physics? physical science?

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I've been looking for materials for my junior to use for a half credit of physical science. I'm coming up with titles about "physics." Is physics and physical science the same thing?

TIA,
PAM

[Laurel-in-CA]

Physical Science is usually an 8th/9th grade course, and is an overview of chemistry & physics & ??? (don't remember). Physics usually requires a *much* higher level of math and is focused on forces & how they interact.

[rhrice3]

Pam,
Last year my soph read Tarbuck's Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology for the Science Olympiad contest. Since I did not have tests, he was required to write papers on every chapter and he won 4th in the state contest. I was told this is a college level course, and we found the book online cheap. He found it an interesting book, and we supplemented documentaries from the library and Netflix with it. Although he completed all this work in a 4 month period, he had enough hours involved in it to give him a full credit. I think that you could do it with just the book and tests/papers for 1/2 credit.

When we moved to Florida this fall, he began attending a public high school and they redid his transcript. They gave him an Honors credit for the course and recognized it as a college text. Hope this helps

ReneeR
formerly from Knoxville

[Pam L in Mid Tenn]

I'm in Tennessee and physical science can get a high school credit. Thanks for the responses, but I still really don't understand the difference between physics and physical science. I know that physics includes topics with higher math skills. Is physical science considered the "introduction" to physics?

Thanks again,
Pam

[GVA]

I'm in Tennessee and physical science can get a high school credit. Thanks for the responses, but I still really don't understand the difference between physics and physical science. I know that physics includes topics with higher math skills. Is physical science considered the "introduction" to physics?

Thanks again,
Pam

Physical science usually has a prereq of pre-algebra, and the topics include chemistry, physics, and a smattering of related topics including astronomy and weather. It depends on what curriculum as to the topics. I've seen some books that are primarily physics and chemistry with little else, and some that go broarder. No biology though, and some have said that physical science is the opposite of life science in terms of disciplines. Some curriculum providers do life science for 7th or 8th, and then physical science for 8th or 9th.

The physics in physical science is at a lower level than the physics in a year-long physics high school course. Most physics requires some level of algebra whereas physical science is OK with prealgebra.

[Julie in MN]

Physical science is a grouping of science fields. I think of it as the "non-living" sciences. Physics is a more specific field. So it might look like this (there are tons more categories than I list here):

SCIENCES

I. Physical sciences
a. Physics
b. Chemistry

II. Biological sciences
a. Botany
b. Zoology

III. Social sciences
a. Anthropology
b. Psychology


By the way, I recently posted about "Conceptual Physics" and you might search for threads about that, as far as one option that you have.
Julie