NOTES FOR THE “POP” QUIZ THAT WILL PROBABLY OCCUR ON FRIDAY!!

THEORIES IN SCIENCE Recognize and explain that a scientific theory is a well- supported and widely accepted explanation of nature and is not simply a claim posed by an individual. Thus, the use of the term theory in science is very different than how it is used in everyday life!

A THEORY IN SCIENCE HAS Multiple lines of evidence Has been tested over time Have never been disproven Is accepted at “true” by scientific community Is predictive (what happened in the past will continue into the future) Cell Theory Germ Theory Big Bang Theory

Identify the benefits and limitations of the use of scientific models.

MODELS Help us understand concepts that are very big (making the Earth into a globe) Complex – computer models of hurricane Dangerous or impossible (the center of the Earth or a volcano, mid ocean ridges) Very small – a cell, the model helps us see the microscopic details

LIMITATIONS OF MODELS All models have limitations — no model can possibly explain every detail of a scientific phenomena. A limitation of models in science is that they are usually simplified versions of the real situation or concept. If you try to incorporate everything that actually happens into a model, it becomes unwieldy and difficult to use.