions (H⁺) when dissolved in
water, while bases release hydroxide ions (OH⁻).
3. What is the primary cause of seasons on Earth?
, • A) The distance from the sun
• B) The tilt of the Earth's axis
• C) The rotation of the Earth
• D) The gravitational pull of the moon
Correct Option: B) The tilt of the Earth's axis
Rationale: The tilt of the Earth's axis at approximately 23.5 degrees leads to varying
sunlight angles, causing seasonal changes as the Earth orbits the sun.
4. In which of the following scenarios is kinetic energy the greatest?
• A) A stationary car
• B) A car driving at 60 mph
• C) A car parked on a hill
• D) A car rolling down a steep hill
Correct Option: D) A car rolling down a steep hill
Rationale: Kinetic energy is the energy of motion; thus, the car rolling down the hill has
the greatest speed and, therefore, the highest kinetic energy.
5. Which law states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed?
• A) The Law of Conservation of Mass
• B) Newton’s First Law
• C) The Law of Conservation of Energy
• D) The Law of Motion
Correct Option: C) The Law of Conservation of Energy
Rationale: This law asserts that the total energy in an isolated system remains
constant, meaning it can change forms but cannot be created or annihilated.
6. What is the most abundant gas in the Earth's atmosphere?
• A) Oxygen
• B) Carbon Dioxide
• C) Nitrogen
• D) Argon
, Correct Option: C) Nitrogen
Rationale: Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, making it the most
abundant gas.
7. Which phenomenon explains why objects in water appear to be at a different
depth than they actually are?
• A) Refraction
• B) Reflection
• C) Diffraction
• D) Dispersion
Correct Option: A) Refraction
Rationale: Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another,
causing objects submerged in water to appear shallower than they are.
8. The atomic number of an element is determined by the number of what?
• A) Neutrons
• B) Electrons
• C) Protons
• D) Ions
Correct Option: C) Protons
Rationale: The atomic number is defined as the number of protons in the nucleus of an
atom, which also determines the element's identity.
9. Which type of bond involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms?
• A) Ionic bond
• B) Metallic bond
• C) Hydrogen bond
• D) Covalent bond
Correct Option: D) Covalent bond
Rationale: Covalent bonds form when two atoms share pairs of electrons, facilitating
the formation of molecules.
