Regents Chemistry: Unit 1 - The Nature of Science

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the nature of science, scientific argumentation, metric units, density, and measurement precision based on Unit 1 lecture notes.

Hypothesis

A testable statement about the natural world; it is not considered an "educated guess" and can be modified if falsified.

Scientific Law

Repeated patterns or observable events in nature, such as gravity.

Scientific Theory

Explanations for patterns that describe how or why something happens; they are unobservable and based on inferences and deduction.

Observation

Information gathered through the five senses.

Inference

An explanation or interpretation of what you are observing based on prior knowledge.

Scientific Models

Simplified versions of reality used to understand, explain, or suggest how things work; they should explain data and accurately predict future results.

Conceptual Model

A type of scientific model used to represent processes, such as the carbon cycle.

Mathematical Model

A type of scientific model expressed through equations, such as $E = mc^2$.

Physical Model

A type of scientific model that is a tangible representation of an object, such as a globe.

Evidence

Scientific data that is appropriate and sufficient to support a claim, including analysis and interpretation.

Claim

A statement believed to be true based upon evidence and data.

Justification

The part of a scientific argument that explains why evidence is important and links it to broader scientific principles.

Prefixes

Terms used to modify base units of measurement, where the factor equals the number of base units (e.g., $1\,\text{kilogram} = 10^3\,\text{grams}$).

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.

Celsius Scale

A temperature scale where water freezes at $0\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ and boils at $100\,^{\circ}\text{C}$; numbers below $0\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ are negative.

Kelvin Scale

A temperature scale where water freezes at $273\,\text{K}$ and boils at $373\,\text{K}$; it has no negative numbers and starts at absolute zero.

Absolute Zero

The theoretical temperature point at which all molecular motion stops.

Mass

The amount of matter an object contains, which is distinct from weight.

Volume

The amount of space a substance occupies.

Meniscus

The curve at the surface of a liquid; in a graduated cylinder, volume is read from the bottom of this curve.

Water Displacement

A method used to determine the volume of an irregular object by measuring the difference between the final volume and initial volume of water.

Density

The ratio of the mass of an object to its volume, calculated as $D = \frac{m}{v}$.

Accuracy

How close a measurement is to the accepted or true value; often expressed as percent error.

Precision

How close a series of measurements are to each other; often expressed as standard deviation.

Significant Figures

The digits in a measurement that indicate its precision, including all known digits plus one final estimated digit.

Scientific Notation

A method of representing very large or small numbers in the format $M \times 10^n$, where $M$ is a number between $1$ and $10$.