Physical science is the study of matter, energy, and the changes they undergo through observation and logical reasoning. It involves using skills like making observations both qualitative and quantitative, inferring interpretations based on observations and prior knowledge, and predicting what will happen in the future based on past evidence. The two main branches are chemistry, which studies the properties of matter and how it changes, and physics, which studies matter, energy, motion, and the forces that interact between them. Key concepts of physical science include force, energy, conservation, atomic theory, and the behavior of particles in different states of matter.

1. Section 1:
What is Physical Science?
Skills scientists use
Science – the study of the natural world through observation
and logical reasoning
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physical Science

2. 1. Observation — using one or more senses to gather
information.
Qualitative descriptions that don’t involve numbers
Quantitative observations using numbers
Observations may also be called data
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physical Science
Skills needed:

3. 2. Inferring— the process of making an inference, an
interpretation based on observations and prior knowledge
— not always correct, but they can lead to the correct
answer
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physical Science
Skills needed:

4. 2. Predicting— process of forecasting what will happen in
the future based on past experience or evidence
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physical Science
Skills needed:

5. Physical science is the study of matter, energy, and the
changes they undergo.
Branches of physical science
• Chemistry — the study of the properties of matter and
how matter changes
• Physics – the study of matter, energy, motion, and forces
and how they interact
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physical Science
The Study of Matter and Energy

6. • Force and energy
• Law of conservation
• Atoms, molecules, and the atomic theory
• The behavior of particles in solid, liquid and gaseous
matter
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physical Science
Big Ideas of Physical Science

7. • Force and energy
• Law of conservation
• Atoms, molecules, and the atomic theory
• The behavior of particles in solid, liquid and gaseous
matter
Chapter 1 Introduction to Physical Science
Big Ideas of Physical Science