CSS General Science and Ability Physical Sciences Syllabus

Physical Sciences syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Physical Sciences in CSS General Science and Ability, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Constituents and Structure of the Universe

   4 topics

   • The Universe and Galaxies
   • Astronomical System of Units
   • The Solar System
   • The Earth and Its Motions
2. 2

   Processes of Nature

   4 topics

   • Solar and Lunar Eclipses
   • Day, Night and Seasons
   • Weather Variables
   • Weather Variations and Climate
3. 3

   Natural Hazards and Disasters

   3 topics

   • Geological Hazards
   • Hydro-Meteorological Hazards
   • Disaster Risk Management
4. 4

   Energy Resources

   3 topics

   • Renewable Energy
   • Non-Renewable Energy
   • Energy Conservation and Sustainable Use
5. 5

   Basic Chemistry

   3 topics

   • Atomic Structure
   • Chemical Bonding
   • Electromagnetic Radiation and Spectrum
6. 6

   Modern Materials and Chemicals

   3 topics

   • Ceramics, Plastics and Semiconductors
   • Antibiotics and Vaccines
   • Fertilizers and Pesticides

Physical Sciences flashcards for CSS General Science and Ability

18 of 51 cards from the Physical Sciences deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What is a galaxy, and which galaxy contains our Solar System?

   A galaxy is a massive, gravitationally bound system of stars, stellar remnants, gas, dust and dark matter. Our Solar System lies in the Milky Way galaxy, a barred spiral galaxy.

2. What are the main morphological types of galaxies in Hubble's classification?

   Spiral, barred spiral, elliptical, and irregular galaxies (with lenticular as an intermediate type between spiral and elliptical).

3. What is the Big Bang theory and roughly when did it occur?

   The Big Bang theory states the universe began from an extremely hot, dense singularity and has been expanding ever since, beginning about 13.8 billion years ago.

4. What evidence supports the expansion of the universe?

   The redshift of light from distant galaxies (Hubble's Law: galaxies recede with velocity proportional to distance) and the cosmic microwave background radiation.

5. Define a light year and state its approximate value.

   A light year is the distance light travels in one year in a vacuum, approximately 9.46 trillion kilometres (about 9.46 x 10^12 km).

6. Define the Astronomical Unit (AU) and its approximate value.

   One Astronomical Unit is the mean distance between the Earth and the Sun, approximately 150 million km (1.496 x 10^8 km).

7. Define a parsec and how it relates to other units.

   A parsec is the distance at which 1 AU subtends an angle of 1 arcsecond; it equals about 3.26 light years (roughly 3.086 x 10^13 km).

8. List the eight planets of the Solar System in order from the Sun.

   Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

9. What distinguishes terrestrial planets from Jovian (gas giant) planets?

   Terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are small, rocky and dense with few moons; Jovian planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are large, gaseous, low-density and have many moons and rings.

10. Which is the largest planet and which is the smallest planet in the Solar System?

    Jupiter is the largest planet; Mercury is the smallest planet.

11. Why is Pluto classified as a dwarf planet rather than a planet?

    Pluto has not cleared its orbital neighbourhood of other debris, failing one of the IAU's three criteria for a planet, so it is classified as a dwarf planet.

12. What is the asteroid belt and where is it located?

    The asteroid belt is a region of rocky bodies orbiting the Sun, located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

13. What is the difference between a comet, a meteoroid, a meteor and a meteorite?

    A comet is an icy body that develops a tail near the Sun; a meteoroid is a small rocky/metallic body in space; a meteor is the streak of light when it burns in the atmosphere; a meteorite is the fragment that reaches the ground.

14. What are the two main motions of the Earth and what does each cause?

    Rotation (spinning on its axis once in ~24 hours) causes day and night; revolution (orbiting the Sun once in ~365.25 days) causes seasons and the year.

15. What is the tilt of the Earth's axis and why is it significant?

    The Earth's axis is tilted about 23.5 degrees from the vertical (relative to its orbital plane); this tilt is the main cause of the changing seasons.

16. What causes day and night on Earth?

    The rotation of the Earth on its axis, which exposes one half to the Sun (day) while the other half faces away (night).

17. Why does the length of day and night vary through the year?

    Because the Earth's axis is tilted, different hemispheres are angled toward or away from the Sun during the orbit, changing the duration of daylight at a given latitude.

18. What is a solar eclipse and during which lunar phase does it occur?

    A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the Sun's light; it happens during the new Moon phase.

See more Physical Sciences flashcards →

Planning Physical Sciences for CSS General Science and Ability

Physical Sciences (CSS General Science and Ability) FAQ