1. Introduction to Physical Science
Chapter 1
Modified from Holt, Rinehart, and Winston presentation for textbook Science Spectrum: Physical Science

2. Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Objectives
Describe the main branches of natural science and relate them to each other.
Describe the relationship between science and technology.
Distinguish between scientific laws and scientific theories.
Explain the roles of models and mathematics in scientific theories and laws.

3. How Does Science Take Place?
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
How Does Science Take Place?
Scientists investigate.
Scientists plan experiments.
Scientists observe.
Scientists always test the results.

4. How Does Science Take Place? continued
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
How Does Science Take Place? continued
Science has many branches.
Biological science is the science of living things.
Physical science is the science of matter and energy.
Earth science is the science of the Earth, the atmosphere, and weather.
Science. is the knowledge obtained by observing natural events and conditions in order to discover facts and formulate laws or principles that can be verified or tested.

5. Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Natural Science

6. How Does Science Take Place?
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
How Does Science Take Place?
Science and technology work together.
Some scientists practice pure science defined as the continuing search for scientific knowledge.
Some scientists and engineers practice applied science defined as the search for ways to use scientific knowledge for practical applications.
Technology is the application of science for practical purposes.

7. Scientific Laws and Theories
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Scientific Laws and Theories
Laws and theories are supported by experimental results.
Scientific theories are always being questioned and examined. To be valid, a theory must:
explain observations
be repeatable
be predictable

8. Scientific Laws and Theories, continued
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Scientific Laws and Theories, continued
Scientific Facts change (i.e. World is flat)
Scientific law a summary of many experimental results and observations; a law tells how things work
Scientific theory an explanation for some phenomenon that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning

9. Scientific Laws and Theories
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Scientific Laws and Theories
Mathematics can describe physical events.
A qualitative statement describes something with words.
A quantitative statement describes something with mathematical equations.

10. Scientific Laws and Theories
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Scientific Laws and Theories
Models can represent physical events.
A model is a representation of an object or event that can be studied to understand the real object or event.
Scientists use physical and computer models to study objects and events.

11. Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Models

12. Physical, Mathematical, and Conceptual Models
Chapter 1
Section 1 The Nature of Science
Physical, Mathematical, and Conceptual Models

13. Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Objectives
Understand how to use critical thinking skills to solve problems.
Describe the steps of the scientific method.
Know some of the tools scientists use to investigate nature.
Explain the objective of a consistent system of units, and identify the SI units for length, mass, and time.
Identify what each common SI prefix represents, and convert measurements.

14. Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Science Skills
Critical thinking is the ability and willingness to assess claims critically and to make judgments on the basis of objective and supported reasons.
Scientists approach a problem by thinking logically.

15. Science Skills, continued
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Science Skills, continued
Using the scientific method
Scientific method a series of steps followed to solve problems including collecting data, formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and stating conclusions

16. Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Scientific Method

17. Science Skills, continued
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Science Skills, continued
Testing hypotheses
Scientists test a hypothesis by doing a controlled experiment.
In a controlled experiment, all the factors that could affect the experiment are kept constant except for one change.
Hypothesis a possible explanation or answer that can be tested
Variable a factor that changes in an experiment in order to test a hypothesis

18. Controlled Experiment and Variable
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Controlled Experiment and Variable

19. Science Skills, continued
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Science Skills, continued
Conducting experiments
No experiment is a failure
The results of every experiment can be used to revise the hypothesis or plan tests of a different variable.

20. Science Skills, continued
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Science Skills, continued
Using scientific tools
There are many tools used by scientists for making observations, including
microscopes
telescopes
spectroscopes
particle accelerators
computers

21. Units of Measurement SI units are used for consistency. Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Units of Measurement
SI units are used for consistency.
Scientists use the International System of Units (SI) to make sharing data and results easier.

22. SI (Le Système Internationale d’Unités)
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
SI (Le Système Internationale d’Unités)

23. Units of Measurement, continued
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Units of Measurement, continued
SI prefixes are for very large and very small measurements.
The table below shows SI prefixes for large measurements.

