Physical Sciences – Foundation

Knowledge and understanding of science, scientific literacy and scientific methods are necessary for learners to develop the skills to resolve questions about their natural and constructed world.

The purpose of science education is to develop scientific literacy, fostering learners:

• to be interested in, and understand, the world around them
• to engage in discourse about science
• to gain 21st century skills of critical thinking and communication that are increasingly important within the workforce
• to have the skills to inquire into systems, and to be sceptical and questioning of claims made by others about scientific matters: to be able to identify questions and draw evidence-based conclusions; and to make informed decisions about the environment, about their own health and well-being, and about issues arising as a result of the application of science and technology.

The physical sciences endeavour to explain natural phenomena and properties of matter that occur in the physical world:

• physics uses models and theories based on physical laws to visualise, explain and predict physical phenomena
• chemistry uses an understanding of chemical structures, interactions and energy changes to explain chemical properties and behaviours.

Physical Sciences - Foundation Level 2 aims to equip students with skills and knowledge in physical sciences. These can be applied to explain observations of the properties and behaviour of matter and natural phenomena that occur in the real world. In studying this course, learners will also develop skills in scientific thinking and understanding of scientific terminology.

Learners will be exposed to a range of scientific approaches for inquiring into the physical and chemical nature of their world. Content will have a strong practical basis and, where possible, links with the learners’ experiences and lives. A variety of approaches can be used to achieve this purpose.

On successful completion of this course, learners will be able to:

This course has a complexity level of 2.

At Level 2, the learner is expected to carry out tasks and activities that involve a range of knowledge and skills, including some basic theoretical and/or technical knowledge and skills. Limited judgment is required, such as making an appropriate selection from a range of given rules, guidelines or procedures. VET competencies at this level are often those characteristic of an AQF Certificate II. 

This course has a size value of 15.

OVERVIEW

• Science Inquiry Skills (criterion 2)
• Science as a Human Endeavour (criterion 4)
• Science Understanding (criteria 5 to 8)

build on students’ learning in F-10 Australian Curriculum: Science.

In the practice of science, the three strands are closely integrated: the work of scientists reflects the nature and development of science; it is built around scientific inquiry; and it seeks to respond to and influence society. 

Science Inquiry Skills and Science as a Human Endeavour strands (respectively):

• undertake, interpret and review physical sciences experiments (criterion 2)
• discuss the application and impact of physical sciences on society (criterion 4)

These three strands will be integrated into four (4) interwoven threads of Science Understanding based on the themes of chemical and physical behaviours in the world:

• describe and utilise concepts of chemical structure and properties (criterion 5)
• describe and utilise concepts of physics (criterion 6)
• describe and interpret chemical behaviour and data related to chemistry (criterion 7)
• describe and interpret data related to physics (criterion 8).

All course content is compulsory.

While each area described in the content is compulsory, the order of delivery is not prescribed. The course may be delivered in a number of ways, for example:

• using a theme-based approach
• on the basis of project work
• unitised in traditional topics
• a combination of these and other strategies.

COMMUNICATION AND ORGANISATION SKILLS

APPLY SKILLS TO ORGANISE AND COMPLETE ACTIVITES (CRITERION 1)

Criterion 1 is to be assessed throughout the course using a range of assessment tasks.

COLLECT, PROCESS AND COMMUNICATE SCIENCE INFORMATION (CRITERION 3)

Criterion 3 is assessed within all threads of the Science Understanding strand requiring learners to complete activities and communicate using the appropriate and agreed conventions, including:

• using Système Internationale Units (SI), scientific notation, standard notation and the correct number of significant figures 
• selecting, constructing and using appropriate chemical, physical and mathematical representations to communicate conceptual understanding, solve problems and make predictions
• using and interpreting a range of scientific and media texts and referring to the quality of available evidence
• communicating information to others through selecting and constructing appropriate language, nomenclature, modes and genres, including scientific reports
• recording sources of information.

