Which of the following best describes physical science?

• A. It is the study of human societies and their development.
• B. It is the study of non-living systems, including physics, chemistry, astronomy, and earth sciences.
• C. It is the study of living organisms and their interactions with the environment.
• D. It is the application of mathematical techniques to solve engineering problems.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of physical science. Physical science is a branch of natural science that studies non-living systems and the physical universe.
2. Step 2: Recognize the main fields included in physical science, such as physics, chemistry, astronomy, and earth sciences, which focus on understanding matter, energy, and the physical laws governing the universe.
3. Step 3: Differentiate physical science from other sciences: it does not study living organisms (which is biology) or human societies (which is social science).
4. Step 4: Note that physical science is distinct from applied sciences like engineering, which use mathematical techniques to solve practical problems but are not the core study of physical science itself.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of physical science is that it is the study of non-living systems, including physics, chemistry, astronomy, and earth sciences.