# High school: Science A course roadmap (science). Language: en. By @si. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. 0 of 79 concepts ready. In the app: https://ai.page/roadmap/tn-sci-high-school Part of: [Tennessee: Science](https://ai.page/roadmap/tn-sci.md) Goal: Tennessee academic standards: Science, High school ## 1. Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer - [Wave Properties & Types](https://ai.page/c/wave-properties-and-types/index.md): Describe waves in terms of amplitude, wavelength, frequency, and wave speed; distinguish transverse waves (oscillation perpendicular to direction of travel) from longitudinal waves (oscillation parallel); and use the wave equation v = fλ - [Waves & Different Materials](https://ai.page/c/waves-and-different-materials/index.md): Explain how waves can be absorbed, transmitted, or reflected by different materials, and apply these interactions to explain colour perception, sight, communication technologies, and the effects of different surfaces on wave behaviour ## 2. Energy - [Energy stores and transfers](https://ai.page/c/energy-stores-and-transfers/index.md): Identify the main energy stores (kinetic, gravitational potential, elastic potential, thermal, chemical, nuclear, electromagnetic) and the pathways by which energy is transferred between stores (mechanically, electrically, by heating, by radiation) - [Energy can't be created or destroyed](https://ai.page/c/energy-can-t-be-created-or-destroyed/index.md): Explain the principle of conservation of energy (energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between stores), and describe how energy is dissipated as thermal energy to the surroundings in all real processes - [Reactions That Release or Absorb Heat](https://ai.page/c/reactions-that-release-or-absorb-heat/index.md): Distinguish between exothermic reactions (release energy, temperature rises) and endothermic reactions (absorb energy, temperature falls), with everyday and industrial examples - [Heating experiments and Q = mcΔT](https://ai.page/c/heating-experiments-and-q-mc-t/index.md): Plan and carry out experiments to measure energy transferred during heating, including using the equation Q = mcΔT, recording temperature changes over time, and evaluating sources of error - [Power: watts and energy per second](https://ai.page/c/power-watts-and-energy-per-second/index.md): Define power as the rate of energy transfer (power = energy ÷ time, measured in watts), and compare energy transfer rates in different everyday contexts - [Calculating Dietary Energy](https://ai.page/c/calculating-dietary-energy/index.md): Calculate and evaluate energy intake and requirements in a healthy daily diet, interpreting food labels and nutritional data - [Ohm's Law: voltage, current, resistance](https://ai.page/c/ohm-s-law-voltage-current-resistance/index.md): Apply Ohm's Law (V = IR) to calculate current, voltage, or resistance in a simple circuit, and explain that resistance opposes the flow of current - [Conduction, convection, and radiation](https://ai.page/c/conduction-convection-and-radiation/index.md): Describe and compare the three mechanisms of heat transfer — conduction (particle vibration through solids), convection (fluid movement in liquids/gases), and radiation (infrared waves) — and explain that the rate of transfer depends on temperature difference - [Magnetic Fields](https://ai.page/c/magnetic-fields/index.md): Describe magnetic poles (north and south), explain attraction and repulsion between poles, describe magnetic field lines plotted using a compass, and explain the Earth's magnetic field and its practical uses - [Motors & the Motor Effect](https://ai.page/c/motors-and-the-motor-effect/index.md): Explain the motor effect as the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field, and describe how this principle is used in electric motors and loudspeakers ## 3. Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions - [Ceramics, Polymers & Composites](https://ai.page/c/ceramics-polymers-and-composites/index.md): Describe the properties and uses of ceramics (hard, brittle, heat-resistant), polymers (flexible, lightweight, variable), and composites (combine properties of constituent materials), giving real-world examples of each - [Investigating Forces](https://ai.page/c/investigating-forces/index.md): Plan and carry out investigations into forces, including measuring force with a newton meter, investigating Hooke's Law, and collecting and interpreting motion data to test Newton's laws - [Electromagnets](https://ai.page/c/electromagnets/index.md): Describe the magnetic effect of an electric current (a current-carrying wire produces a magnetic field), and investigate how the strength of an electromagnet depends on current, number of coil turns, and core