General Science Content Standards

Basic Science

Domain 1: Scientific Investigation

1.01	Understand the techniques used to analyze, critique, and improve scientific explanations of phenomena; understand that hypotheses must always be falsifiable and subjected to review in the light of scientific evidence obtained by experiment and observation.
1.02	Know how to make and record measurements of length, volume, time, temperature, mass, electrical quantities, and amount of substance, using SI units and give the numerical power-of-ten metric prefixes used with these units.
1.03	Understand that numerical values are associated with measurements of physical quantities and must be assigned units of measurement or dimensions; understand that every measurement requires a unit; and know how to use such units correctly.
1.04	Convert between units of the same measurement system (e.g., inches to yards, centimeters to meters, square feet to square miles) and given the conversion factors, make conversions between the metric and customary systems of measurement (e.g., feet to meters, kilowatts to horsepower, BTU to kilocalories and joules).
1.05	Express temperatures using Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin temperature scales and make conversions from one to another.
1.06	Demonstrate knowledge of the concepts of precision, accuracy, and error with regard to interpreting and recording numerical data acquired using a scientific instrument (human and instrument error).
1.07	Express numbers in scientific notation and determine significant digits in a measured or calculated quantity.
1.08	Understand the role of theory in the structure, function, and development of science such as the atomic theory, classical mechanics (e.g., Newtonian theory), Big Bang theory, the theory of plate tectonics, and the theory of biological evolution.
1.09	Evaluate a specific scientific investigation, on the basis of: the testability of questions and hypotheses the accuracy and reproducibility of the data acquired the distinction between variable and controlled parameters the distinctions among a hypothesis, a theory, and a prediction as these terms are used in science the identification of discrepant results and the possible sources of error, including uncontrolled conditions the numerical and non-numerical results calculated and displayed in charts, maps, tables, models, graphs, and labeled diagrams the connections among hypothesis, tests conducted, data collected and conclusions drawn from the scientific evidence the conclusions and their fit into the underlying theory the questions leading to further investigations
1.10	Use exponential growth and decay models to describe ratio-dependent phenomena such as radioactive decay and unchecked population growth.
1.11	Use examples to demonstrate the difference between real science and such pseudoscientific areas as astrology, fortune telling, therapeutic touch, and other “energy auras,” and UFOlogy.
1.12	Know and use various mathematics concepts and operations: use ratios, proportions, and percentages to describe relationships arising out of scientific investigations use averages, ranges, standard deviations and frequencies to describe statistical distributions arising out of numerical measurements use exponents and scientific notation use logarithmic relationships to describe quantities having very large ranges (e.g., sound intensities and hydrogen ion concentrations) solve and graph linear equations and compute slope and intercept
1.13	Use appropriate tools and technology (such as micrometers, computer-linked probes, pH meters, multimeters, spectrometers, and microscopes) to make measurements.
1.14	Understand procedures for the appropriate and safe storage, handling, use, disposal, care, and maintenance of chemicals, materials, specimens, and equipment.
1.15	Explain the ethical traditions of science: know the importance of keeping accurate and truthful records of data report the methods and outcomes of investigations accurately recognize the importance of peer review recognize the impact of science and technology on society
1.16	Recognize and identify how people from all walks of life make contributions to science.

Domain 2: Basic Biology

2.01	Understand the arrangement of electrons in electron shells and the importance of valence electrons. Describe common chemical bonds and interactions (polar and nonpolar covalent bonds, ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, van der Waals interactions, and hydrophobic effects).
2.02	Understand the structure and special properties of water, including its cohesion, expansion on freezing, geometry of H-bonds, solvent properties, specific heat, and heats of vaporization and fusion. Know the significance of these properties of water for organisms and ecosystems.
2.03	Explain the basic functions of DNA and RNA in cells.
2.04	Understand the first and second laws of thermodynamics and the different forms of energy involved in living systems (e.g., thermal energy, chemical bond energy, light energy, kinetic energy, and the potential energy that arises from voltage or concentration gradients).
2.05	Understand the problems of scaling as they relate to the size of cells (i.e. surface area to volume ratio).
2.06	Know the structural differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and between plant and animal cells.
2.07	Distinguish between sexual and asexual reproduction, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Understand how the processes involved in sexual reproduction cause genetic variation, i.e., meiosis and mitosis.
2.08	Know how Mendel carried out his experiments and how he pioneered the use of quantitative methods in genetics.
2.09	Give examples of genetic engineering used to produce biomedical and agricultural products as well as for bioremediation.
2.10	Know how fossils form and how they have contributed to our understanding of the evolutionary history of life.
2.11	Understand how continental movements have affected the distribution of plants and animals.
2.12	Describe the mechanics by which natural selection leads to evolution.
2.13	Understand the current classification schemes (three domains, six kingdoms) and the rationale for categorizing organisms. List the levels of classification.
2.14	Know the evidence for evolution, including comparative anatomy, comparative embryology, biogeography, and molecular biology.
2.15	Energy transfer through trophic levels of food web.
2.16	Know the basic functions of the various human body systems