SCIENCE INQUIRY SKILLS

UNDERTAKE, INTERPRET AND REVIEW PHYSICAL SCIENCES EXPERIMENTS (CRITERION 2)

 Learners will:

• conduct laboratory experiments and investigations, to collect reliable data; assess risk associated with these methods
• select and use appropriate equipment to collect and record data systematically and accurately
• analyse patterns and trends in data, including describing relationships between variables and identifying inconsistencies
• use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence
• comment on the validity of conclusions, including identifying sources of uncertainty and possible alternative explanations, and describe specific ways to improve the quality of the data.

SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOUR

DESCRIBE THE APPLICATION AND IMPACT OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES ON SOCIETY (CRITERION 4)

Learners will engage with the following concepts, placing the physical sciences firmly as a human endeavour:

• scientific understanding, including models and theories, is contestable and is refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community
• advances in scientific understanding often rely on technological advances and are frequently linked to scientific discoveries
• people use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions
• advances in science can affect people’s lives, including generating new career opportunities
• values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research.

SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING

DESCRIBE AND UTILISE CONCEPTS OF CHEMICAL STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES (CRITERION 5)

Chemical structures and properties can be directly related to how atoms interact with each other. Learners will study:

• the atomic structure and properties of elements are used to organise them in the Periodic Table:
  • describe the structure of atoms in terms of electron shells (shells only)
  • explain how the electronic structure determines the position of an element on the periodic table
  • explain how the position on the periodic table of an element relates to its properties 
  • elements in the same group of the periodic table have similar chemical properties
    • for example: investigating the chemical activity of metals
  • the atomic mass tends to increase with atomic number:
    • increasing down a group
    • increasing across a period (left to right.)
• electronic structure of atoms determines whether they have a tendency to lose or gain electrons in chemical reactions:
  • metals undergo reactions where they lose electrons
  • metals form positive ions (cations)
  • non-metals undergo reactions where they gain electrons
  • non-metals form negative ions (anions.)
• properties of elements can be used to predict how they react:
  • non-metals can share electrons with other non-metals to form compounds
  • metals can donate electrons to non-metals to form compounds
  • a mixture of metals can form an alloy
• properties of elements and compounds can be predicted, generalised and observed:
  • similar elements undergo similar chemical reactions
  • compounds containing the same structures undergo similar reactions
• water is a key substance in a range of chemical systems because of its unique properties including its:
  • boiling point
  • density in solid and liquid phases
  • surface tension
  • ability to act as a solvent
• the structure of compounds is determined by how their atoms or ions interact and can be used to predict chemical properties:
  • the number of bonds
  • relative numbers of atoms or ions
  • the shape of compounds
  • further reactions that are possible
• chemistry knowledge and skills are used in the production of many useful everyday materials, for example:
  • fuels
  • metals
  • pharmaceuticals
  • plastics.
• chemistry knowledge can explain biological processes, for example:
  • nutrition
  • nutrient transport
  • nerve cell potential
  • respiration
  • photosynthesis.

DESCRIBE AND UTILISE CONCEPTS OF PHYSICS (CRITERION 6)

There are clear principles that underpin the physical behaviours of matter. Learners will study:

• physics utilises measurable, standardised and inter-related quantities to explain, predict and explore physical behaviour, including:
  • time
  • temperature
  • energy
  • force
  • distance
  • speed
  • mass
  • acceleration
• basic physical principles can be used to predict, explore and explain physical behaviours:
  • Law of Conservation of Energy 
    • energy in any closed system remains constant; it cannot be created or destroyed, just transformed
    • kinetic, potential and heat energy transformations can cause change within systems
  • force affects the motion of objects:
    • Newton’s First Law - a stationary or moving object with constant motion, has balanced forces acting on it (consider in one dimension only)
    • using Newton’s Second Law to predict how a net force affects the acceleration of an object
      • i.e. F = ma or F = mg only.
    • applying Newton’s Third Law qualitatively to describe the effect of interaction between two colliding objects in one dimension
• physical behaviours within systems can be explained, explored and predicted through the inter-relationships between basic physical principles:
  • temperature is related to the kinetic energy of particles:
    • all systems have thermal energy due to the motion of particles in the system (except at absolute zero)
    • heat transfer occurs between and within systems by conduction, convection and/or radiation
    • temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a system
  • relationships between physical phenomena can be used to describe how energy is transferred and transformed within systems such as:
    • car crashes
    • pendulums
    • lifting and dropping

