Physical Science - Chapter 1 

\# Chapter 1: Modeling Our Orderly World # 1A Order In Our World \* What is Physical Science? \* ==Science== – the systematic study of the universe to produce observations, interferences, and models \* ==Physical science== – the study of nonliving matter and energy \* @@Physics@@ – the study of matter and energy and the interactions between them \* @@Chemistry@@ – the study of the composition, structure, and properties of matter as well as changes in matter \* What evidence do we have that the universe is orderly \* Ability to classify elements \* Weather patterns \* Molecular Patterns \* Design Patterns \* Predictable events \* Why is it important that the universe is orderly? \* ==Uniformity in nature== and the ==law of cause and effect== allow us to make predictions in science What is the source of order in our universe? # 1B Modeling Our World \* Why do we do science? \* ==Creation Mandate== – the command given in Genesis 1, instructing man to fill the earth and have dominion over it \* How do we decide whether or not a particular use of science is right or wrong? \* Science itself is not right or wrong/good or bad \* ==Ethics== – a system of moral values or a theory of proper conduct \* Biblical Principles: What Does God’s Word Say \* Genesis 1:26-28 \* 1 Timothy 3:15-16 \* God's Image Bearers \* Creation Mandate \* God’s Whole Truth \* Biblical Outcomes: What Results are Right? \* Human Prospering \* A Thriving Creation \* Glorifying God \* Biblical Motivations: How can I grow through this decision? \* Faith in God \* Hope in God’s Promises \* Love for God and others \* Modeling Our World \* How do scientists explain and describe the world around them? \* ==Model== – a workable explanation or description of a phenomena \* A model may be physical, conceptual, or mathematical \* ==Theory== - a model that ==explains== a related set of phenomena \* ==Law== – a model that ==describes== phenomena under certain conditions \\\* It does not attempt to explain the phenomena \* What is the key to a good model? \* ==Workability== – the basis upon which a model is assessed, taking into account how well it explains or describes a set of observations and how well the model makes predictions \* How do scientists do science? \* Scientific inquiry – an ==ongoing==, ==orderly==, ==cyclical== approach used to investigate the world \* Observation \* Posing Questions \* Research \* Forming Hypotheses \* ==Hypothesis==: an initial, testable explanation of a phenomenon that stimulates and guides the scientific investigation \* Investigation \* Analysis \* Conclusion # 1C: Using Mathematics for Scientific Inquiry \* How do I report data? \* ==Qualitative data== is based on words and is obtained by ==observation== \* ==Quantitative data== is based on numbers and is obtained by ==measuring== measurement \* Data that is based on numbers or quantities \* Includes a number and a unit \* Also known as ==quantitative data== \* How do I get a perfect measurement? \* You can’t. \* Every measurement has a degree of uncertainty to it. \* ==Accuracy== is the comparison of a measurement to an accepted or expected value \* ==Precision== is the degree of exactness of a measurement \* When measuring with a metric instrument, estimate the measurement to 1/10 of the smallest decimal subdivision on the instrument scale \* Significant Digits \* Using the concept of Significant Digits (SD), scientists have a way to indicate the precision of their measurements \* Identifying Significant Digits \* Rule 1: SDs apply only to measured data \* Rule 2: All nonzero digits in measured data are significant \* Rule 3: All nonzero digits are significant \* Rule 4: Decimal points define significant zeros \* Rule 5: A decimal point must follow an estimate zero in the one’s place \* Scientific Notation \* A convenient way of expressing very large and very small numbers \* Consists of a number greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10, which is multiplied by 10 raised to some power \* Change to Scientific Notation \* Move the decimal point so that the number is between 1 and 10 \* Count the spaces the decimal point was moved \* Make the number the exponent for the power of 10 \* Scientific Notation and Sig Digs \* If 50,000m is estimates to the nearest 10,000m, we write it as 150,000m \* If 150,00m is estimates to the nearest 1m, we write it as 150,000m Unit Conversion We need a ==standard system of measurement== and a ==way to convert== alternate systems of measurement \* SI (Systéme International d’Unités) \* A standardized system of measurement units used for science \* Stands for “International System of Units” SI Fundamental Units \* Length: meter (m) \* Mass: kilogram (kg) \* Time: second (s) \* Electric current: ampere (A) \* Temperature: kelvin (K) \* Amount of substance: mole (mol) \* Intensity of light: candela (Cd) Metric Prefixes \* giga- (G): 10^9 (1 000 000 000) \* mega- (M): Factor: 10^6 ( 1 000 000) \* kilo- (k): Factor: 10^3 (1 000) \* ==larger than fundamental== \* ==the number will be smaller== \* deci- (d): Factor: 10^-1 (0.1) (1/10) \* centi- (c): Factor: 10^-2 (0.01) (1/100) \* milli- (m): Factor: (10^-3) (0.001) (1/1000) \* ==smaller than the base number== \* micro- (μ): Factor: 10^-6 (0.000 001) (1/100 000) \* nano- (n): Factor: 10^-9 (0.000 000 001) (1/100 000 000) \* How do I convert between units? \* You can convert between any two units of measures as long as you know the ==conversion factor== \* Unit Analysis 1\\. write the value that you already know 2\\. write the conversion factor which should be a factor NOTE: the old unit does in the denominator 3\\. cancel your units 4\\. calculate the answer by multiplying and dividing \* How it works \* Balances and scales \* both balances and scales basically weigh things, but use slightly different dimensions \* a balance measures ==mass==, while a scale measures ==height== \* a balance works like a seesaw, balancing an unknown mass with a known mass \* a scale measures force due to gravity (weight) \* a scale uses a spring system to determine the amount of force being applied \\