HS-PS3-3 | Energy Conversion Devices · NYS standard · Regents questions

Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

Clarification statement: Emphasis is on both qualitative and quantitative evaluations of devices. Examples of devices could include Rube Goldberg devices, wind turbines, solar cells, sound level or light meters, solar ovens, and generators. Examples of constraints could include use of renewable energy forms and efficiency.

Assessment boundary: Assessment for quantitative evaluations is limited to total output for a given input. Assessment is limited to devices constructed with materials provided to students.

Regents Exam Questions

Released New York State Regents exam questions that assess HS-PS3-3 are listed here by exam and question cluster. Each link opens the question with its answer key.

Exam	Cluster	Question
June 2026 Physics Regents	Heat Exchange	Question 11
	Heat Exchange	Question 12
	Motorcycle Helmets	Question 16
	The Cell Phone	Question 27
Physics sample clusters (Spring 2025)	Automotive Optics	Question 1

Vocabulary

Terms from the Physics Glossary that come from this standard or from the released exam questions that assess it.

From this standard

complex real-world problem
conservation of energy
constraints
design variables
device
efficiency
energy
energy input
energy output
energy transfer
energy transformation
evidence
form of energy
generator
light
light meter
macroscopic scale
prioritized criteria
qualitative
quantitative
renewable energy
Rube Goldberg device
solar cell
solar oven
solution
sound
sound level meter
system
thermal energy
variable
wind turbine
work

From released exam questions

claim – Sample 2025
concave mirror – Sample 2025
electrical energy – June 2026, Sample 2025
emitted light – Sample 2025
emitted ray – June 2026
flowchart – June 2026
focal point – Sample 2025
fossil fuels – June 2026
geothermal power plant – June 2026
gravitational potential energy – June 2026
heat – June 2026
heat source – June 2026
image – June 2026
impact – June 2026
infrared – June 2026
interaction – June 2026
internal energy – June 2026
investigation – Sample 2025
kinetic energy – June 2026
kinetic energy transfer – June 2026
laser – June 2026
light energy – Sample 2025
light ray – June 2026, Sample 2025
mechanical energy – June 2026, Sample 2025
mirror – Sample 2025
nuclear power plant – June 2026
power plant – June 2026
ratio of energy output to energy input – June 2026
reflected light – June 2026
reflected ray – June 2026
reflection – Sample 2025
rotational energy – June 2026
solar power plant – June 2026
steam – June 2026
thermoelectric power plant – June 2026
water – June 2026

Performance Level Descriptions

Every Regents exam question on HS-PS3-3 is written to match one of the performance level descriptions (PLDs) below.

Level 1: Given a device or model of a device that converts one form of energy into another form of energy, identify the design variables and/or the energy transformations.

Level 2: Given a device or a model of a device that converts one form of energy into another form of energy, evaluate the energy output and the energy input or propose a refinement to improve efficiency, or given two or more devices or models of devices that converts one form of energy into another form of energy, evaluate the energy output for the same energy input.

Level 3: Evaluate and/or refine a given device that converts one form of energy into another form of energy in order to meet given constraints, or given a device or model of a device that converts one form of energy into another form of energy, calculate the device's efficiency.

Level 4: Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy.

Level 5: Design, build, and refine a device that works within given constraints to convert one form of energy into another form of energy, and explain how a similar device could be used to solve a real-world problem using student generated sources of evidence.

Resources

Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-PS3-3.

This section could be expanded upon. You can help out by adding to this section.

NGSS Dimensions

Performance expectation HS-PS3-3 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
- Design, evaluate, and/or refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

PS3.A: Definitions of Energy
- At the macroscopic scale, energy manifests itself in multiple ways, such as motion, sound, light, and thermal energy
PS3.B: Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer
- (NYSED) Energy exists in many forms, and when these forms change, energy is conserved.

Crosscutting Concepts

Energy and Matter
- Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flow into, out of, and within that system.

Page contributors: Caroline Leonard, Conrad Richman

Physics | HS. Energy