Praxis Physical Science 5485 study guide
Praxis Physical Science 5485 · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Praxis Physical Science: Content Knowledge (5485) is a subject-matter assessment used by states and preparation programs as one piece of the evidence that a candidate is ready to teach physical science at the secondary level. It is typically taken by people completing a physics, chemistry, or broad-field science teacher preparation pathway, and by career-changers who already hold a science degree and are adding certification. The test is computer delivered and composed of selected-response questions. Its content is weighted toward the two core disciplines: physics and chemistry each carry roughly 44 percent of the scored material, while the remaining share addresses the nature of science and engineering - experimental design, data analysis, measurement, safety, and the relationships among science, technology, and society. Topics on this exam: Nature of Science and Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry. The Praxis Physical Science 5485 study guide has 3 sections and about 1,042 words.
01Nature of Science and Engineering
The Nature of Science and Engineering domain asks you to reason about how scientific knowledge is built and how engineers solve problems under constraints. Expect questions on experimental design, measurement, data interpretation, and the distinction between evidence and explanation. A testable hypothesis must be falsifiable. In a controlled experiment, change one independent variable, measure the dependent variable, and hold confounding variables constant.
372 words, about 2 min02Physics
Physics questions assess mechanics, energy and momentum, waves and optics, and electricity and magnetism, often through quantitative problems and diagram-based reasoning. Units and vector directions matter. Newton's first law: no net force means no change in velocity. Second law: F net = ma.
349 words, about 2 min03Chemistry
Chemistry questions cover atomic structure and periodic trends, bonding, reactions, stoichiometry, solutions, acids and bases, and basic thermodynamics and kinetics. Atoms are defined by proton number; isotopes differ in neutrons. Electron configurations fill lower-energy orbitals first. Across a period, increasing nuclear charge pulls electrons closer, so atomic radius decreases and ionization energy and electronegativity generally increase.
321 words, about 2 min