Chapter #1 Ms. Hanan Anabusi The Science of Physics Chapter #1 Ms. Hanan Anabusi

1-1 What is Physics Objectives Identify activities and fields that involve the major areas within physics Describe the process of the scientific method Describe the role of models and diagrams in physics.

What is Physics? Just like mathematics, it is hard to separate physics from  the world we are living in.  A little history Everything started with the study of natural philosophy. Natural philosophy used to be the study of unanswered questions about nature. As more and more answers are found, natural philosophy became science.  The physical sciences deal with nonliving things and branch into areas such as physics, geology, astronomy, and chemistry. See more at: http://www.introduction-to-physics.com/#sthash.i9CNVgof.dpuf

What is PHYSICS? Physics is a complex collection of many topics. Physics is the study of natural phenomena. It presents a world view which is unique and internally consistent. Things such as mechanics, heat, wave behavior, electricity and magnetism, nuclear physics, and particle physics all are important in the study of physics.

Observation is an essential part of science Observation is an essential part of science. By observing the world around us, key questions can be raised. This might lead to experimentation, in which more observations are made, leading in turn to more questions. Physics is an unending exploration of discovery. New things are always being learned . Nothing in science can be regarded as being absolutely certain. All things are tentative.

Physics is Everywhere Have you ever wondered: how do masters winners hit the golf ball farther than most golfers? How does the shape of a race car affect its speed and fuel consumption? How does NASA scientists control the Mars Rover? How do cell phones send my voice through the air to the correct place?

These are some of the many questions that an understanding of physics helps you to answer Physics explores the mechanical world around us. This includes both properties of the materials we encounter each day and the energy changes that occur around us.

Areas within Physics Name Subject Examples Mechanics Motion and its causes Falling objects, friction, weight, spinning objects Thermodynamics Heat and temperature Melting and freezing processes, engines, refrigerators Vibrations and wave phenomena Specific types of repetitive motions Springs, pendulums, sound Optics Light Mirrors, lenses, color, astronomy Electromagnetism Electricity, magnetism, and light Electrical charge, circuitry, permanent magnets, electromagnets Relativity Particles moving at any speed, including very high speeds Particle collisions, particle accelerators, nuclear energy Quantum mechanics Behavior of submicroscopic particles The atom and its parts

THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD

The Scientific Method involves a series of steps that are used to investigate a natural occurrence. The scientific method is the only scientific way accepted to back up a theory or idea. This is the method on which all research projects should be based. The Scientific Method is used by researchers to support or disprove a theory.

Steps of the Scientific Method Ask a Question: The scientific method starts when you ask a question about something that you observe: How, What, When, Who, Which, Why, or Where? And, in order for the scientific method to answer the question it must be about something that you can measure, preferably with a number. Do Background Research: Rather than starting from scratch in putting together a plan for answering your question, you want to be a savvy scientist using library and Internet research to help you find the best way to do things and insure that you don't repeat mistakes from the past.

Steps of the Scientific Method Construct a Hypothesis: A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work: "If _____[I do this] _____, then _____[this]_____ will happen." You must state your hypothesis in a way that you can easily measure, and of course, your hypothesis should be constructed in a way to help you answer your original question. Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment: Your experiment tests whether your hypothesis is true or false. It is important for your experiment to be a fair test. You conduct a fair test by making sure that you change only one factor at a time while keeping all other conditions the same. You should also repeat your experiments several times to make sure that the first results weren't just an accident.

Steps of the Scientific Method Analyze Your Data and Draw a Conclusion: Once your experiment is complete, you collect your measurements and analyze them to see if your hypothesis is true or false. Scientists often find that their hypothesis was false, and in such cases they will construct a new hypothesis starting the entire process of the scientific method over again. Even if they find that their hypothesis was true, they may want to test it again in a new way. Communicate Your Results: To complete your science fair project you will communicate your results to others in a final report and/or a display board. Professional scientists do almost exactly the same thing by publishing their final report in a scientific journal or by presenting their results on a poster at a scientific meeting.

Let’s put our knowledge of the Scientific Method to a realistic example that includes some of the terms you’ll be needing to use and understand.

She explains that yeast releases a gas as it feeds on sugar. Problem/Question John watches his grandmother bake bread. He ask his grandmother what makes the bread rise. She explains that yeast releases a gas as it feeds on sugar.

