Science Assessment ~ Ideas ~ Motion energy (kinetic energy) is associated with the speed and the mass of an object.

Key Idea: When light shines on an object, the object typically gets warmer.

Sub-Ideas
Items & Student Performance
Misconceptions
NGSS

Students should know that:

Light bulbs, fire, and the sun are sources of light.
The longer a light shines on an object, the warmer the object can get.

Boundaries:

At this level, students are not expected to know that the reason objects get warmer when light shines on them is because energy is transferred to them by light. The words “transfer” or “radiation” are not used in items.
Only light sources that give off visible light are used in assessment items. Students are not expected to know that all objects give off “light” as electromagnetic radiation.
Contexts of assessment items are limited to those that do not involve changes of state.

Percent of students answering correctly (click on the item ID number to view the item and additional data)
Item ID Number	Knowledge Being Assessed	Grades 4–5	Grades 6–8	Grades 9–12
RG063003	When a light shines on the water in a fishtank, the water in the fish bowl will get a little warmer although it may be hard to notice.	69%	73%	76%
RG214001	On a cold and sunny winter day, a student waits at the bus stop will be warmer if standing in the sunlight instead of the shade.	72%	71%	72%
RG022003	Bright light transfers more energy than dimmer light.	57%	61%	62%
RG021003	Turning on a lamp in a cool dark room will make the room a little warmer even though one may not notice it.	52%	63%	64%
NG045003	Both a light bulb and an ice cream cone radiate energy because all objects radiate energy.	N/A	25%	37%

Frequency of selecting a misconception
Misconception ID Number	Student Misconception	Grades 4–5	Grades 6–8	Grades 9–12
NGM032	Only hot objects can transfer energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).	N/A	32%	30%
NGM031	Only objects that are glowing can transfer energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).	N/A	33%	24%
RGM043	The amount of energy transferred by radiation does not depend on the brightness of the light (AAAS Pilot test 2013).	9%	11%	15%
NGM036	Only the sun transfers energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).	N/A	10%	9%
RGM059	Light transfers energy only if the "warming effect" of the light can be detected. Thus, sunlight might transfer energy but a florescent light does not.	13%	7%	9%

Frequency of selecting a misconception was calculated by dividing the total number of times a misconception was chosen by the number of times it could have been chosen, averaged over the number of students answering the questions within this particular idea.

NGSS Statements
Code	Statement
PS3.B Grade 4	Light also transfers energy from place to place.