The Keystone School · grades 6–12
Chemistry & Physics
The physical sciences for the high-school years — what the world is made of, and the rules its parts obey.
The periodic table is a seating chart; this course teaches you to read it.
Syllabus · 4 units · ~30 hours
Unit I — Matter & Measurement
States and classification of matter · Physical and chemical changes · Units, significant figures, and dimensional analysis · Density and temperature
Unit II — Atomic Structure & the Periodic Table
Subatomic particles and isotopes · Electron configuration · Periodic trends · The history of atomic models
Unit III — Bonding & Reactions
Ionic and covalent bonds · Naming compounds and writing formulas · Balancing chemical equations · Types of reactions
Unit IV — The Mole & Stoichiometry
The mole concept and molar mass · Mole-to-mass conversions · Stoichiometric calculations · Limiting reactants and percent yield
A second look at chemistry, where reactions gain speed, direction, and heat.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~28 hours
Unit I — Molecular Shape & Force
Lewis structures · VSEPR theory and molecular geometry · Polarity · Intermolecular forces
Unit II — Solutions & Gases
Concentration and molarity · Solubility and dilution · The gas laws · The ideal gas equation
Unit III — Energy & Equilibrium
Endothermic and exothermic reactions · Reaction rates and catalysts · Chemical equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle · Acids, bases, and pH
Newton's three laws, and the surprising distance they carry you.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~32 hours
Unit I — Kinematics
Position, velocity, and acceleration · Motion graphs · Equations of motion · Projectile motion
Unit II — Forces
Newton's first and second laws · Newton's third law and interaction pairs · Friction and normal force · Free-body diagrams
Unit III — Energy & Momentum
Work and the work-energy theorem · Kinetic and potential energy · Conservation of energy · Momentum and collisions
The invisible forces — current, field, and wave — and the circuits that put them to work.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~28 hours
Unit I — Electricity
Charge and Coulomb's law · Electric fields and potential · Current, voltage, and resistance · Series and parallel circuits
Unit II — Magnetism
Magnetic fields and forces · Electromagnets · Electromagnetic induction · Motors and generators
Unit III — Waves & Light
Wave properties and behavior · Sound and the Doppler effect · The electromagnetic spectrum · Reflection, refraction, and lenses
How to ask a physical question so the apparatus can answer it — safely, and with error bars.
Syllabus · 3 units · ~14 hours
Unit I — Safety & Setup
Laboratory safety and equipment · Reading glassware and instruments · Keeping a laboratory notebook · Handling chemicals responsibly
Unit II — Measurement & Uncertainty
Accuracy versus precision · Significant figures in the lab · Sources of error · Propagating uncertainty
Unit III — Analyzing Results
Tables and graphs of data · Best-fit lines and slope · Comparing to accepted values · Writing a lab report