material - [Newton's First & Second Laws](https://ai.page/c/newton-s-first-and-second-laws/index.md): State and apply Newton's First Law (an object stays at rest or constant velocity unless acted on by a resultant force) and Second Law (force = mass × acceleration), including the relationship between mass, force, and acceleration - [Drawing Force Diagrams](https://ai.page/c/drawing-force-diagrams/index.md): Draw and interpret force diagrams showing forces as labelled arrows — where the arrow's length represents the force's magnitude and its direction shows which way the force acts; show multiple forces on one object; identify from the diagram whether forces are balanced (equal arrows in opposite directions, no resultant) or unbalanced (arrows of different sizes, producing a resultant); represent the resultant with a single arrow - [Relative Motion](https://ai.page/c/relative-motion/index.md): Explain relative motion — how the apparent speed and direction of an object depends on the observer's own motion — using everyday examples such as trains and cars passing - [Mass vs Weight](https://ai.page/c/mass-vs-weight/index.md): Distinguish between mass (amount of matter, measured in kg) and weight (gravitational force, measured in N), use the equation weight = mass × gravitational field strength, and explain why g differs on other planets and stars - [Newton's Third Law](https://ai.page/c/newton-s-third-law/index.md): State and apply Newton's Third Law: every force has an equal and opposite reaction force acting on a different object, distinguishing action-reaction pairs from balanced forces - [Reading Distance-Time Graphs](https://ai.page/c/reading-distance-time-graphs/index.md): Read and plot distance-time graphs for moving objects; interpret the gradient (steepness) of a line as speed; identify stationary periods (horizontal sections), constant speed (straight diagonal lines), and relative speeds by comparing gradients; calculate average speed from the gradient of a straight-line segment using speed = distance ÷ time ## 4. Matter and Its Interactions - [Atoms, Elements & Compounds](https://ai.page/c/atoms-elements-and-compounds/index.md): Explain the differences between atoms, elements, and compounds; describe the simple Bohr model of the atom (nucleus with protons and neutrons, electrons in shells); and write and interpret chemical symbols and simple formulae - [The Periodic Table](https://ai.page/c/the-periodic-table/index.md): Describe the organisation of the periodic table into periods and groups, explain the contribution of Mendeleev, and use the table to identify metals, non-metals, and predict patterns in reactivity - [Radiometric Dating](https://ai.page/c/radiometric-dating/index.md): Explain how radiometric dating works — radioactive isotopes decay at a known rate (half-life), so measuring the ratio of parent to daughter isotope in a rock or fossil gives an absolute age; distinguish between carbon-14 (useful up to ~50,000 years) and uranium-lead (useful for millions to billions of years) - [Acids, Alkalis & pH](https://ai.page/c/acids-alkalis-and-ph/index.md): Define acids and alkalis in terms of hydrogen ion concentration, describe the pH scale (0–14), and explain how indicators are used to identify and measure acidity or alkalinity - [Acid Reactions & Salts](https://ai.page/c/acid-reactions-and-salts/index.md): Describe and write word equations for the reactions of acids with metals, alkalis (neutralisation), and metal oxides/hydroxides, identifying the salt produced in each case - [Pure Substances & Mixtures](https://ai.page/c/pure-substances-and-mixtures/index.md): Distinguish between pure substances and mixtures, identify formulations as useful mixtures with precise compositions, and use melting and boiling points to test for purity - [Separating Mixtures](https://ai.page/c/separating-mixtures-science/index.md): Select and carry out appropriate separation techniques for different types of mixtures: filtration (insoluble solids), distillation (liquids by boiling point), crystallisation (dissolved solids), and chromatography (coloured substances) - [Physical vs Chemical Changes](https://ai.page/c/physical-vs-chemical-changes/index.md): Distinguish between physical changes (reversible, no new substances formed) and chemical changes (new substances formed, often irreversible), using conservation of mass to understand both types - [Types of Chemical Reaction](https://ai.page/c/types-of-chemical-reaction/index.md): Identify and describe four types of chemical reaction: combustion (burning in oxygen), oxidation (gain of oxygen), thermal decomposition (breaking down by heat), and displacement (more reactive metal replaces less reactive one) - [Metals vs Non-Metals](https://ai.page/c/metals-vs-non-metals/index.md): Compare the physical