NATURE OF SCIENCE
●Science - the process of finding answers to questions about the natural world, and the collective knowledge already learned.
oScientific ideas are developed through reasoning based on observable facts.
oScientific claims are based on testing explanations against observations.
oScientific claims are subject to peer review and replication.
●Ethics – a philosophy weighing the benefit of the science versus the potential cost to society or the natural world.
●Inquiry – a variety of strategies used to answer scientific questions.
●Science terms:
oHypothesis – an idea that has not yet been tested.
oLaw - states what will happen under certain conditions.
oTheory - explains why something happens. It is formed from many laws, observations, and experiments. A theory has a testable hypothesis, is “falsifiable,” and can be used to make reasonable predictions. Theories can be modified based on new information.
oVariables - changeable factor in an experiment.
▪Independent variable - is under the experimenter’s control and causes change in another variable.
▪Dependent variable – is being changed in response to the independent variable.
▪Control - sample where the independent variable is not changed.
▪Constant – variables that are kept the same for basis of comparison.
●Qualitative data – show topics or categories
●Quantitative data – show quantities (numbers)
●There are 3 main types of graphs that are used to analyze data.
○Circle – also known as a pie chart
○Bar – data is graphed along the x and y axis.
○Line - data is graphed along the x and y axis.
Metric system – the predominant measuring and units system worldwide with the exception of the United States.
●Meter for length (1 meter = 3.28 feet)
●Gram for mass (1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds)
●Cubic centimeters for spatial or solid volume (1 cubic inch = 16.39 cubic centimeters)
●Liters for liquid volume (1 cubic centimeter = 1 milliliter = .03 ounces)
●Celsius (degrees) for temperature (F = 9/5C+32)
●grams / cubic centimeter for density (mass / volume)
The metric system is based on the decimal system (factors of ten).
1000 x = kilo (k)
100 x = hecto (h)
10 x = deka (da)
1 x = base unit
.1 x = deci (d)
.01 x = centi (c)
.001 x = milli (m)
Metric System and Using the Metric Ladder
Below is the standard "metric ladder". Each box shows a metric prefix and its size in relation to the base unit (meter, gram or Liter). Underlined letters are used to indicate how the prefixes and base units are abbreviated. The metric ladder is helpful when making conversions for any of the following base units (meter, gram and Liter).
Using the Metric Ladder
Try these steps each and every time you want to use the metric ladder.
1. Find the spot (unit) on the ladder that has the same prefix as the measurement you are starting with.
2. Locate the spot on the ladder that you want to convert your number to.
3. Count the number of steps you must move on the ladder to make your conversion.
4. Move the decimal in your original number this same number of steps and in the same direction (don't forget the Base step).