Foundations of Physics & Measurement — Lecture Review

A comprehensive set of 47 question-and-answer flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture notes on scientific foundations, measurement systems, scientific notation, significant figures, and basic statistics.

A systematic study of knowledge about the natural world through observation, experimentation, and analysis.

What is the definition of SCIENCE?

Define PHYSICS.

The study of matter, motion, force, and energy in the physical plane.

Who is known as the Father of Ancient Science?

Aristotle.

Who is called the Father of Modern Science and Father of Physics?

Galileo Galilei.

Who is considered the Mother of Physics?

Marie Curie.

Who is honored as the King of Physics?

Albert Einstein.

Who is regarded as the Father of the Scientific Method?

Francis Bacon.

List the 7 steps of the Scientific Method in order.

1) Ask a question, 2) Observe, 3) Form a hypothesis, 4) Experiment, 5) Analyze data, 6) Draw a conclusion, 7) Share findings.

Differentiate DIRECT and INDIRECT observation.

Direct: the observer is involved; Indirect: the observer is not involved.

What is the difference between QUALITATIVE and QUANTITATIVE data?

Qualitative: expressed in words, subjective; Quantitative: expressed in numbers, objective.

What do HOTS and LOTS stand for?

HOTS – Higher Order Thinking Skills (long-term memory); LOTS – Lower Order Thinking Skills (short-term memory).

Explain DEDUCTIVE reasoning.

Reasoning that moves from general to specific (complex to simple) by breaking down ideas.

Explain INDUCTIVE reasoning.

Reasoning that moves from specific observations to general conclusions (simple to complex).

State the definition of MATTER.

Anything that occupies space and has mass.

Name the five phases of matter listed in the notes.

Solid, Liquid, Gas, Plasma, Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC).

Which phase of matter is most abundant in the universe and give an example.

Plasma; e.g., stars or the Sun.

What does BEC stand for and at what temperature range does it occur?

Bose-Einstein Condensate; it forms at extremely cold (near absolute zero) temperatures.

Which star color is hottest and which is coldest?

Blue stars are hottest; red stars are coldest.

What is the Latin name of Earth’s moon?

Luna.

Define MEASUREMENT according to the notes.

The process of assigning a quantity to describe a property of an object by comparing it with a standard.

What two qualities must a good measurement standard possess?

It must be universal and not change with time.

When was the SI (Systeme International) established and what is its common nickname?

Established in 1960; commonly called the metric system.

Give the SI base unit for TIME and its symbol.

Second (s).

Give the SI base unit for LENGTH and its symbol.

Meter (m).

Give the SI base unit for MASS and its symbol.

Kilogram (kg).

Give the SI base unit for ELECTRIC CURRENT and its symbol.

Ampere (A).

Give the SI base unit for THERMODYNAMIC TEMPERATURE and its symbol.

Kelvin (K).

Give the SI base unit for AMOUNT OF SUBSTANCE and its symbol.

Mole (mol).

Give the SI base unit for LUMINOUS INTENSITY and its symbol.

Candela (cd).

What is the general form of SCIENTIFIC NOTATION?

N × 10^a where N is between 1 and 9 and a is an integer representing decimal place shifts.

During addition or subtraction in scientific notation, what must be the same for all terms?

The exponent (power of ten).

How are exponents handled when multiplying numbers in scientific notation?

Add the exponents.

How are exponents handled when dividing numbers in scientific notation?

Subtract the exponents.

Define a SIGNIFICANT FIGURE.

A reliably known digit used to express a measured value’s precision.

State Rule 1 of significant figures.

All non-zero digits are significant.

State Rule 2 of significant figures.

Zeros between non-zero digits are significant.

State Rule 3 of significant figures.

Final zeros and trailing zeros after a decimal point are significant.

State Rule 4 of significant figures.

Zeros preceding the first non-zero digit are not significant.

In addition/subtraction, how is the number of significant figures in the result determined?

By the least number of decimal places among the measurements.

In multiplication/division, how is the number of significant figures in the result determined?

By the least total significant figures among the measurements.

Define PRECISION as used in measurement.

The degree of closeness between repeated measurements (repeatability/reproducibility).

Define ACCURACY as used in measurement.

The degree of closeness of a measurement to the true or reference value (low bias).

Write the formula for the ARITHMETIC MEAN.

x̄ = Σx / n (sum of values divided by the number of values).

Explain, in one sentence, what STANDARD DEVIATION measures.

It measures how much individual data points deviate from the dataset’s mean, indicating data spread.

Which prefix represents 10^3 in the SI system?

Kilo (k).

Which prefix represents 10^-6 in the SI system?

Micro (μ).

Which prefix corresponds to 10^9?

Giga (G).

Which prefix corresponds to 10^-9?

Nano (n).

Convert 10 days to minutes (show the final answer).

10 days × 24 h/day × 60 min/h = 14 400 minutes.

10 dm × (1 m / 10 dm) = 1 meter.

Convert 10 decimeters to meters.