DESCRIBE AND INTERPRET CHEMICAL BEHAVIOUR AND DATA RELATED TO CHEMISTRY (CRITERION 7)

Chemical behaviour can be represented, explored and generalised using chemical formulae and equations. Measurable data can be used to explore and ascertain chemical data and behaviour. Learners will study:

• compounds can be represented through chemical formula:
  • non-metallic compounds usually have a molecular formula that represents the number of each constituent atom per molecule
  • compounds that have both metallic and non-metallic ions have a formula that represents the ratio of ions in that compound
  • sometimes ions are used to explain simple chemical behaviour (e.g. metal ions)
• chemical reactions can be represented using chemical equations (worded and/or formula):
  • reactants are required for the reaction to take place
  • products are what are produced during the reaction
  • the general format for chemical equations is: reactants ? products 
  • chemical reactions involve the formation of new chemical substances (products)
  • states of matter can change during chemical reactions
• constituent atoms or ions within compounds and reactions are present before and after a chemical reaction:
  • during a chemical reaction, the constituent atoms or ions within the reactants are rearranged to form new chemical compounds (products)
  • this is referred to as the law of conservation of mass
  • chemical equations can be balanced
  • balanced chemical equations have the same number of each atom or ions in the reactants and products and represent the law of conservation of mass
• reactions between compounds can be predicted, categorised and observed:
  • similar simple chemical reactions have similar reactants and products
  • word and/or symbol equations can be used to assist with generalising or predicting products of reactions
• chemical formulae can be used with measurable quantities to calculate chemical data, such as:
  • mass can be used to calculate amount in moles
  • mass and volume can be used to calculate concentration in moles per litre
• balanced chemical equations can be used with measurable quantities to find chemical properties, such as:
  • calculating an unknown concentration
  • identifying an unknown element or compound
  • calculating the purity of a sample

DESCRIBE AND INTERPRET DATA RELATED TO PHYSICS (CRITERION 8)

Physics can be explained, explored and modelled using measurable and observable data. Learners will study:

• measuring and manipulating physical quantities requires the use of internationally agreed standardised units, such as:
  • seconds (time)
  • kelvin (temperature)
  • joules (energy)
  • newtons (force)
  • metres (distance)
  • metres per second (speed)
  • kilograms (mass)
  • metres per second per second (acceleration.)
• physical systems can be inquired into by creating and utilising:
  • tables of measurable physical quantities
  • graphs representing the interrelationships between measurable physical quantities
• diagrams and symbols can be used to
  • represent the components of physical systems
  • simplify the interpretation of physical systems
  • explain and explore the underlying nature of physical behaviours
• physical behaviours within systems can be explained, explored and predicted through using equations to manipulate relationships between measurable quantities, for example:
  • distance and time are related to speed
  • mass and velocity are related to kinetic energy
  • change in temperature is related to change in energy
• mathematical models can be used to describe and explore physical behaviour. For example, how energy is transferred and transformed within systems:
  • car crashes
  • pendulums
  • lifting and dropping.

PHYSICAL SCIENCES IN SOCIETY INVESTIGATION

Learners will undertake an investigation related to the impact of physical sciences on society (criterion 4). This investigation requires at least 10 hours of course design time and may include a practical component

• describe one topic associated with physical sciences that has met or meets a need in society
• describe key components of science and issues related to the topic
• present a balanced discussion of positive and negative impacts
• present reasoned conclusions about the impacts related to this topic using relevant evidence.

