Science Unit 1.1

What is science as a system?

A logical system that uses observations and experiments to gain knowledge about the world.

Besides a system, what else does the word science mean?

The body of knowledge gained through observations and experiments.

Who is a scientist?

Someone who knows about a field of science or uses the scientific method to learn how things work.

What are the two goals of science?

Understand the world and solve practical problems.

How does understanding the world satisfy a personal goal?

It satisfies our curiosity about how the world works.

How can studying creation help us appreciate Hashem?

It helps us appreciate Hashem's wisdom and kindness.

Name two practical uses of scientific knowledge.

Treating illness and using natural resources efficiently.

What is an observation?

Information noticed using the senses or scientific instruments.

What is research?

Gathering background information and learning what others have already discovered.

What is a hypothesis?

A possible explanation that can be tested and makes a prediction.

What wording is often used to state a hypothesis?

An if … then … statement.

What is an experiment?

A test to find out whether evidence supports or rejects a hypothesis.

What are data?

Information gathered during an investigation or experiment.

What is a conclusion?

A decision based on data about whether a hypothesis is supported or rejected.

What is speculation?

An educated guess about something that has not been observed or tested.

Is speculation an experimentally verified answer?

No. It has not been verified by experiment.

Name the five steps of the scientific method in order.

Ask a question; do research; form a hypothesis; do an experiment; draw a conclusion.

What happens when you ask a scientific question?

You identify the problem you want to investigate.

What comes after asking a question and before forming a hypothesis?

Research: learning useful background information.

What comes after forming a hypothesis?

Do an experiment to test the prediction and collect data.

What do scientists use to draw a conclusion?

The data gathered in the investigation.

How many factors should a fair test change at a time?

Only one factor, while keeping other conditions the same.

Why should other conditions stay the same in a fair test?

So you can tell which change affected the results.

Why should an experiment be repeated several times?

To check that the first results were not accidental.

What is the question in the flashlight investigation?

Why is the flashlight not working?

What research could help in the flashlight investigation?

Learn about its parts and what might have gone wrong.

State the flashlight hypothesis about batteries.

If worn-out batteries are the reason it does not work, then replacing them with new batteries will make it work.

How is the flashlight hypothesis tested fairly?

Replace the batteries and test the flashlight, keeping its other parts the same.

What does it mean if the flashlight works after the batteries are replaced?

The result supports the hypothesis that worn-out batteries caused the problem.

What should you do if replacing the flashlight batteries does not make it work?

Reject that explanation in this example, form a new hypothesis, and design another experiment.

Why is a well-conducted experiment useful even when it rejects a hypothesis?

It provides information and helps scientists find a better explanation.

What body system does beriberi affect?

The nervous system.

Which two beriberi symptoms are described in the guide?

Weakness and loss of appetite.

What did scientists first suspect caused beriberi?

Bacteria.

How did scientists test the bacterial explanation for beriberi?

They injected bacteria from patients into chickens.

Why did the chicken experiment fail to support bacteria as the cause of beriberi?

Chickens that had not been injected also became sick.

What change did Dr. Eijkman notice affected the chickens' health?

A change in the rice they ate.

What happened to chickens fed polished white rice?

They became sick.

What happened to chickens fed unpolished brown rice?

They stayed healthy.

What happened when sick chickens were switched to unpolished rice?

They recovered.

What was the conclusion about polished rice?

It lacked a dietary component needed for health.

What missing nutrient was later identified as the cause of beriberi?

Thiamine, a vitamin; a lack of thiamine causes beriberi.

What does the beriberi investigation show about scientific discovery?

Observations, a new hypothesis, and experiments can lead to a useful discovery.

What can scientists investigate through experiments?

Things they can observe or measure.

Name two limits scientists may face.

Events they cannot observe and instruments that cannot measure what they want to study.

What distinction does the Steipler Gaon's guidance emphasize?

Distinguish speculation from findings supported by observation and repeated experiments.

How can reliable scientific findings benefit people?

They can help people and deepen appreciation of Hashem's creation.