and chemical properties of metals and non-metals, explaining metallic properties (malleability, lustre, conductivity) and how position in the periodic table predicts reactivity - [How Materials Change State](https://ai.page/c/how-materials-change-state/index.md): Explain melting, freezing, boiling, condensing, and sublimation using the particle model, interpreting heating and cooling curves to identify melting and boiling points ## 5. Biological Change: Unity and Diversity - [Biodiversity & Resilience](https://ai.page/c/biodiversity-and-resilience/index.md): Explain what biodiversity means, why high biodiversity makes ecosystems more resilient, and describe the ways human activity threatens biodiversity (habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, climate change) - [Genetic Mutation](https://ai.page/c/genetic-mutation/index.md): Explain genetic mutation as a random change in DNA sequence, describe causes of mutation (e.g. radiation, chemicals, copying errors), and explain that most mutations are neutral, some harmful, and a few beneficial - [Evidence for Evolution](https://ai.page/c/evidence-for-evolution/index.md): Describe the main types of evidence for evolution: the fossil record (change over time), comparative anatomy (homologous structures), and the geographic distribution of related species - [Species Distribution & Change](https://ai.page/c/species-distribution-and-change/index.md): Explain how environmental change (climate change, habitat loss, pollution) affects the distribution of species, including range shifts, local extinction, and invasive species - [How the Body Stays in Balance](https://ai.page/c/how-the-body-stays-in-balance/index.md): Explain homeostasis as the process of maintaining a stable internal environment; describe the main feedback loop systems (negative feedback) using blood glucose regulation (insulin/glucagon) and body temperature as concrete examples; and connect the endocrine system (hormone-secreting glands) to the nervous system as two complementary communication systems with different speeds and durations ## 6. Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits - [Predicting Inherited Traits](https://ai.page/c/predicting-inherited-traits/index.md): Explain how alleles are inherited in sexual reproduction and use Punnett squares to predict the probability of offspring inheriting a characteristic, including dominant and recessive alleles - [How Natural Selection Works](https://ai.page/c/how-natural-selection-works/index.md): Explain natural selection as the mechanism of evolution: heritable variation + competition for resources + differential survival and reproduction = change in allele frequency over generations ## 7. Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics - [Extinction & Rapid Change](https://ai.page/c/extinction-and-rapid-change/index.md): Explain how environmental change can outpace a species' ability to adapt through natural selection, leading to extinction, using historical and contemporary examples - [Energy Loss Between Levels](https://ai.page/c/energy-loss-between-levels/index.md): Explain how energy is transferred between trophic levels in a food chain, why energy is lost at each stage, and use pyramids of biomass/numbers to represent this - [The Carbon Cycle](https://ai.page/c/the-carbon-cycle/index.md): Describe the carbon cycle, tracing carbon through photosynthesis, respiration, feeding, decomposition, and combustion, and explain the role of each process - [Predator Loss and Ecosystem Effects](https://ai.page/c/predator-loss-and-ecosystem-effects/index.md): Quantify energy transfer efficiency through trophic levels (~10% rule); explain trophic cascades: how removing an apex predator triggers a chain of ecosystem changes (sea otters → sea urchin explosion → kelp forest collapse); define 'fishing down the food web'; evaluate evidence for ocean rewilding — shark reintroduction, whale recovery driving nutrient cycling; understand why ecosystem-based fisheries management is needed ## 8. From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes - [Gas Exchange & Breathing](https://ai.page/c/gas-exchange-and-breathing/index.md): Describe the structure of the human gas exchange system (trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli) and explain how the mechanism of breathing — using pressure changes from rib and diaphragm movement — moves air in and out of the lungs - [Aerobic Respiration](https://ai.page/c/aerobic-respiration/index.md): Explain aerobic respiration as the process by which organisms release energy from glucose using oxygen, producing carbon dioxide and water; write and interpret the word equation: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water - [Photosynthesis](https://ai.page/c/photosynthesis/index.md): Explain