Domain 3: Basic Chemistry

3.01	Describe the difference between compounds and mixtures, heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures, elements and atoms, atoms and molecules, atoms and ions, and ionic and molecular compounds.
3.02	Recognize density as an intensive (intrinsic) quantity, defined as the ratio of mass to volume, both of which are extensive (extrinsic) quantities.
3.03	Understand the difference between intensive and extensive properties of matter (e.g., pressure = force/area; electric current density = current/cross-sectional area).
3.04	Describe the structures and properties of the atom, including the atomic nucleus protons, neutrons, and electrons atomic mass, mass number, and atomic number electron density and configuration energy levels isotopes
3.05	Given the complete symbol for an isotope of an atom and the atomic number and the mass number, determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons).
3.06	Relate the position of an element in the periodic table to its atomic number, mass number, quantum electron configuration and to its reactivity with other elements in the table.
3.07	Identify major regions of the periodic table. (metals, nonmetals, metalloids, lanthanides, actinides, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, gases, noble gases).
3.08	Determine the number of valence electrons in various elements.
3.09	Use characteristic properties to classify substances (metal/nonmetal, ionic/molecular, acid/base).
3.10	Explain how atoms combine by sharing electrons to form covalent or metallic bonds or by the reconfiguration of electron densities to form ionic bonds, or by hydrogen bonds.
3.11	Compare and contrast the general physical and chemical properties of ionic and covalent compounds.
3.12	Describe the arrangement of atoms in molecules, ionic crystals, polymers, and metallic substances.
3.13	Know that atoms and molecules in the liquid state move randomly relative to one another, whereas in the solid state they vibrate about fixed positions and in the gaseous state they are mostly too far apart to interact significantly with one another.
3.14	Draw Lewis (electron dot) structures for atoms and simple molecules.
3.15	Explain how chemical reactions are processes in which atoms are rearranged into different combinations of molecules and no matter how they are arranged, their total mass and number of each kind of atom stays the same (i.e., conservation of mass).
3.16	Use chemical symbols and formulas to write and balance the equation for a chemical reaction, and identify the reactants and the products.
3.17	Define reaction types, including composition (synthesis), decomposition, combustion (oxidation), and single and double displacement reactions.
3.18	Understand the mole concept and the significance of Avogadro's number and use this understanding to calculate or interconvert: molar mass from a chemical formula and the mass numbers of the constituent elements moles to numbers of molecules mass (in g) to number of moles volume of gas at STP to moles
3.19	Given the concentration in grams of a solute per liter of solution, and the solution's density, express this concentration as molarity, percent composition, and parts per million.
3.20	Define the colligative properties (e.g., freezing point depression) of a solution and give examples.
3.21	Identify the acidity/basicity of solutions and predict the approximate pH of common household solutions.
3.22	Define strong and weak acids and give examples of each.
3.23	Describe what happens in a neutralization reaction.
3.24	Define saturated, unsaturated and supersaturated solutions and their relationship to precipitation.
3.25	Define pH as the negative of the logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration.
3.26	Explain the differences between polar and nonpolar solvents and the substances they tend to dissolve.
3.27	Explain that chemical processes either release or absorb energy (are exothermic or endothermic).
3.28	Describe temperature and heat flow in terms of the motion of molecules.
3.29	Explain the effects of the gain or loss of thermal energy on the temperature and state of solids, liquids and gases.
3.30	Understand that latent heat involves a change in the molecular potential energy of a substance as heat energy is released or absorbed with no temperature change.
3.31	Determine the average rate of a reaction over a given period of time by calculating the slope of the line on a concentration vs. time graph.
3.32	Evaluate a potential energy diagram showing activation energies for the forward and reverse reactions, and how they are affected by the addition of a catalyst.
3.33	Sketch a phase diagram for a pure substance. labeling the axes and each of the regions, and locate the triple point, critical point, normal melting point, and the normal boiling point. Use the phase diagram to describe physical changes.
3.34	Know that naturally occurring isotopes can be stable or unstable (radioactive).
3.35	Describe the three most common types of radioactive decay (alpha, beta, and gamma).
3.36	Describe the process of diffusion on the molecular level.

Domain 4: Basic Earth Science

4.01	Describe the overall structure of the universe, including galactic clusters, galaxies (the Milky Way in particular), star clusters, and stars.
4.02	Discuss the evidence (Doppler shifts and presence of cosmic background radiation) for and implications of the “Big Bang” theory.
4.03	Describe how atomic nuclei with atomic numbers up to iron are formed inside stars.
4.04	Describe the life cycle of stars with various initial masses. Describe how atomic nuclei heavier than iron are formed in supernova explosions, and how this matter becomes incorporated into later-generation stars like the sun.
4.05	Know that rocks are classified according to their origins as igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
4.06	Know that the Earth is roughly layered and properly use the terms crust, mantle and core.
4.07	Describe the overall interacting systems of Earth, including solid earth (geosphere/lithosphere), atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and ionosphere.
4.08	Explain time zones in terms of longitude (15º corresponds to 1 hour) and the rotation of the Earth. Understand the reasons for changes in the observed position of the sun and moon in the sky and the length of daylight in terms of latitude during the course of the day and from season to season.
4.09	Know that the Earth has a magnetic field that roughly approximates a dipole with poles located near the geographic poles.
4.10	Know the principles, uses and limitations of radiometric dating.
4.11	Understand the concept of half-life and its use in radiometric dating.
4.12	Know that most of the energy for processes at the Earth's surface comes from the sun.
4.13	Describe the Earth's water cycle.

