Physical Science: Chemistry · Structure and Properties of Matter

HS-PS1-3Intermolecular Forces

Performance expectation

Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.

What NYSED says about assessing it

Clarification statement

Emphasis is on understanding the strengths of forces between particles in solids, liquids, and gases, not on naming specific intermolecular forces (such as dipole-dipole). Examples of particles could include ions, atoms, molecules, and network solids. Examples of bulk scale properties of substances could include the melting point and boiling point, vapor pressure, and surface tension.

The three dimensions

Every item written to HS-PS1-3 has to assess all three dimensions together, not the content alone. This is the structural change that made older practice material stop matching the exam.

Science & engineering practice

Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Disciplinary core ideas
  • PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
  • PS2.B: Types of Interactions
Crosscutting concepts
  • Patterns

Performance levels

What a student at each level can do with HS-PS1-3. These drive how a cluster spreads difficulty across its items.

Summarised by ScienceIQ from the NYSED Performance Level Descriptions for Physical Science: Chemistry. These are our wording, not the Department’s — the official descriptions are the authority.

L1
NYS Level 1

Identify a pattern in bulk properties related to particle attractions.

L2
NYS Level 2

Make a claim comparing relative strength of particle attractions from provided data.

L3
NYS Level 3

Use investigation results or information to describe patterns in particle attractions and bulk properties.

L4
NYS Level 4

Plan and conduct an investigation to compare structure and infer electrical forces between particles.

Related performance expectations

Generate a cluster for HS-PS1-3

Phenomenon stimulus, connected items across the required types, answer key, rubric and figures drawn deterministically from a structured spec — in the format your students will sit.