Problem/Question John wonders if the amount of sugar used in the recipe will affect the size of the bread loaf?

Caution! Be careful how you use effect and affect. Effect is usually a noun and affect, a verb. “ The effect of sugar amounts on the rising of bread.” “How does sugar affect the rising of bread?”

Observation/Research John researches the areas of baking and fermentation and tries to come up with a way to test his question. He keeps all of his information on this topic in a journal.

John talks with his teacher and she gives him an Experimental Design Diagram to help him set up his investigation.

Formulate a Hypothesis After talking with his teacher and conducting further research, he comes up with a hypothesis. “If more sugar is added, then the bread will rise higher.”

Hypothesis The hypothesis is an educated guess about the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

Do you know the difference between the independent and dependent variables?

Independent Variable The independent, or manipulated variable, is a factor that’s intentionally varied by the experimenter. John is going to use 25g., 50g., 100g., 250g., 500g. of sugar in his experiment.

In this case, it would be the size of the loaf of bread. Dependent Variable The dependent, or responding variable, is the factor that may change as a result of changes made in the independent variable. In this case, it would be the size of the loaf of bread.

She discusses with John how to determine the control group. Experiment His teacher helps him come up with a procedure and list of needed materials. She discusses with John how to determine the control group.

Control Group In a scientific experiment, the control is the group that serves as the standard of comparison. The control group may be a “no treatment" or an “experimenter selected” group.

All experiments should have a control group. The control group is exposed to the same conditions as the experimental group, except for the variable being tested. All experiments should have a control group.

Control Group Because his grandmother always used 50g. of sugar in her recipe, John is going to use that amount in his control group.

Constants John’s teacher reminds him to keep all other factors the same so that any observed changes in the bread can be attributed to the variation in the amount of sugar.

Constants The constants in an experiment are all the factors that the experimenter attempts to keep the same.

Constants They might include: Other ingredients to the bread recipe, oven used, rise time, brand of ingredients, cooking time, type of pan used, air temperature and humidity where the bread was rising, oven temperature, age of the yeast…

Experiment John writes out his procedure for his experiment along with a materials list in his journal. He has both of these checked by his teacher where she checks for any safety concerns.

John is going to test each sugar variable 3 times. Trials Trials refer to replicate groups that are exposed to the same conditions in an experiment. John is going to test each sugar variable 3 times.

Collect and Analyze Results John comes up with a table he can use to record his data. John gets all his materials together and carries out his experiment.

Size of Baked Bread (LxWxH) cm3 Size of Bread Loaf (cm3) Trials Amt. of Sugar (g.) 1 2 3 Average Size (cm3) 25 768 744 761 758 50 1296 1188 1260 100 1080 1116 250 672 576 588 612 500 432 504 360 Control group

Collect and Analyze Results John examines his data and notices that his control worked the best in this experiment, but not significantly better than 100g. of sugar.

Conclusion John rejects his hypothesis, but decides to re-test using sugar amounts between 50g. and 100g.

Once again, John gathers his materials and carries out his experiment. Here are the results.

Size of Baked Bread (LxWxH) cm3 Size of Bread Loaf (cm3) Trials Amt. of Sugar (g.) 1 2 3 Average Size (cm3) 50 1296 1440 1344 60 1404 1380 70 1638 1560 1612 80 1332 90 1080 1200 972 1084 Control group

Using models to describe phenomena Although the physical world is very complex, physicists often use simple models to explain the most fundamental features of various phenomena. Physicists usually break an event down into different parts and determine which parts to study and which to disregard. The parts that will be studies are considered the system-preferably a single object and the items that immediately affect it.

Using models to describe phenomena A model is created to summarize and simulate the events studied. Models help build hypotheses and guide experimental design. A hypothesis must be tested in a controlled experiment and revised if necessary.

Of an object, system, or concept for the purpose of study Definitions A model is a replica or description designed to show the structure or workings Of an object, system, or concept A system is a set of items or interactions considered a distinct physical entity for the purpose of study A controlled experiment is an experiment involving manipulation of a single variable or factor

Example of a model

Assignments Section Review: Page 9 Questions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Even questions (2 and 4) as class-work, and odd questions (1, 3, and 5) as homework