Domain 5: Basic Physics

5.01	Describe the motion of a body of mass m when the net force acting on it is zero (Newton's first law.)
5.02	Describe the motion of a body of mass m when a nonzero net force F acts on it (Newton's second law).
5.03	Explain the connection between the mass m of a body and its weight w.
5.04	Describe Newton's third law of motion, making clear the fact that the pair of “equal and opposite forces” act on two different bodies.
5.05	Explain how simple machines (e.g., the lever, inclined plane, block and tackle) are devices that trade off force for distance (or vice versa) so that the work input and the work output are the same.
5.06	Explain Newton's law of universal gravitation.
5.07	Know the two kinds of electric charge (positive and negative) and the way they interact.
5.08	Explain that the electrostatic charge on the macroscopic scale is due to the presence of fundamental particles called electrons and protons, which have equal and opposite charges.
5.09	Explain that electromagnetic radiation of various wavelength ranges interacts with living tissue, and how this can be hazardous.
5.10	Relate wavelength, frequency, propagation speed, and energy of waves.
5.11	Understand that a disturbance in a medium may propagate as a wave.
5.12	Explain the reflection and refraction that occur when a wave encounters a boundary between two media.
5.13	Understand that refraction is a consequence of a change of wave speed.
5.14	Explain the Doppler effect.
5.15	Recognize the four basic forces of nature (electromagnetic, gravitation, weak, strong).
5.16	Understand the concepts of conservation of energy and conservation of momentum (qualitative and quantitative)
5.17	Describe the spectrum of electromagnetic waves. Describe the properties of each of the general wavelength ranges and the ways they can be generated, detected, and used for practical purposes.

Biology

Domain 1: Biology-Biochemical Basis of Life

1.01	Know the functions of cellulose, starch, glycogen, and chitin in cells.
1.02	Know the many possible functions of proteins in cells.
1.03	Understand how nucleic acids are classified (single stranded, double stranded, RNA, DNA), and how Watson-Crick base pairing (G with C, A with T or U) leads to a double helical structure consisting of two complementary strands.
1.04	Understand how fatty acids are classified (saturated, unsaturated), and the general structures and functions of triglycerides, phospholipids, and steroids.
1.05	Know how enzyme activity is affected by inhibitors, pH, salt concentration, and temperature conditions, and how metabolic pathways are frequently controlled by feedback inhibition.

Domain 2: Biology-Cell Biology

2.01	Know the historical scientific contributions of Hooke, Leeuwenhoek, Schleiden and Schwann to cell theory, and the types of instruments that are currently used to visualize cells at different scales.
2.02	Know the differences between plant and animal cells.
2.03	Understand the distinctions between simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, osmosis, and active transport in a cell system. Understand how osmotic pressure affects various types of cells.
2.04	Know the basic functions of glycolysis, fermentation, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport system, and their compartmentalization in a cell.
2.05	Know the basic functions of the light-dependent and light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, and their compartmentalization in a cell.
2.06	Understand the endomembrane system of eukaryotic cells, including vesicle transport from the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus to the cell surface, various types of endocytosis, and lysosome function.
2.07	Understand the basic structures and functions of the following: nucleus, nucleolus, nuclear pore, cytoskeleton, mitochondrion, chloroplast, large central vacuole, contractile vacuole, peroxisome, ribosome, cell wall, cell membrane, cilium and flagellum.

Domain 3: Biology-Classical Genetics and Molecular Biology

3.01	Explain the genetic basis for Mendel's principles of segregation and independent assortment.
3.02	Predict the probability of each possible genotype and phenotype in a genetic cross, given the genotypes of the parents and the mode of inheritance.
3.03	Explain the causes of common genetic diseases, their mode of inheritance, and their effects on phenotypes
3.04	Explain which non-lethal aneuploidies chromosomal abnormalities occur in humans, and their effects.
3.05	Understand how Watson and Crick determined the structure of DNA, and the importance of Franklin’s work. Explain how the structure of DNA allows it to serve as its own template for replication.
3.06	Understand that the sequence of nucleotides in a gene determines the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide, and explain the basic processes of transcription and translation, by which the information in the gene is used to direct the synthesis of a polypeptide.
3.07	Understand how genotype causes phenotype. Explain what mutations are, how they occur, and how they may or may not affect the expression of the gene, the function of the encoded protein, and the phenotype.

