NYS High School physics Claims and Evidence

In June 2025, the Office of State Assessment released the Educator Guide to the Regents Examination in Physical Science: Physics. Below are the claims-and-evidence from the educator guide which provide further insight on the types of questions that might appear on the Regents exam.

Claim #1 (Forces and Interactions):
A student can investigate and provide evidence that identifies and describes the type(s) of interactions between objects and systems and predicts the changes forces cause to interacting objects and systems, applying established scientific laws.

Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “Forces and Interactions” through application, evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts related to:

Newton’s laws of motion and the effects of forces on macroscopic objects and systems. HS-PS2-1
Models that explain momenta of systems, including interaction of objects and effect of changes on the system. HS-PS2-2, HS-PS2-3
Observable mathematical relationships and patterns of forces between objects and systems. HS-PS2-4
Evidence for the cause-and-effect relationship between an electric current and magnetic field. HS-PS2-5

Claim #2 (Energy):
A student can investigate the various forms of energy, and illustrate the processes of conservation, transfer, and conversion of energy between interacting objects and systems in order to predict, describe, and explain the outcome of these interactions.

Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “Energy” through application, evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts related to:

Modeling and explaining the energy flow into, out of, and between components of a system and the conservation of energy of the system. HS-PS3-1
Modeling relationships between the motion and relative position of objects, the change in energy of objects, and forces acting between objects. HS-PS3-2, HS-PS3-5
Models that explain the changes in energy and matter in real world devices and nuclear processes. HS-PS3-3, HS-PS1-8
Energy conversions in a device and refinements to optimize a desired outcome. HS-PS3-3
How energy is transferred when components combine. HS-PS3-4
Models that explain energy stored in electric and magnetic fields. HS-PS3-5
Analysis of data supporting claims that describe the mathematical relationships in circuits. HS-PS3-6

Claim #3 (Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation):

A student can evaluate, communicate, and defend claims about the properties and behaviors of waves, the relationships among these properties, the interactions between waves and matter, technological applications of wave transmission, and explain the importance of electromagnetic radiation in understanding the formation, composition, and expansion of the universe.

Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “Waves and Electromagnetic Radiation” through application, evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts related to:

Mathematical representations that support claims about the correlation between wave properties for various types of waves. HS-PS4-1, HS-PS4-5, HS-ESS1-2
The cause-and-effect relationships between the behavior of waves and the media through which the waves travel. HS-PS4-1, HS-PS4-6, HS-ESS1-2
Questions regarding the evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of using digital transmission and storage of information. HS-PS4-2
Models of electromagnetic radiation used to describe interactions between waves and between waves and matter. HS-PS4-3, HS-PS4-4, HS-PS4-5, HS-ESS1-2
Validation of information found in published materials concerning the absorption of electromagnetic radiation and its effects on matter. HS-PS4-4
Communication of technical information regarding devices that use wave behavior and interactions for information processing. HS-PS4-5

Claim #4 (Engineering Design):
A student can analyze models, including mathematical and computer simulations, that present criteria, trade-offs, and a range of constraints to design and evaluate a solution that optimizes technological and engineering practices for the management of systems, societal needs, environmental impacts, and real-world problems.

Evidence: A student demonstrates understanding of “Engineering Design” through application, evaluation, analysis, and/or synthesis using science and engineering practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts related to:

Students collected data, models, and simulations that identify, describe, and solve real-world problems designed to balance societal needs with societal wants while attempting to reduce impacts. HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-4
Solutions to global challenges that meet criteria, require trade-offs, and are limited by constraints as illustrated by various types of models (computer, simulations, engineering). HS-ETS1-1, HS-ETS1-3

Page contributors: Caroline Leonard