Physically Fascinating: Physical Science in Review

     Before this section in class and in the textbook I would have said that when I think of physical science I think of density, gravity, kinesthetic energy, potential, etc. I am not even sure I had a clear idea of what physical science really encompassed. However, now I have a much better idea and will summarize my thoughts and learning about physical science below.

     Physical science, as I learned, is what we can hold responsible for all health and medical breakthroughs that occur to keep us and our families alive each day. Physical science also affects our daily life in the form of technology. I never would have guessed that technology would fall under the same category that I previously thought was just physical objects and their relations. Another idea relating to physical science I had not recalled was the chemical changes in matter and their irreversibility, for example, when red meat cooks to be brown the chemical composition has changed and the meat cannot now be uncooked. While I realize now this is what I was thinking of when describing concepts I remembered, I did not list that basically elements, compounds, and mixtures are what comprise the matter and physical essences we are discussing.
     While these are aspects of physical science I did not realize, I did realize the importance of matter in physical science. Matter, mass, and energy were in fact some of the original ideas listed in the introduction that came to mind when I first saw physical science on the chapter title. Reading deeper into these general ideas I had were sections on solid, liquid, and gaseous matter, as well as kinesthetic energy which was one idea I did associate with physical science from the beginning.
     The chapters go in depth on laws of motion, atoms, molecular compositions, and examples such as flight. Energy was heavily discussed as well in its forms of electrical, light, sound, friction and heat energy. In reflection of all of this reading and summarizing, I realize that physical science is literally all of life being that it includes atoms, and maybe this is why I was unable to define clearly before what physical science really is. This will be an idea I discuss in my future teaching so students understand better than I understood about physical science. I also, now that I know truly what it is, realize that I love physical science and I can recall many experiments in chemistry, biology, and elementary science classes having to do with matter, reactions, chemical change in food, and laws of motion. I was glad I was able to read and reflect on thee concepts to keep my knowledge current and focused on modalities of teaching science in the future. I also plan to use the idea of discovery centers in conjunction with physical science in the future.