Domain 4: Biology-Evolution

4.01	Place significant biological events (e.g., appearance of prokaryotes, oxygen accumulation in the atmosphere, appearance of eukaryotes, first multicellular organisms, first land plants, and first vertebrates) on the geologic time scale.
4.02	Define mass extinction and know when the two most significant mass extinctions occurred. Describe the fossil record before and after a mass extinction.
4.03	Compare and contrast the three forms of natural selection and examples of each (stabilizing, divergent, and directional). Understand the pressures that lead to sexual selection, and how this can lead to sexual dimorphism.
4.04	Understand how natural selection acts on variations within a population which in turn depend on variations in genotype, and how this can result in change in the statistical distribution of genotypes.
4.05	Understand the effects of genetic drift in small populations. Discuss bottlenecks and their effects on a population’s genetic makeup.
4.06	Compare macroevolution and microevolution and explain how microevolution leads to speciation.
4.07	Compare and contrast gradualism and punctuated equilibrium in biological evolution and describe the evidence for each.
4.08	Compare and contrast the concepts of homologous and analogous structures.
4.09	Cite the progress since Darwin (e.g., molecular and Mendelian genetics, biochemistry, and developmental biology) that has improved and broadened our understanding of evolution.
4.10	Understand the various definitions of a species.
4.11	Describe the evidence for evolutionary connections among new world monkeys, old world monkeys, and great apes, including hominids and humans.

Domain 5: Biology-Animal Physiology

5.01	Describe the levels of organization, including cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and the whole animal. Describe the structure and function of various types of animal tissues.
5.02	Explain how the interactions of respiratory, circulatory, digestive, and excretory systems provide cells with oxygen and nutrients and remove toxic waste products such as carbon dioxide and nitrogenous wastes. Understand the importance of surface area in these systems.
5.03	Explain how the nervous system mediates communication between different parts of the body and allows an organism to respond to and interact with its environment. Describe the roles of sensory neurons, interneurons, motor neurons, and supporting cells.
5.04	Describe the structure and function of each major part of the human brain.
5.05	Trace the route of food through the alimentary canal and explain how its movement is regulated. Discuss the structure and function of each organ in the digestive system. List what secretions are added, where they are added, and the purpose of each.
5.06	Trace the route of blood through the human body, describe the various types of blood vessels and explain their functions, and explain how the heart functions.
5.07	Define blood pressure, explain how this causes a pulse that can be felt, and explain the difference between systole and diastole. Describe the conditions that can lead to heart disease, the changes this causes in arteries, and how heart attacks and strokes occur.
5.08	Describe the structure and function of the various components of blood, including blood clots .
5.09	Describe the structures of the human respiratory system and explain how negative pressure breathing works. Explain how oxygen and carbon dioxide are carried in the blood, and how a CO2-sensing feedback mechanism regulates respiration rate.
5.10	Describe the body’s nonspecific defenses, including the roles of the skin and secretions, the steps of the inflammatory response, and the roles of phagocytic cells and antimicrobial proteins.
5.11	Explain how vaccines work to confer immunity. Explain the difference between active and passive immunity, and how passive immunity can be obtained. Understand why the evolutionary properties of many viruses make the development of effective vaccines a problem.
5.12	Identify the various types of pathogens and explain their differences in structure and in how they cause disease. Describe the body’s defenses against bacterial and viral infections, and effective treatments of these infections.
5.13	Describe disorders of the immune system and their effects, including allergies, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiency diseases. Explain how AIDS develops and why individuals with AIDS often die as a result of opportunistic infections.
5.14	Explain the function of the kidneys in removing nitrogenous wastes from the blood and in regulating osmotic balance. Describe how the structure of the kidneys allows the processes of filtration, reabsorption, secretion, and excretion to occur. Name the other components of the excretory system and describe their functions.
5.15	Describe the various organs in the human endocrine system and the effects of the hormones produced by each. Explain the differences between paracrine and endocrine signaling.
5.16	Describe the multiple roles of the liver and its involvement in the balance of glucose and other nutrients in the blood.
5.17	Describe the structures of the male and female reproductive systems and explain how they function. Understand the role of hormones in development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics, and in regulating the menstrual cycle.
5.18	Describe the structures of the musculoskeletal system and explain the roles of bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Describe the various types of joints and their functions. Explain why muscles exist in opposing pairs

Domain 6: Biology-Plant Physiology

6.01	Describe the cellular structure of a leaf, and discuss how this facilitates photosynthesis. Explain how transpiration occurs and how it is regulated.
6.02	Explain how meristematic tissues allow both primary growth and secondary growth. Discuss how annual rings are formed in trees and woody plants.
6.03	Describe the reproductive structures in flowering plants, and explain the basic processes involved in sexual reproduction. Identify the parts of a seed, describe the structures and functions of various types of fruits, and explain how seeds germinate.
6.04	Discuss asexual reproduction in plants; explain how it occurs both in nature and in agriculture.