photosynthesis as the process by which plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen, and describe how mineral nutrients are absorbed through roots - [Body Temperature Regulation](https://ai.page/c/body-temperature-regulation/index.md): Explain how the human body detects and responds to environmental changes including temperature, including the role of the skin in temperature regulation (sweating, shivering, vasodilation, vasoconstriction) - [Cells to Organ Systems](https://ai.page/c/cells-to-organ-systems/index.md): Describe the hierarchical organisation of multicellular organisms: cells → tissues → organs → organ systems → organism - [Grouping Species Using DNA](https://ai.page/c/grouping-species-using-dna/index.md): Explain cladistics: organisms are grouped by shared derived characters, not just similarity; how phylogenetic trees are built using molecular data (DNA sequence alignment) and the molecular clock; explain why birds are technically a group within dinosaurs (crown Avemetatarsalia); distinguish convergent evolution (unrelated species evolving similar traits) from parallel evolution; introduce horizontal gene transfer and why the tree of life is more accurately a web; explain why classification systems keep changing as new data emerge - [Pathogens & the Immune System](https://ai.page/c/pathogens-and-the-immune-system/index.md): Explain how pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) cause disease and describe how the immune system responds, including the roles of white blood cells (phagocytosis, antibody production) and the concept of immunity - [Human Reproduction](https://ai.page/c/human-reproduction/index.md): Describe the structure and function of the male and female human reproductive systems, and explain the processes of fertilisation, gestation, and birth including the role of the placenta - [Digestion & Enzymes](https://ai.page/c/digestion-and-enzymes/index.md): Describe the organs of the human digestive system and how food is physically and chemically digested, including the role of enzymes as biological catalysts - [Neurons & Brain Structure](https://ai.page/c/neurons-and-brain-structure/index.md): Explain how neurons transmit signals as electrochemical impulses across synapses, describe how the brain is organised (lobes and functions, limbic system for emotion), and explain neuroplasticity — why learning and practice physically change brain structure — connecting to optical illusions as evidence that the brain constructs reality rather than passively recording it - [Immunity & Vaccines](https://ai.page/c/immunity-and-vaccines/index.md): Distinguish innate (non-specific, immediate) from adaptive (specific, memory-forming) immunity; explain how B cells produce antibodies that recognise specific antigens, how T cells destroy infected cells, and why immunological memory makes vaccines work; and describe the gut microbiome as a community of trillions of microbes that significantly influences immune function - [The Human Skeleton](https://ai.page/c/the-human-skeleton/index.md): Describe the structure and four main functions of the human skeleton: support, protection, movement, and production of blood cells in bone marrow - [Heart Structure & Double Circulation](https://ai.page/c/heart-structure-and-double-circulation/index.md): Describe the structure of the heart (four chambers, valves, coronary arteries) and explain how it pumps deoxygenated blood to the lungs and oxygenated blood to the body in a double circulatory system - [Muscles Work in Pairs](https://ai.page/c/muscles-work-in-pairs/index.md): Explain that muscles work in antagonistic pairs — one contracts while the other relaxes — to produce movement, using the bicep and tricep as a key example ## 9. Earth and Human Activity - [Earth's Atmosphere & CO2](https://ai.page/c/earth-s-atmosphere-and-co2/index.md): Describe the composition of Earth's atmosphere (mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with small amounts of CO₂ and other gases), explain how human activity increases CO₂, and describe the impact on global climate - [Finite Resources & Recycling](https://ai.page/c/finite-resources-and-recycling/index.md): Explain that many raw materials (metals, fossil fuels, minerals) are finite resources, describe the environmental costs of extraction, and evaluate the benefits of recycling and the circular economy - [Renewable vs non-renewable energy](https://ai.page/c/renewable-vs-non-renewable-energy/index.md): Distinguish between renewable energy resources (solar, wind, hydroelectric, tidal, geothermal, biomass) and non-renewable resources (coal, oil, gas, nuclear), comparing their advantages, disadvantages, and environmental impacts ## 10. Earth's Systems - [The Rock Cycle](https://ai.page/c/the-rock-cycle/index.md): Explain the rock