National Evaluation Series™ Profile: Physics (822)

Descriptive Statements:

• Apply knowledge of Newton's law of universal gravitation to solve problems involving masses and gravitational forces.
• Compare and contrast Newton's law of universal gravitation to Coulomb's law and other inverse-square law relationships.
• Apply knowledge of uniform circular motion, centripetal acceleration, and centripetal force to solve problems involving objects moving in circular paths.
• Demonstrate knowledge of applications of Newton's law of universal gravitation to motion in orbital systems described by Kepler's laws.
• Apply knowledge of the use of science and engineering practices in exploring and understanding content related to gravity and circular motion, such as developing and using models, planning and safely conducting investigations, applying mathematical concepts, and communicating and evaluating data and conclusions.

Descriptive Statements:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of electric charge, including the properties of static electricity.
• Apply knowledge of Coulomb's law to predict the effects of attractive and repulsive electrostatic forces between charges, and on a test charge in an electric field.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the methods by which objects can gain, lose, or redistribute charge (e.g., conduction, induction, polarization).
• Apply knowledge of the electric field concept to analyze the electric field for various charge distributions (e.g., electric dipole, infinite wire).
• Apply knowledge of electric potential to solve problems involving work, electrical potential energy, and potential difference.
• Apply knowledge of force, motion, and energy to describe the behavior of electric charges in electric fields and in electric potentials.
• Apply knowledge of the use of science and engineering practices in exploring and understanding content related to electrostatics, such as developing and using models, planning and safely conducting investigations, applying mathematical concepts, and communicating and evaluating data and conclusions.

Descriptive Statements:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the structure, properties, and characteristics of ferromagnetic materials at the macroscopic and microscopic scales.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the source and characteristics of magnetic fields produced by current-carrying conductors and moving charges.
• Analyze factors that affect the magnitude and direction of forces on current-carrying conductors and charged particles in magnetic fields.
• Demonstrate knowledge of how electric motors produce mechanical movement.
• Apply knowledge of Lenz's law and Faraday's law of induction in a variety of situations (e.g., determining induced electromotive forces and the direction of induced currents, describing the operation of generators and transformers).
• Apply knowledge of the use of science and engineering practices in exploring and understanding content related to electromagnetism, such as developing and using models, planning and safely conducting investigations, applying mathematical concepts, and communicating and evaluating data and conclusions.

Sample Item:

Descriptive Statements:

• Demonstrate knowledge of conductivity, electric current, and electric circuit concepts (e.g., closed circuit, voltage source, conducting path, load).
• Apply knowledge of Ohm's law to solve problems involving voltage, current, and resistance in DC circuits.
• Interpret schematics of series and parallel circuits and apply Kirchhoff's laws to analyze the voltage, current, and resistance throughout a circuit.
• Apply concepts of energy and power to analyze energy transformations in electric circuits and devices (e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors).
• Demonstrate knowledge of alternating current and circuits (e.g., AC frequency, root mean square [RMS] power).
• Apply knowledge of the use of science and engineering practices in exploring and understanding content related to electric circuits, such as developing and using models, planning and safely conducting investigations, applying mathematical concepts, and communicating and evaluating data and conclusions.

Sample Item: