How to Understand Physical Science

Physical science in usually taught in junior high school. It covers the topics of introductory chemistry and physics: properties of matter, periodic table, acids and bases, laws of motion, force and work, sound, light and electricity. With its strong emphasis on the scientific method and laboratory procedures, physical science is the foundation for all further study in the sciences. In addition to teaching the various topics, physical science courses seek to teach the skills of measuring, observing, collecting data, making calculations and problem solving.

Instructions

1. Study the vocabulary. Memorize the new words or the specialized meanings of ordinary words (e.g., work, which in science means force times distance). Learning the vocabulary is a must for understanding any new subject. Make 3-by-5 cards or post-it notes that you can take with you and quickly review several times a day.

2. Learn the metric system. All measurements in physical science will be expressed in metric units (meter (length), gram (mass), liter (volume), centigrade (temperature) and second (time)). Memorize the prefixes such as "centi," "mili," "deca" and "kilo." The prefixes and their meanings are the same regardless of what is being measured.

3. Do all experiments in your textbook or classroom syllabus. The adage, “I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand,” is particularly true for scientific concepts.

4. Perform measuring with the greatest possible accuracy. Careful reading of all measuring instruments and devices is essential to getting accurate results. If it seems that an experiment didn’t “work,” double-check not only your calculations, but also your measurements. These are the data in the “Garbage In, Garbage Out” equation. Avoid garbage data.

5. Relate what you are learning in physical science to your everyday experiences. The chemistry and physics topics covered in physical science are on the macro, not micro level. They involve objects, forces and changes that you can directly observe. Look for these things in your daily life outside of the classroom and laboratory. If you are studying force, motion, gravity and acceleration, try to relate those concepts to your car’s acceleration on the highway, what happens when you ride a bike or ski downhill, or ride an elevator. If you are studying chemical concepts, like solutions, homogeneous substances, elements, or compounds, try to classify each item of your lunch or in your book bag into the proper category.

6. Teach someone else. Often the best measure of whether you really understand something is if you can adequately explain it to another person. Test yourself by trying to explain physical science concepts to your parents.

Tips & Warnings

• Pay attention to the scientific method. Articulate a clear hypothesis, develop a method for testing that hypothesis and evaluate the results.

• Ask questions. Ask your instructor or tutor to clarify anything you don’t completely understand. Ask for insight into how the concepts relate to the things you observe outside of the classroom.

Resources

• Online homework help with professional tutors