cycle: how igneous rocks form from magma, sedimentary rocks from compressed sediment, and metamorphic rocks from heat and pressure, and how all rock types can transform into one another over geological time - [Why We Have Seasons](https://ai.page/c/why-we-have-seasons/index.md): Explain that the seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth's axis during its orbit around the Sun, distinguishing this from the common misconception that seasons are caused by changing distance from the Sun - [Seismic Waves & Earth's Interior](https://ai.page/c/seismic-waves-and-earth-s-interior/index.md): Distinguish between P-waves (compression, travel through solids and liquids) and S-waves (shear, cannot pass through liquids); explain why a seismic shadow zone exists on the far side of an earthquake; describe how seismologists use wave refraction and reflection to infer that Earth has a solid inner core, liquid outer core, mantle, and crust - [How Tectonic Plates Move](https://ai.page/c/how-tectonic-plates-move/index.md): Understand that convection currents in the molten mantle drive the movement of rigid tectonic plates; distinguish between convergent (collision/subduction), divergent (spreading ridges), and transform (sliding) plate boundaries; explain why volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain chains cluster at boundaries; introduce the Wilson cycle of supercontinent assembly and breakup - [The Water Cycle](https://ai.page/c/the-water-cycle/index.md): Describe the water cycle, tracing water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, surface runoff, and transpiration in plants, explaining how the sun drives the cycle - [Hazard Assessment & Evacuation](https://ai.page/c/hazard-assessment-and-evacuation/index.md): Explain probabilistic hazard assessment using eruption recurrence intervals and fault slip rates; describe how volcano observatories monitor ground deformation, gas emissions, and seismicity to issue alert levels; explore why communities remain near active hazards (fertile volcanic soil, poverty, cultural ties); discuss the ethics and politics of evacuation decisions and the social justice dimensions of disaster risk ## 11. Earth's Place in the Universe - [The solar system (age 11+)](https://ai.page/c/the-solar-system-age-11/index.md): Describe the detailed structure of the solar system, including moons, asteroids, and comets, compare orbital periods and distances of the planets, and distinguish between planets, dwarf planets, and other bodies - [Universal Gravitation](https://ai.page/c/universal-gravitation/index.md): Describe gravity as a universal attractive force between all masses, explain that orbital motion arises because gravity provides the centripetal force keeping objects in orbit, and compare gravitational field strengths on different planets - [Where Elements Come From](https://ai.page/c/where-elements-come-from/index.md): Explain stellar nucleosynthesis: the Big Bang produced mainly hydrogen and helium; main-sequence fusion builds elements up to iron; and supernovae produce elements heavier than iron and scatter them into space — meaning the atoms in our bodies were forged in ancient stars - [Galaxies and the universe](https://ai.page/c/galaxies-and-the-universe/index.md): Describe the scale of the universe, including the structure of galaxies, the position of the Sun in the Milky Way, and the use of light years as a unit of distance, and appreciate why space exploration requires enormous timescales - [Life Cycle of a Star](https://ai.page/c/life-cycle-of-a-star/index.md): Describe the life cycle of a star from nebula through main sequence to its end state (white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole depending on mass), and relate the life cycle to the origin of elements heavier than hydrogen ## 12. Nutrition and Cancer - [Diet Imbalance & Deficiency](https://ai.page/c/diet-imbalance-and-deficiency/index.md): Explain the health consequences of an imbalanced diet including obesity (excess energy), starvation (severe energy deficit), and deficiency diseases (lack of specific nutrients, e.g. scurvy, rickets) ## 13. Lipids - [Nutrients in a Healthy Diet](https://ai.page/c/nutrients-in-a-healthy-diet/index.md): Identify the seven components of a healthy diet — carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, and water — and explain the role of each in the body ## 14. Fundamentals of Plant and Animal Reproductive Systems - [Plant Reproduction](https://ai.page/c/plant-reproduction/index.md): Describe the structure of a flower and explain the processes of wind and insect pollination, fertilisation, seed and fruit formation, and seed dispersal in plants ## 15. Fundamentals of Genetics, Genomics, and Heredity - [DNA & Genes](https://ai.page/c/dna-and-genes/index.md): Describe