Domain 7: Biology-Ecology

7.01	Know how competition and predation control population size; understand the term “carrying capacity” as it is applied to a particular habitat.
7.02	Explain why the biotic potential of a population differs from the actual growth rate and understand the difference between an exponential growth curve and the growth curve of a population that is limited by the carrying capacity of its habitat.
7.03	Distinguish between the concepts of a theoretical and realized niche. Interpret Gause’s principle of competitive exclusion in terms of a niche. Know how interspecific competition affects communities and leads to resource partitioning.
7.04	Understand age structure graphs as they relate to population structure and dynamics.
7.05	Distinguish between mutualism, parasitism, and commensalism and cite examples of each.
7.06	Understand camouflage, mimicry and aposematic coloration as it relates to co-evolution.
7.07	Know the three principal stages of the nitrogen cycle. Know three processes that can reduce the amount of nitrate available to plants.
7.08	Understand the implications on mineral cycling of the human practices of fertilization of land and harvesting of crops. Explain how these implications are different for nutrients whose major inorganic reservoir is the atmosphere rather than the soil.
7.09	Understand energy transfer through the trophic levels of a food web and that much of the energy is lost as heat. Differentiate between a biomass pyramid, pyramid of production, and a pyramid of numbers. Explain the role of scavengers, detritivores, and decomposers (particularly bacteria and fungi) as recyclers in the ecosystem.
7.10	Understand the processes of biological succession and differentiate between primary and secondary succession.
7.11	Understand the human impact on ecosystems and the biosphere (e.g. global warming, depletion of resources, introduction of non-native species, ozone depletion, water projects, agriculture, deforestation, and cultural eutrophication).
7.12	Know the abiotic factors that affect the geographical distribution of organisms on a global scale. Know the following biological communities in terms of their primary productivity: deserts, tropical rain forests, and temperate forests.

Chemistry

Domain 8: Chemistry-Periodic Table and Trends

8.01	Know the contributions of Mendeleyev to the periodic table.

Domain 9: Chemistry-Quantum Mechanics

9.01	Write electron configurations for both neutral atoms and simple ions (having noble gas and pseudo-noble gas configurations) and use orbital diagrams to predict the number of unpaired electrons.

Domain 10: Chemistry-Molecular Bonding and Structure

10.01	Relate the vapor pressure and boiling or melting point of a solid or liquid substance, to its principal bonding mode ionic, covalent, hydrogen, or van der Waals (London dispersion forces) bonding.
10.02	Use the octet rule to generalize the chemistry of each family of elements. Know when to expect the octet rule to be valid and when it can fail.
10.03	Draw electron-dot Lewis structures of molecules and polyatomic ions employing multiple bonding resonance structures, single bonds, double bonds, triple bonds and non-bonded electron pairs.
10.04	Use the periodic table to predict whether a given bond is ionic, polar covalent, or non-polar covalent.

Domain 11: Chemistry-Chemical Naming and Formulas

11.01

Give formulas and names of common polyatomic ions, ionic compounds, binary molecular compounds, and common acids

Domain 12: Chemistry-Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry

12.01	Balance chemical equations for various reactions, including composition (synthesis), decomposition, combustion, and single and double displacement and acid/base neutralization.
12.02	Assess chemical reaction rates and the factors that affect reaction rates, including the roles of concentration, pressure, surface area, temperature, catalysts, and activation energy.
12.03	Express the relative rates of consumption of reactants and formation of products using the coefficients of a balanced chemical equation.

Domain 13: Chemistry-Electrochemistry

13.01

Know that in an electrochemical cell oxidation occurs at the anode and reduction occurs at the cathode.

Domain 14: Chemistry-Solution Chemistry

14.01	Describe the use of chromatography and fractional distillation as analytical tools and give examples of chemical procedures in which they are especially useful.
14.02	Analyze the solution process in terms of solute-solute, solute-solvent, and solvent-solvent interactions.
14.03	Explain the circumstances under which osmosis occurs and explain osmotic pressure.

Domain 15: Chemsitry-Gas Laws

15.01	Analyze the basic assumptions of kinetic molecular theory and its applications, including the way in which the ideal-gas model approximates real gases.
15.02	Understand how random motion of molecules and their collisions with a surface create the observable pressure on that surface
15.03	Understand and apply the ideal gas law, pV = nRT; understand the relationship between the absolute temperature of a gas and its kinetic energy per mole: K = 3/2 RT.
15.04	Understand and apply Dalton’s law of partial pressures to a mixture of gases.

Domain 16: Chemistry-Nuclear Chemistry

16.01	Describe nuclear fission and fusion reactions.
16.02	Describe the process used to convert nuclear energy into electrical energy in commercial reactors

Earth Science

Domain 17: Earth Science-Astronomy and Cosmology

17.01	Describe the function of instruments humans have used to discover the structure and content of the universe, including optical telescopes, radio, infrared, and X-ray telescopes, and spectrometers, and describe the roles they play in gathering information about the universe and its constituents.
17.02	Explain how we infer the age of the universe.
17.03	Describe the life cycle of the sun and the composition and characteristics of the sun (a typical star, powered by nuclear reactions).
17.04	Describe the structure and general history of the solar system, including the formation of the sun, the outer planets, the inner planets, and the planetary satellites.
17.05	Describe the motions of the planets (rotation, revolution, precession and the periods of these) and the various inclinations of their axes to their orbit planes.
17.06	Describe the appearance, composition, and relative position of objects in the solar system (sun, moon, terrestrial and gas giant planets, Pluto, planetary satellites, comets and asteroids).
17.07	Describe the effects of later (post-accretion) asteroid impacts on shaping the surface of planets and their moons and the evidence suggesting their possible role in mass extinctions of life on Earth.

