Physical Science - Chapter 3

What key discoveries shaped the development of the atomic model?

The formulation of the law of definite proportions, the law of electrostatic charges, and the discovery of protons, neutrons, and electrons all shaped the development of the modern atomic model.

Explain how each new atomic model was more workable than the last.

The plum pudding model explained cathode rays better than the indivisible atom of the Greek model or Dalton’s model. The nuclear model provided a better explanation for the evidence from the gold foil experiments. The Bohr model explained the specific energy (colors of light) absorbed and emitted by atoms. The quantum-mechanical model explains the location of electrons better than previous models. In each case the model was more workable— it explained new observations better.

What parts of Dalton’s atomic theory were disproven by later discoveries?

Contrary to Dalton’s theory, later discoveries showed that atoms were made of smaller parts, that is, not indivisible, and that atoms of the same element could be different from each other (e.g., isotopes and ions).

Why is the Bohr model still used today even though it is no longer believed to accurately represent the structure of an atom? T

It remains useful for showing how certain chemical processes work. It also provides a clear depiction of energy levels.

If an atomic model cannot explain a scientific observation, what should happen to it?

It should be modified to explain the new observation or be replaced.

BJU Physical Science Chapter 3: Measurment

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1. Define dimension as it relates to science. any measurable aspect of

something

2. Common dimensions include length, time, temperature,

volume, and speed

3. Define unit the name and size of a

portion of a dimension

that has a value of 1.

4. bias A particular preference or

point of view that is personal, rather than scientific.

presuppositions

5. examples of quanitative data water temperature

aircraft speed

time of an accident

6. examples of qualitative data audibility of a sound

pattern of veins in a butterfly's wing

shape of a mineral crystal

7. Who established the decimal metric system? France

8. Metric means to measure

9. The French defined a kilogram as the mass of one cubic decimeter of

water

10. The standard kilogram resides in the International Bureau

of Weights and Measures

(BIPM) in France, under

carefully controlled environmental conditions

11. SI is an abbreviation for

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BJU Physical Science Chapter 3: Measurment

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International System of

Units

12. What is a factor? one of the numbers in a

multiplication operation

13. approximately equal to symbol

14. Provide a definition of measuring unit. the name and size of a

segment of a dimension

that has value of 1

15. Why do most scientist prefer quantitative data

over qualitative data?

quantitative data is less

likely to misinterpreted

16. What was the main reason the French developed the metric system?

European community

was having difficulty

communicating scientific

ideas.

they needed a common

standard of units

17. T/F

Measuring involves comparing a dimension to

with a graduated scale of an appropriate instrument or other standard.

TRUE

18. T/F the liter is an SI base unit. FALSE

19. Which unit do we know was used both before

and after the Flood?

cubit

20. What is the measurement error? The difference between a

measured value and the

true value.

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BJU Physical Science Chapter 3: Measurment

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21. Define accuracy how close a measurement is to the true value

22. Precision evaluates how exactly a measurement was made

(exactness)

23. Define repeatability Able to be repeated by

others to confirm results/objectivity

24. SD stands for significant digits

25. Scientist use the concept of SD (significant digits) to

indicate the precision of

their measurements

26. The symbol NM is used to stand for international nautical mile

27. Zeros following the last nonzero digit are called trailing zeros

28. zeros to the left of the first nonzero digit in a

decimal fraction are called

leading zeros

29. SD Rule 1: SDs only apply to measured data

30. SD Rule 2: all nonzero digits are significant

31. SD Rule 3: All zeros between nonzero digits are significant

32. SD Rule 4: Decimal points define significant zeros

33. SD Rule 5 A decimal point must follow an estimated zero in

the one's place

34. Define scientific notation

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BJU Physical Science Chapter 3: Measurment

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a convenient way to express very large or small

numbers

35. What are 3 sources of measurement error? environmental conditions

operator error

defective instruments

measuring conditions

36. How can you tell that an instrument has a decimal scale?

the main graduations are