IEOC Physical Science Content Coverage

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The Iowa End-of-Course assessments are designed to assess student knowledge and skills in a variety of subject areas. The test consists of 30 multiple-choice items and is designed to be administered during a single class period. The test items, which are aligned to the Iowa Core Curriculum, reflect educator input and a rigorous quality-control process to ensure appropriateness, content accuracy, and clarity.

A summary of the content covered within the Physical Science test is presented below.

Structure of Atoms

Topics may include masses, charges, and locations of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an atom; atom volume; atomic number; mass number; isotopes; decay; half-life; nuclear forces; and fission and fusion.

Structure and Properties of Matter

Topics may include atomic mass, valence electrons, periodic table and trends, ionic and covalent bonding, mole, molar mass, physical and chemical properties of substances, states of matter, and gas laws.

Chemical Reactions

Topics may include reaction components, writing and balancing chemical equations, types of chemical reactions, thermochemistry, conservation of mass, acids and bases, electrochemistry, radical reactions, kinetics and equilibrium, stoichiometry, and catalysts.

Motions and Forces

Topics may include Newton’s laws, gravity, mass versus weight, force, speed, velocity, acceleration, momentum, buoyancy, and electricity and magnetism.

Conservation of Energy and Increase in Disorder

Topics may include work and energy, conservation of energy, types of energy, heat and temperature, thermal properties of matter, kinetic theory of gases, entropy, energy transformations, energy transfers, and thermodynamics.

Interactions of Energy and Matter

Topics may include light, sound, wave properties, wave phenomena, electromagnetic spectrum, conductors and insulators, electrical circuits, and spectroscopy.