Domain 18: Earth Science-Structure and Composition of Earth

18.01	Properly use the terms continental and oceanic crust, mantle, lithosphere, asthenosphere, inner and outer core.
18.02	Define what geologists mean by the term “mineral.”
18.03	Understand that minerals are classified according to their anionic groups, and some important groups are native elements, sulfides, oxides, carbonates, sulfates, and silicates.
18.04	Understand that samples of minerals may be identified by certain diagnostic physical and chemical properties, chiefly color, luster, streak, cleavage, specific gravity, hardness, and crystal form, and occasional special properties such as magnetism, striations, and reactivity with acid.
18.05	Using a key, identify hand samples of common rock-forming and ore minerals.
18.06	Using a key, identify samples of common rocks by reference to their composition (mineralogy) and texture (including grain size): Igneous rocks – intrusive and extrusive (granite, diorite, gabbro, rhyolite, andesite, basalt, obsidian, tuff and pumice); Metamorphic rocks (slate, schist, gneiss, marble, quartzite, metaconglomerate); sedimentary rocks – clastic and chemical/biogenic (conglomerate, breccia, sandstone, shale and mudstone, limestone, gypsum).
18.07	Explain processes related to the formation of igneous rocks from parent rocks (including Bowen’s reaction series): melting/crystallization of pure substances and mixtures (continuous and discontinuous behavior in solid solution series); slow and fast cooling in relation to crystal size.
18.08	Explain processes related to sedimentary rock formation from parent rock: types of chemical and physical weathering; erosion; transportation; deposition; lithification.
18.09	Explain how rates of weathering are related to mineralogy and climate.
18.10	Describe a variety of depositional environments and their deposits (e.g., stream deposits, deltas, alluvial fans, lakebeds, glacial tills, turbidites).
18.11	Describe a variety of landforms produced by erosional processes (e.g., sinkholes, cirques, stream and glacial valleys).
18.12	Understand the relationship between weathering and soil formation.
18.13	Know how to make and interpret contour maps and cross-sections.

Domain 19: Earth Science-Earth’s Magnetic Field, Plate Tectonics, and Structural Geology

19.01	Know that Earth’s magnetic field is probably generated by the flow of conducting material in its liquid outer core.
19.02	Understand that the Earth’s magnetic field varies continuously over time in both direction and intensity, and reverses polarity at irregular intervals.
19.03	Explain that most rocks possess a weak remanent magnetism that records the geomagnetic field which existed at the time of the rock’s formation.
19.04	Describe Wegener’s lines of evidence in support of his theory of continental drift.
19.05	Describe the evidence for seafloor spreading in terms of the age and topographic features of the ocean bottom and “hot spots.”
19.06	Explain the paleomagnetic evidence – apparent polar wander curves and marine magnetic anomalies – that supports of the theory of plate tectonics.
19.07	Describe mantle convection as the driving mechanism moving lithospheric plates.
19.08	Describe the relative motion of plates in terms of their interaction at divergent, convergent and transform boundaries.
19.09	Describe plate boundaries in terms of the processes and structures that frequently occur there – earthquakes, deep trenches, arc volcanism, rifting, folding and mountain building.
19.10	Explain explosive and “quiet” volcanism in terms of the viscosity and gas content of magma and how this relates to the chemistry of the magma and the plate tectonic setting.
19.11	Describe typical igneous structures and their origins – composite and shield volcanoes, cinder cones, dikes and sills, craters and calderas, flood basalts, volcanic domes and pillows.
19.12	Explain the elastic rebound theory for the generation of earthquakes.
19.13	Describe the particle motion and relative velocity of seismic ps, and l waves.
19.14	Explain the process by which seismologists locate the focus and epicenter of an earthquake.
19.15	Define earthquake intensity and magnitude, and describe the process by which simple (Richter) magnitude and (modified Mercalli) intensity are measured and reported.

Domain 20: Earth Science-History of Earth

20.01	Compare and contrast relative and absolute dating of Earth materials in terms of their aims and sources of error and explain how these are used together to build chronologies.
20.02	Explain the methods used for absolute dating of Earth materials, considering radioactive decay and half-life calculations; choice of isotopes for different age ranges; cross-checking using several decay systems; sources of systematic error.
20.03	Explain the principles, uses, and limitations of carbon dating.
20.04	Know the principal divisions (eons and eras) of geologic time, and the basis for placing the temporal boundaries.
20.05	Describe the evidence supporting an asteroid impact at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K-T) boundary.