If a practical component is included as part of the investigation then it must:

• recreate important experiments related to the chosen topic, or
• illustrate the key physical sciences concepts that underpin the chosen topic.

The relevance and outcomes of the practical work should be clearly documented.

Example themes for topics include, but are not limited to:

• scientific understanding, including models and theories, is contestable and is refined over time, for example:
  • changing models of the atom have led to understanding and utilising radioactive sources
  • buckyballs and nanotubes – carbon allotropes in technology
  • the growing relationship between physics, chemistry and biology
• advances in scientific understanding often rely on technological advances and are linked to scientific discoveries, for example:
  • the new race to space - a story of chemistry and physics
  • the study of physics and chemistry has advanced computational technology and computational technology has allowed physics and chemistry knowledge to advance
  • manipulating atoms and molecules – science and technology moving forward together
• people use scientific knowledge to evaluate whether they accept claims, explanations or predictions, and advances in science can affect people’s lives, for example:
  • The chemistry and physics in criminal forensic investigations – how much proof is enough?
  • What were materials of the future a decade ago? Are we using them yet?
  • Free radicals and anti-oxidants - what should we believe?
• values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research, for example:
  • the physics of road safety – simple concepts applied every day
  • Sources, storage, and use of energy – what are the possibilities?
  • Why is at least one billion US dollars spent each year on the Large Hadron Collider?

PRACTICAL WORK 

• learning and practising scientific techniques
• safe practices to avoid health and safety issues to be used independently throughout the year
• illustration of concepts
• exploring components of experimental practice
• meeting the requirements of experimental practice whilst addressing criterion 2.

On at least three occasions learners will document an experiment to address all elements in criterion 2 in a form that will include:

• the purpose of the experiment
• clearly presented data:
  • representing data in meaningful and useful ways:
    • applying suggested graphic representations
    • using the correct units and symbols
    • identifying trends and relationships
• a discussion including:
  • use of evidence gathered and scientific concepts to draw conclusions
  • identifying any inconsistencies in the data
  • appraisal of the processes and conclusions considering the quality of available evidence
  • comment on the validity of conclusions identifying sources of uncertainty
  • a description of ways to improve the quality of the data.

Criterion-based assessment is a form of outcomes assessment that identifies the extent of learner achievement at an appropriate end-point of study. Although assessment – as part of the learning program – is continuous, much of it is formative, and is done to help learners identify what they need to do to attain the maximum benefit from their study of the course. Therefore, assessment for summative reporting to TASC will focus on what both teacher and learner understand to reflect end-point achievement.

The standard of achievement each learner attains on each criterion is recorded as a rating ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’, according to the outcomes specified in the standards section of the course.

A ‘t’ notation must be used where a learner demonstrates any achievement against a criterion less than the standard specified for the ‘C’ rating.

A ‘z’ notation is to be used where a learner provides no evidence of achievement at all.
Providers offering this course must participate in quality assurance processes specified by TASC to ensure provider validity and comparability of standards across all awards. Further information on quality assurance processes, as well as on assessment, is on the TASC website: http://www.tasc.tas.gov.au

Internal assessment of all criteria will be made by the provider. Providers will report the learner’s rating for each criterion to TASC.

The following processes will be facilitated by TASC to ensure there is:

• a match between the standards of achievement specified in the course and the skills and knowledge demonstrated by learners
• community confidence in the integrity and meaning of the qualification.

Process

TASC will verify that the provider’s course-delivery and assessment standards meet the course requirements and community expectations for fairness, integrity and validity of qualifications TASC issues. This will involve checking:

• student attendance records; and
• course delivery plans (the sequence of course delivery/tasks and when assessments take place):
  • assessment instruments and rubrics (the ‘rules’ or marking guide used to judge achievement)
  • class records of assessment
  • examples of student work that demonstrate the use of the marking guide
  • samples of current student’s work, including that related to any work requirements articulated in the course document.

