CAP 040 - CAP Physical Science I

Credits: 1-5
LEC hours per week: 5
This course introduces the physical sciences, including topics from the fields of physics, astronomy, and geology. Emphasis is on employing the Scientific Method in preparation for advanced to college-level science courses. Credit can be earned for only one of these courses: CAP 040 or HSC 040.
Course Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Apply the Scientific Method to investigate the physical world.
Identify and describe current issues involving the physical sciences and society.
Describe how the physics, astronomy, and geology topics presented in the classroom connect with everyday events.
Use simple equations in physics, astronomy, and geology to show how physical quantities are related to each other.
Apply scientific principles in lab and field experiments.

Course Topics:

The Tools of Science and Thinking like a Scientist
- Measurement and Mathematics
- Scientific Method
- Role and limits of science
Energy (Physics)
- Energy and Heat
- Motion, Force, and Gravity
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Light and Sound
The Astronomy
- Solar System
  - Ptolemy, Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton
  - Sun and Planets
    - Asteroids, Comets, and Beyond
  - Stars
  - Distances to stars
  - Life cycle and types of stars, including our Sun
Galaxy and Universe
- The scale of distance and time in the universe
- Types of galaxies and our Milky Way Galaxy
- Big Bang Theory
The Earth (Geology)
- Landscape regions of the Pacific Northwest
- Structure and Layers of the Earth
- Plate Tectonics
- Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Types of Rocks, Earth Ages, and Geologic Time Scale (Deep Time)

Course Attribute(s): None