Domain 21: Earth Science-Earth’s Atmosphere

21.01	Describe the fate of incoming solar radiation in terms of reflection and absorption, and its role in photosynthesis.
21.02	Describe the formation of the early atmosphere and hydrosphere as a result of the phenomena of outgassing and meteorite impacts as the primordial Earth cooled.
21.03	Explain how the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere has evolved over geologic time and in particular the origin of atmospheric oxygen.
21.04	Describe the thermal structure and chemical composition of the atmosphere.
21.05	Identify the location of the ozone layer, its role in absorbing ultraviolet radiation, and the recent depletion of high-altitude ozone and its probable cause.
21.06	Distinguish between weather and climate.
21.07	Know how barometers, weather maps, weather satellites, thermometers, anemometers, hygrometers, weather balloons, and computer models are used to acquire and process vast amounts of data in real time to forecast weather.
21.08	Explain processes that cause air to rise and the consequent formation of clouds, and the weather that can be predicted on the basis of the presence of different types of clouds.
21.09	Describe warm and cold fronts and their effects on the weather.
21.10	Explain the role of adiabatic heating and cooling on the altitudinal dependence of air temperature.
21.11	Explain the role of the latent heat of water in distributing heat energy and the role of the specific heat of water in tempering climate near coastlines.
21.12	Explain the mechanisms of heat transfer between and within the atmosphere, land masses and oceans that drive the movement of air around the planet.
21.13	Explain that differences in atmospheric pressure from place to place cause convective air currents (winds).
21.14	Know that Earth’s climate has changed many times in geologic history and on many time scales and give some of the commonly cited evidence for global climate changes from stable isotopes in marine fossils and trapped atmospheric gases in polar ice cores.
21.15	Understand the general mechanism of the greenhouse effect, including the facts that bodies at different temperatures radiate energy with different wavelength distributions, and that various gases are either transparent to or absorb different wavelengths of radiation.

Domain 22: Earth Science-Earth’s Water

22.01	Describe the relative abundance of water in various reservoirs at or near the Earth’s surface, giving approximate percentages of the total stored as saline water in the oceans and fresh water in lakes, streams, glaciers, clouds, and ground water.
22.02	Describe the general topography of the ocean bottom, including continental shelf, slope, rise, abyss, trench, seamounts and mid-oceanic ridge system.
22.03	Describe and discuss the importance of the process of upwelling which brings “old” deepwater back to the surface ocean.
22.04	Describe the causes and the general pattern of surface currents in the ocean.
22.05	Explain the mechanism causing tides in the ocean and the solid Earth. Explain how coastal landforms can magnify tidal oscillations.
22.06	Define a stream as any body of water confined to a channel and moving downhill under the influence of gravity.
22.07	Describe the topography of a typical stream, including its cross-sectional profile, channel, flood plain, and natural levees.
22.08	Describe the development of a drainage basin as sheetwash merges into rills, small streams, tributaries and major rivers.
22.09	Explain how braided and meandering streams may change their courses through processes of (headward and lateral) erosion and deposition and how they build deltas when they reach base level, usually the ocean.
22.10	Define porosity and permeability, and describe the process by which water moves through the ground, collects in aquifers, and is discharged in springs and rivers.
22.11	Explain the processes by which glaciers form, move, and erode the landscape.

Domain 23: Earth Science-Earth’s Resources and Hazards

23.01	Describe the availability, geographic distribution, wise use and conservation, and recycling of Earth’s most important non-renewable mineral and energy resources.
23.02	Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using various non-fossil fuel sources of energy for industrial and individual uses.
23.03	Describe common sources of air and water pollution and ways to reduce pollution.
23.04	Describe the mechanisms and effects of secondary hazards from earthquakes, including fire, landsliding, liquefaction, tsunami.
23.05	Describe the relative hazards of various types of volcanic eruptions, including nuées ardentes, lava flows, phreatic eruptions, gas emissions, lahars, and pyroclastic eruptions.
23.06	Describe the tendency for rivers to flood, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various types of human intervention for flood control, including building levees and dams, and channelization.

Physics

Domain 24: Physics-General Mathematics and Kinematics

24.01	Explain the relationship among the kinematic quantities position, displacement, speed, velocity, acceleration, and time.
24.02	Apply the kinematic equations for one-dimensional motion at constant speed and motion at constant acceleration.
24.03	Draw and interpret graphs describing the position, velocity, and acceleration of a body as a function of time.

Domain 25: Physics-Dynamics

25.01	Add forces vectorially in two dimensions, using graphical methods.
25.02	Add forces vectorially in two dimensions, using trigonometric relations to calculate components.
25.03	Draw and describe the use of the free-body diagram in analyzing the net force acting on a body.
25.04	Describe the motion of the simple pendulum oscillating with small amplitude.
25.05	Explain the conditions that lead to stable, unstable, and neutral equilibrium of a body.
25.06	Explain that Newton was able to show how universal the gravitational force is.

Domain 26: Physics-Work, Energy, Power, and Momentum

26.01	Calculate the work W done in raising a body of mass m through a vertical distance h.
26.02	Calculate the mechanical advantage of a variety of simple machines.
26.03	Understand the relationship between energy and power.
26.04	Use momentum conservation to explain the operation of a rocket or the collision of billiard balls.

