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Descriptive Statements:
- Demonstrate knowledge of temperature, heat, and heat transfer phenomena (i.e., convection, conduction, and radiation).
- Apply knowledge of specific heat, thermal expansion, and kinetic molecular theory, including solving problems involving phase changes or the ideal gas law.
- Apply knowledge of the first law of thermodynamics in a variety of situations (e.g., work, PV diagrams, heat engines) using words, diagrams, graphs, equations, and mathematical models.
- Apply knowledge of the second law of thermodynamics in a variety of situations using words, diagrams, graphs, and mathematical models.
- Demonstrate knowledge of scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, safety procedures and the proper use of equipment, and the engineering design process related to thermodynamics and the kinetic theory of matter.
Sample Item:
Use the diagram below to answer the question that follows.
A rectangular chamber that is divided into two equally sized regions. The left side of the chamber contains dots that represent molecules of gas. The dots each have a randomly sized arrow in a random direction to indicate the speed and direction of the motion for each molecule. The right side of the chamber is empty.
The diagram shows an isolated double chamber in which one side contains gas molecules and the other side is a vacuum. The molecular velocities are indicated by vector arrows attached to each molecule. A small door in the partition between the chambers opens, allowing the gas to flow freely to the other chamber. Which of the following statements best describes the changes in the system after a long amount of time?
- The pressure and the temperature decrease, and the volume occupied by the gas and entropy increase.
- The pressure, entropy, and the volume occupied by the gas increase, but no work is done.
- The volume occupied by the gas and entropy increase, and the pressure decreases, but no work is done.
- The internal energy, the temperature, and entropy all decrease.
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
C. The result of opening a door in the partition is to double the available volume for the gas. As a result, volume increases. Since the chamber is isolated and the gas does not do work to expand or contract the chamber, the temperature and internal energy must remain the same. Entropy increases because there are more position states for the molecules to occupy in a larger volume, increasing the disorder of the system.
Descriptive Statements:
- Apply knowledge of atomic theory, atomic emission and absorption spectra, energy-level transitions, and electron binding energy, including solving problems.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the atomic and nuclear structure of matter (e.g., protons, neutrons, quarks, leptons).
- Demonstrate knowledge of nuclear fusion and fission phenomena and nuclear binding energy.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the standard model and conservation principles to explain nuclear decay phenomena (e.g., alpha, beta), including solving half-life problems.
- Apply knowledge of special relativistic phenomena (e.g., time dilation, length contraction, energy), including solving problems.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the evidence for the wave and particle nature of light and matter (e.g., photoelectric effect, atomic scattering, emission spectra).
- Demonstrate knowledge of principles of quantum mechanics (e.g., probability, wave functions, uncertainty principles).
- Demonstrate knowledge of scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, safety procedures and the proper use of equipment, and the engineering design process related to modern physics.
Sample Item:
An observer is moving with a speed of 0.75c relative to a stick whose rest length is 3.00 m3.00 meters along the direction the observer travels. What is the length of the stick as measured by the observer?
- 1.50 m1.50 meters
- 1.99 m1.99 meters
- 4.53 m4.53 meters
- 6.00 m6.00 meters
Correct Response and Explanation (Show Correct ResponseHide Correct Response)
B. A contracted length resulting from special relativity theory would be observed by an observer. The equation for length contraction is given by, 
, where v = 0.75c and L0 = 3.00 mL subscript zero = 3.00 meters. The result gives the length of the stick as seen by an observer to be 1.99 m1.99 meters.
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