This process may also include interviews with past and present students. It will be scheduled by TASC using a risk-based approach.

The assessment for Physical Sciences - Foundation Level 2, will be based on the degree to which the learner can:

Physical Sciences - Foundation Level 2 (with the award of):

The final award will be determined by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification from 8 ratings from the internal assessment.

The minimum requirements for an award in Physical Sciences - Foundation Level 2 are as follows:

EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT (EA)
7 ‘A’ ratings, 1 ‘B’ rating

HIGH ACHIEVEMENT (HA)
3 ‘A’ ratings, 4 ‘B’ ratings, 1 ‘C’ rating

COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT (CA)
4 ‘B’ ratings, 3 ‘C’ ratings

SATISFACTORY ACHIEVEMENT (SA)
6 'C' ratings

PRELIMINARY ACHIEVEMENT (PA)
4 ‘C’ ratings

A learner who otherwise achieves the ratings for a CA (Commendable Achievement) or SA (Satisfactory Achievement) award but who fails to show any evidence of achievement in one or more criteria (‘z’ notation) will be issued with a PA (Preliminary Achievement) award.

The Department of Education’s Curriculum Services will develop and regularly revise the curriculum. This evaluation will be informed by the experience of the course’s implementation, delivery and assessment. In addition, stakeholders may request Curriculum Services to review a particular aspect of an accredited course.

Requests for amendments to an accredited course will be forward by Curriculum Services to the Office of TASC for formal consideration.

Such requests for amendment will be considered in terms of the likely improvements to the outcomes for learners, possible consequences for delivery and assessment of the course, and alignment with Australian Curriculum materials.

A course is formally analysed prior to the expiry of its accreditation as part of the process to develop specifications to guide the development of any replacement course.

The statements in this section, taken from documents endorsed by Education Ministers as the agreed and common base for course development, are to be used to define expectations for the meaning (nature, scope and level of demand) of relevant aspects of the sections in this document setting out course requirements, learning outcomes, the course content and standards in the assessment.

SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING
CHEMISTRY

Unit 2 – Aqueous solutions and acidity

• Water is a key substance in a range of chemical systems because of its unique properties, including its boiling point, density in solid and liquid phases, surface tension, and ability to act as a solvent (ACSCH061)

PHYSICS

Unit 1 – Heating processes

• Heat transfer occurs between and within systems by conduction, convection and/or radiation (ACSPH016)
• The kinetic particle model describes matter as consisting of particles in constant motion, except at, absolute zero (ACSPH017)
• All systems have thermal energy due to the motion of particles in the system (ACSPH018)
• Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a system (ACSPH019)
• Two systems in contact transfer energy between particles so that eventually the systems reach the same temperature? that is, they are in thermal equilibrium (ACSPH022)
• Energy transfers and transformations in mechanical systems (for example, internal and external combustion engines, electric motors) always result in some heat loss to the environment, so that the usable energy is reduced and the system cannot be 100 percent efficient (ACSPH025)

The accreditation period for this course has been renewed from 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2025.

During the accreditation period required amendments can be considered via established processes.

Should outcomes of the Years 9-12 Review process find this course unsuitable for inclusion in the Tasmanian senior secondary curriculum, its accreditation may be cancelled. Any such cancellation would not occur during an academic year.

Version 1 – Accredited on 30 July 2017 for use from 1 January 2018.  This course replaces Physical Sciences (SPW215114) that expired on 31 December 2017.

Version 1.i - Accreditation renewed on 22 November 2018 for the period 1 January 2019 until 31 December 2021. Amendment on 14 December 2018 to move Investigation and Practical work to 'Work Requirements' section of course document.

Version 1.ii - Renewal of Accreditation on 14 July 2021 for the period 31 December 2021 until 31 December 2023, without amendments.

Accreditation renewed on 22 June 2023 for the period 1 January 2024 until 31 December 2025 without amendment.

Line of Sight - Physical Science Foundation