physical science prologue notes

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The Nature of science

Science is the product of human curiosity about how the world works. It is also an ongoing activity that represents the collective efforts, findings, and wisdom of the human race.

There are 2 rules of nature-

One thing is connected to another

Patterns underlie all we see in our surroundings

A brief history of advances in science

During the time of the dark ages, the chinese and polynesian were charting the stars and planets

The polish astronomer nicolaus copernicus caused great controversy when he published a book proposing that the sun is stationary and that the earth revolved around the sun because at that time, many believed the earth was stationary and the the sun and other planets revolved around the earth.

In the early 1800s, geologists met a violent condemnation because they differed with the account of the creation in the book of genesis. Science and religion have not and will not always agree with each other.

Mathematics and conceptual physical science

Science and human conditions advanced dramatically after science and mathematics became integrated 4 centuries ago.

When findings in nature are expressed mathematically, they are easier to verify or disprove by experiment

Scientific methods

In most versions of the scientific method, these steps are usually involved

Observe- use your 5 senses to observe your surroundings

Question-make a hypothesis or an educated guess to answer the question

predict- predict consequences that can be observed if the hypothesis is correct

experiment- do experiments to see if the consequences you predicted are present and if your hypothesis is supported by the data

Conclusion- create the simplest general rule that organizes the hypothesis, predicted effects, and experimental findings

The scientific attitude

In science, a fact is generally a close agreement by competent observers who make a series of observations about the same phenomenon

Facts can change with time and tech

A scientific hypothesis is an educated guess that is only presumed to be factual until supported by experiment

When a hypothesis has been tested over and over again and has not been contradicted, it may become known as a law or principle

aristotle claimed that an objects falls at a speed proportional to its weight and it was supposed true for many years until Galileo proved him to be false with one experiment by dropping sdifferent objects with different weights off of the leaning tower of Pisa and they fell and about the same speed

scientists must except their experimental findings even when they wish they were different

A scientific theory is is a synthesis of a large body of information that ecompasses well-tested and verified hypothesises about certain aspects of the natural world (theories of science are not fixed, rather they undergo change)

Facts are revisable data about the world, and theories interpret facts

ALL HYPOTHESES MUST BE TESTABLE

In science it is more important to have means of proving an idea wrong than to have the means of proving it right

Some statements people think are actually science when they are actually speculation

If there are not tests to prove a hypothesis wrong, then it is not scientific

Science has limitations

science only deals with hypothesizes that are testable ( its domain is restricted to the observable natural world)

supernatural means "above nature"

science wrks within nature not above it

science art, and religion

Science is a system by which we discover and record physical phenomena and think about possible explanations for such phenomena

Arts are concerned with personal interpretation and creative expression

Religion addresses the source, purpose, and meaning of it all

Science asks how, art asks who, and religion asks why

In art of literature, we find out about what is possible in human experience (learn ab emotions like rage, love, etc…) art also broadens our understanding of ourselves and science

Science tells us what is possible in nature (helps us predict possibilities in nature before we experience them ) (it helps connect things)

Both science and religion are motivated by the curiosity for the natural and have great impact on society

Science is concerned with understanding the physical universe

Religion is concerned with faith in, and the worship of, a supreme being and the creation of human community

scientific truth is a matter of public scrutiny, religion is deeply a personal matter

a message in science is that uncertainty is acceptable

Technology-the practical use of science

technology advances science and science advances technology

​​​​​​​sciences concerned with gathering knowledge and organizing it

technology lets humans use that knowledge for practical purposes and it provides the instruments needed to conduct their investigations

technology can be used for good and bad- good- we use tech for digging up fossil fuels which we use everyday

bad-the burning of fossil fuels damage the environment

The physical sciences: physics, chemistry, earth science, and astronomy

Science today is what used to be called natural philosophy (was the study of unanswered questions about nature)

The study of science today branches into the study of living and nonliving things: the life sciences and the physical sciences

The life sciences branch into areas such as molecular biology, microbiology, and ecology

The physical sciences branch out into areas such as physics, chemistry, the earth sciences, and astronomy

Physics is the study of such concepts as motion, force, energy, matter, heat, sound, light, and the components of atoms

Chemistry builds on physics by telling us how matter is put together, how atoms combine to form molecules, and how the molecules combine to make the materials around us

Both chemistry and physics together make up earth science-geology, meteorology, and oceanology

physics is the basics to both physical and life science (relearn physics, then chemistry, then earth science, and finally end with astronomy)