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A way of investigating the world in order to form general rules about why things happen. Science is a way of knowing based on experimental or observational.

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Presentation on theme: "A way of investigating the world in order to form general rules about why things happen. Science is a way of knowing based on experimental or observational."— Presentation transcript:

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2 A way of investigating the world in order to form general rules about why things happen. Science is a way of knowing based on experimental or observational evidence and its interpretation. Modern Science is a discipline largely defined by its primary method – the scientific method.

3 The nature of science Science: –A systematic process for learning about the world and testing our understanding of it –The accumulated body of knowledge that results from a dynamic process of observation, testing, and discovery Science is essential: –To sort fact from fiction –Develop solutions to the problems we face

4 Pure Science- pursuit of knowledge Applied Science- search for practical uses of scientific knowledge tetradoxin Pain relief in terminal cancer patients

5 When did the study of science begin? Paleolithic paintings on cave walls and recordings on bones- observations 32,000 years ago

6 When did the study of science begin? Mesopotamian 7,000 B.C. to 6 th century B.C. Bronze surgical knives Medical text Astronomy

7 Scientific method (observation, inductive reasoning) Described hundreds of marine species Dolphin is a mammal The earth is round Biology (spontaneous generation)- disproved by Francesco Redi (1668), an Italian doctor who proved maggots came from flies. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

8 Ptolemy (170 A.D.)- geocentric universe Copernicus (1500’s)- heliocentric universe; not accepted until 100 years after his death Galileo (1600’s)- physicist, astronomer, scientific method

9 Science is empirical. It relies on observation and experience. The phenomenon studied must be measurable. Phenomenon that cannot be measured: Is this painting beautiful? Does God exist? It must be consistent with known natural laws and well-established, well-documented existing theories. It must be derived objectively from independently confirmable observations. All scientific knowledge must be regarded as tentative. Characteristics of Scientific Explanations

10 The scientific method Observations Question Formulate Hypothesis Conduct Experiment Analyze Results Conclusions A technique for testing ideas

11 Observation: Question: Hypothesis: Test hypothesis: Analyze Results: Draw Conclusion: Ben Franklin & the Gulf Stream 1996 1786

12 Scientific Method Observations –Suggest questions to investigate Question –Why does something happen Hypothesis –An educated guess –A testable explanation for an observation

13 Scientific Method Conduct Experiment –Process of testing a hypothesis or prediction by – gathering data under controlled conditions OR by – Non-controlled experimental observations which address the hypothesis Analyze Results Draw Conclusions

14 Discovery or observational science. Hypothesis-driven or experimental science. Two Primary Approaches to Science Scientists form ideas

15 Hypothesis-Driven Studies

16 Discovery/Observational Studies

17 Some Scientific Questions or Explinations Can’t Be Answered By Experimentation

18 Hypothesis: Hermatypic corals exposed to temperatures above 36 o C expel their symbiotic zoothanthellae. Hypothesis: Naval explosions at the thermocline layer cause hearing loss in whales. Hypothesis: Ulua are better predators. Scientific statements must be testable and reproducible (i.e., valid & reliable). Hypothesis:The fibropapilloma virus causes tumors in green sea turtles.

19 January1992 in the North Pacific

20 Rubber Duckies and Ocean currents. Jim Ingram (NOAA scientist)- offered a reward He graphed and studied the data as it came in. Hypothesis: ocean currents were moving the ducks in about the same speed and direction that the currents were going!

21 Rubber Duck distributions and Ocean Currents

22 Pisaster Paine’s study on Pisaster and blue mussels What effect does starfish removal have on community structure? chiton limpet mussels (Mytilus) barnacles

23 Keystone Species Paine’s study on Pisaster and blue mussels

24 Collect, organize, analyze data –Determine whether data is reliable –Determine whether data supports or does not support the hypothesis or prediction –May use statistics Compare data from other studies Determine relationships Determine experimental error Scientific Method

25 Drawing Conclusions –To understand something not previously understood –To produce a model Construct a representation of an object, a system, or a process to help show relationships given the data A model is an explanation supported by data Use the model to generate new hypotheses or predictions Scientific Method

26 Contrasting Hypotheses, Theories, and Laws

27 What is difference between hypothesis, theory & law? Hypothesis - “an educated guess”; a tentative explanation of phenomena. Theory - a widely accepted explanation of natural phenomena; has stood up to thorough & continual testing. Law - a statement of what always occurs under certain conditions.

28 Theories –Unifying explanations for a broad range of observations –Based on testing a collection of related hypotheses –The solid foundation of science –Can be revised given new evidence Scientific Method

29 Scientific theories and laws Using scientific method a theory is almost never proven. A few theories do become scientific laws (such as the law of gravity) and laws are generally considered to be without exception — though in fact even some laws have been modified over time after further testing found discrepancies. This does not mean theories are not meaningful. For a hypothesis to become a theory, rigorous testing must occur, typically across multiple disciplines by separate groups of scientists. Saying something is “just a theory” is a lay person’s term that has no relationship to science, because in science, a theory is something that is very well supported by observation and experimentation.

30 Theories Evolution Cell Theory

31 Laws Biology: Mendelian Inheritance Physics, Chemistry, Math- Lots!!!!

32 Subsidence theory Origin of Species (1859) Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Darwin- HMS Beagle (1831)

33 248 mya 65 mya present Pangaea Continental drift theory Wegener (1915)

34 Global Warming Fact or Fiction?

35 Inquiry What is the difference between pure and applied science? What are the six general “steps” used in the modern “Scientific Method”? What is the difference between a hypothesis, theory and law? Can a theory ever be proven? State Ben Franklin’s hypothesis for what later became known as the Gulf Stream.


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