the double helix structure of DNA (base pairs, complementarity), explain how genes are sections of DNA that code for proteins, introduce the central dogma (DNA → mRNA → protein) conceptually, and discuss the ethical implications of CRISPR gene editing — including potential benefits (genetic disease treatment) and concerns (germline editing, 'designer babies') ## 16. Life Science: From molecules to organisms: structures and processes. - [Cells Under the Microscope](https://ai.page/c/cells-under-the-microscope/index.md): Understand that all living organisms are made of cells and use a light microscope to observe, interpret, and record cell structure ## 17. Applications of Science - [Tables, charts, and graphs](https://ai.page/c/tables-charts-and-graphs/index.md): Construct data tables with correct headings and SI units, plot appropriate graph types (bar chart, line graph, scatter graph), draw a line of best fit, and calculate the gradient of a straight-line graph - [Drawing conclusions from evidence (age 12+)](https://ai.page/c/drawing-conclusions-from-evidence-age-12/index.md): Identify patterns and trends in data, draw conclusions that directly address the hypothesis with quantitative reference to evidence, and evaluate the investigation by distinguishing between systematic and random errors and proposing targeted improvements - [Writing Science Reports](https://ai.page/c/writing-science-reports/index.md): Communicate scientific findings in a structured report using appropriate scientific vocabulary, SI units, and standard notation; describe how peer review and replication contribute to the reliability of scientific knowledge ## Health: 0 of 100 Of its 79 own concepts: 0 have an explanation, 0 have practice, 0 have a measurement question, 0 have a checked version. Findings (each is a task for anyone's AI): - Wave Properties & Types has no explanation yet - Waves & Different Materials has no explanation yet - Energy stores and transfers has no explanation yet - Energy can't be created or destroyed has no explanation yet - Reactions That Release or Absorb Heat has no explanation yet - Heating experiments and Q = mcΔT has no explanation yet - Power: watts and energy per second has no explanation yet - Calculating Dietary Energy comes before Nutrients in a Healthy Diet, which it needs - Calculating Dietary Energy has no explanation yet - Ohm's Law: voltage, current, resistance has no explanation yet - Conduction, convection, and radiation has no explanation yet - Magnetic Fields has no explanation yet - Motors & the Motor Effect comes before Electromagnets, which it needs - Motors & the Motor Effect has no explanation yet - Ceramics, Polymers & Composites has no explanation yet - Investigating Forces has no explanation yet - Electromagnets has no explanation yet - Newton's First & Second Laws has no explanation yet - Drawing Force Diagrams has no explanation yet - Relative Motion has no explanation yet - Mass vs Weight has no explanation yet - Newton's Third Law has no explanation yet - Reading Distance-Time Graphs has no explanation yet - Atoms, Elements & Compounds has no explanation yet - The Periodic Table has no explanation yet - Radiometric Dating has no explanation yet - Acids, Alkalis & pH has no explanation yet - Acid Reactions & Salts has no explanation yet - Pure Substances & Mixtures has no explanation yet - Separating Mixtures has no explanation yet - Physical vs Chemical Changes has no explanation yet - Types of Chemical Reaction has no explanation yet - Metals vs Non-Metals has no explanation yet - How Materials Change State has no explanation yet - Biodiversity & Resilience has no explanation yet - Genetic Mutation has no explanation yet - Evidence for Evolution has no explanation yet - Species Distribution & Change has no explanation yet - How the Body Stays in Balance has no explanation yet - Predicting Inherited Traits has no explanation yet - How Natural Selection Works has no explanation yet - Extinction & Rapid Change has no explanation yet - Energy Loss Between Levels has no explanation yet - The Carbon Cycle comes before Aerobic Respiration, which it needs - The Carbon Cycle comes before Photosynthesis, which it needs - The Carbon Cycle has no explanation yet - Predator Loss and Ecosystem Effects has no explanation yet - Gas Exchange & Breathing has no explanation yet - Aerobic Respiration has no explanation yet - Photosynthesis has no explanation yet Credit: The structure of Tennessee academic standards: Science (https://www.tn.gov/assets/entities/sbe/attachments/TNScienceStandards_FinalApproved.pdf); concepts from the Marble Skill Taxonomy (v1), © Generative Spark, Inc. (withmarble.com), text CC BY-SA 4.0, database ODbL 1.0: https://github.com/withmarbleapp/os-taxonomy, mapped to its standards by Marble.