24. Units of Measurement, continued
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Units of Measurement, continued
The table below shows SI prefixes for small measurements.

25. Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Math Skills
Conversions A roll of copper wire contains 15 m of wire. What is the length of the wire in centimeters?
1. List the given and unknown values.
Given: length in meters, l = 15 m
Unknown: length in centimeters = ? cm

26. Math Skills 2. Determine the relationship between units.
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Math Skills
2. Determine the relationship between units.
This also means that 1 m = 100 cm.
3. Write the equation for the conversion.

27. Math Skills 4. Insert the known values into the equation, and solve.
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Math Skills
4. Insert the known values into the equation, and solve.
length in cm = 1500 cm

28. Units of Measurement, continued
Chapter 1
Section 2 The Way Science Works
Units of Measurement, continued
Making measurements
Many observations rely on quantitative measurements.
Length a measure of the straight-line distance between two points
Mass a measure of the amount of matter in an object
Volume a measure of the size of a body or region in three-dimensional space
Weight a measure of the gravitational force exerted on an object

29. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Objectives
Interpret line graphs, bar graphs, and pie charts.
Use scientific notation and significant figures in problem solving.
Identify the significant figures in calculations.
Understand the difference between precision and accuracy.

30. Presenting Scientific Data
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Presenting Scientific Data
Line graphs are best for continuous change.
Line graphs are usually made with the x-axis showing the independent variable and the y-axis showing the dependent variable.
The values of the dependent variable depend on what happens in the experiment. What you measure!
The values of the independent variable are set before the experiment takes place. What you control!

31. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Line Graph

32. Presenting Scientific Data, continued
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Presenting Scientific Data, continued
Bar graphs compare items.
A bar graph is useful for comparing similar data for several individual items or events.
A bar graph can make clearer how large or small the differences in individual values are.

33. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Bar Graph

34. Presenting Scientific Data, continued
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Presenting Scientific Data, continued
Pie charts show parts of a whole.
A pie chart is ideal for displaying data that are parts of a whole.
Data in a pie chart is presented as a percent.

35. Writing Numbers in Scientific Notation
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Writing Numbers in Scientific Notation
Scientific notation is a method of expressing a quantity as a number multiplied by 10 to the appropriate power.
Some powers of 10 and their decimal equivalents are shown below.
103 = 1000
102 = 100
101 = 10
100 = 1
10-1 = 0.1
10-2 = 0.01
10-3 = 0.001

36. Writing Numbers in Scientific Notation, continued
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Writing Numbers in Scientific Notation, continued
Using scientific notation
Rules
First # will be between 1-10.
Exponents is determined by how far we move the decimal.
When you use scientific notation in calculations, you follow the math rules for powers of 10.
When you multiply two values in scientific notation, you add the powers of 10. When you divide, you subtract the powers of 10.

37. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Math Skills
Writing Scientific Notation The adult human heart pumps about L of blood each day. Write this value in scientific notation.
1. List the given and unknown values.

38. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Scientific Notation

39. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Math Skills
Using Scientific Notation Your state plans to buy a rectangular tract of land measuring 5.36 x 103 m by 1.38 x 104 m to establish a nature preserve. What is the area of this tract in square meters?

40. Using Significant Figures
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Using Significant Figures
Precision and accuracy
Precision the exactness of a measurement
Accuracy a description of how close a measurement is to the true value of the quantity measured

41. Accuracy and Precision, part 1
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Accuracy and Precision, part 1

42. Accuracy and Precision, part 2
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Accuracy and Precision, part 2

43. Using Significant Figures,
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Using Significant Figures,
Significant figure a prescribed decimal place that determines the amount of rounding off to be done based on the precision of the measurement

44. Using Significant Figures, continued
Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Using Significant Figures, continued
When you use measurements in calculations, the answer is only as precise as the least precise measurement used in the calculation.
The measurement with the fewest significant figures determines the number of significant figures that can be used in the answer.

45. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Math Skills
Significant Figures Calculate the volume of a room that is m high, 4.25 m wide, and 5.75 m long. Write the answer with the correct number of significant figures.

46. Chapter 1
Section 3 Organizing Data
Significant Figures