Domain 27: Physics-Mechanics of Fluids

27.01	For an incompressible fluid (e.g., water), describe pressure as a function of density ρ, depth y, and the gravitational acceleration g.
27.02	Explain how a mercury barometer works.
27.03	Solve problems involving floating and sinking bodies using Archimedes’ principle.
27.04	Demonstrate and explain the Venturi effect, i.e,, apply Bernoulli’s principle..

Domain 28: Physics-Thermodynamics

28.01	Given the coefficient of linear expansion of a solid, α, calculate the change in length of a bar of the solid for a specified temperature change Δt.
28.02	Describe the use of a calorimeter to determine the specific heat capacity c of a sample of a substance having known mass.
28.03	Describe the ideal-gas model and explain why and when it is a reasonable approximation to a real gas, whose molecules are not geometric points.
28.04	Use the ideal-gas model to justify the law of partial pressures.
28.05	Explain the first law of thermodynamics.
28.06	Use p-V diagrams to describe thermodynamic processes involving ideal gases.
28.07	Explain how the first law9 of thermodynamics forbids the possibility of a perpetual-motion machine of the first kind.
28.08	Explain the operation of refrigerators and air conditioners.

Domain 29: Physics-Waves

29.01	Know that a wave is a disturbance in a medium, and that energy propagates through the medium, via the wave, without gross displacement of the medium itself.
29.02	Describe the difference between transverse and longitudinal waves in terms of the motion of the medium.
29.03	Explain why longitudinal waves can propagate in any medium, but transverse waves can propagate only in solids.
29.04	Explain the superposition principle for waves and the phenomena of constructive and destructive interference.
29.05	Describe the properties of a wave on an infinite stretched string in terms of frequency f, wavelength λ, period τ, propagation speed v, and amplitude A.
29.06	Understand that the propagation speed of a wave depends only on the properties of the medium
29.07	Explain the attenuation of waves as they spread out in two or three dimensions.

Domain 30: Physics-Electricity

30.01	Distinguish between dielectrics and conductors, and describe charging by induction.
30.02	Using flux lines (“lines of force” or “field lines”), sketch the electric field in the neighborhood of simple charge distributions.
30.03	Define electromotive force (emf) with special attention to the distinction between emf and electric potential difference, and describe various sources of emf.
30.04	Explain the relationship between electric charge Q (expressed in coulombs, C) and electric current I (expressed in amperes, A.)
30.05	Give examples of ohmic conductors and state Ohm’s law.
30.06	Use Ohm’s law to calculate the resistance of series and parallel networks of resistors.
30.07	Build and analyze simple dc circuits.
30.08	Explain the advantages of alternating current over direct current for power distribution networks

Domain 31: Physics-Magnetism and Electromagnetism

31.01	Describe the fundamental properties of magnets: including polarity, induced magnetism, ferromagnetism, and the magnetic remanence of “hard” magnets.
31.02	Describe the distinction between magnetic and electrostatic effects.
31.03	Explain that the Earth is, to first approximation, a magnetic dipole, with magnetic poles near but not at the geographic poles.
31.04	Diagram the magnetic field lines in the vicinity of a bar magnet and explain what happens to those field lines when they enter the magnet. Explain the consistency of this picture with the nonexistence of magnetic monopoles.
31.05	Describe Oersted’s experiment in which he discovered that a magnetic field is induced by an electric current.
31.06	State the essential qualitative nature of Faraday’s law: A changing magnetic flux is always accompanied by an electric circulation whose value is the sum around an imaginary loop of E Δl.
31.07	Explain that an electromagnetic wave is a wave even though it is not a disturbance in a medium.
31.08	Describe the spectrum of electromagnetic waves. Describe the properties of each of the general wavelength ranges and the ways they can be generated, detected, and used for practical purposes

Domain 32: Physics-Optics

32.01	Use the law of reflection to draw diagrams of the path of light rays striking one or more mirrors.
32.02	Explain that a wave striking the surface of a transparent medium is partly reflected and partly refracted.
32.03	Explain the phenomenon of total internal reflection and describe its use in light pipes, optical fibers, and reflecting prisms.
32.04	Explain why white light entering a glass prism is spread out into a spectrum on the basis of the phenomenon of dispersion, and give examples of such dispersion (e.g., the rainbow, prism spectrometers.).
32.05	Explain the difference between polarized and unpolarized light.
32.06	Describe how a thin film (e.g., oil on water or a soap bubble) can produce interference patterns, and how a film of nonuniform thickness can produce a “rainbow” of colors.
32.07	Explain the phenomenon of two-slit interference.
32.08	Explain the difference between interference and diffraction, and sketch the diffraction pattern for a single slit and for a circular aperture.
32.09	Explain how diffraction sets a limit on the resolution of images.
32.10	Draw ray diagrams to show how convex and concave lenses produce an image.
32.11	Explain the operation of the simple magnifier, the compound microscope, the astronomical refracting telescope, the Newtonian reflecting telescope, and the human eye. Know that the main refractive surface in the eye is the cornea, while the lens serves only to adjust for object distance.