Science 9

Watch out for bold terms and italic phrases. Practice boxes section reviews and chapter reviews. Science is not truth it’s the search of truth. You struggle to learn. Practice makes perfect. Review daily.

Chapter 1 page 1.

Science is the study of matter and movement of Gods physical creation.

Scientific method is the orderly process by which scientists investigate the secrets of nature. Observing hypothesizing and experimenting. Hypothesis is not a guess. A guess would be it’s going to rain toady. A hypothesis is it’s going to rain because so and so. Why is it going to rain toady? The best experiments have one variable. First 2 steps are observing. Hypothesizing is just 3 they could overlap. 4, 5, and 6 is experimenting.

Falsifiable is a hypothesis that is able to be proven false. A scientific statement can never be proven beyond all doubt.

It takes only one contrary instance to prove something false. Repeatability is done by the same scientist. Reproducibility is done by other scientists.

Hypothesis is a tentative explanation to describe the process.

Experiment is an artificial situation that shows how it happens.

Repeatability means a scientist will get the consistent results over and over again. Keeping all factors as similar as possible between experiments.

Reproducibility means that another scientist can get the same results by doing the same experiment with different variables or conditions and by doing other experiments to test the same hypothesis.

End of lesson 1

Lesson 2

How does a scientist design an experiment? Well every experiment has several variables, a factor that you can control. They’re three types

Dependent variable is what you’re looking for a factor that is observed or measured to determine the results of the experiment.

Independent variable is the factor thats is changed in an experiment to test the hypothesis.

Hypothesis a plant given more federalizer will grow larger. The dependent variable is the height of the plant. The independent variable is the federalizer. A great experiment will have only one independent variable.

Controlled variable is the factor In an experiment that is the same in all groups. If the temperature stays constant it’s good. So if one plant is out side and another is in air conditioning thats another independent variable that you didn’t consider. But if both plants are getting the same temperature from day to day it’s good.

Groups

Experimental groups is the group an experiment is tested. Three different values of independent variables but there’s one independent variable. There are three different parachute sizes. Control group is a group where the independent variable is absent In an experiment. Control groups are not always possible sometimes you need an independent variable to do the experiment.

Hypothesis is a scientific guess based on observations. What is a theory and a law? A theory is a set of conclusions supported by hypotheses and repeated experimentation that describes why a law works. Hypothesis does not turn into a theory a theory is based on a hypothesis. They keep experimenting so they can form a theory. A scientific law is a statement grounded in a theory of what should naturally occur under a given set of conditions. Theories do not turn into a law. It’s grounded in a theory.

Principle of causality the same cause will always have the same effect why? Because the universe is rational. Can we prove this? No we cant. It’s a fundamental axiom do science that the universe is lawful orderly and operates according to physical laws. Axiom is a statement that is accepted as true without needing to prove it. An axiom of the Christian faith is that the Bible is true. We believe that the Bible is true because God is real. The scope of science is limited to the study of created matter and energy in the present. Science cannot make authoritative statement about past events. Therefore science cannot explain the origins of the universe or mankind. Sometimes science relies on assumptions. A danger of assumptions is that a long-held assumption may be treated as fact despite evidence against it. Bias in science exists because human nature often leads one to see and believe what he wants to be true not necessarily what actually is true. When your biases override your data a biased scientists will find “evidence “ even where no real evidence exists. Science cannot only supply approximate descriptions of how the world works. Why do we study science? The proper study of science will lead man to glorify God. The study of science will allow man to use scientific knowledge for man’s benefit.

End of lesson 2

Lesson 3

Limitation of science is bias scope of science and scientists sometimes make assumptions and science can’t tells us exactly what happens but an approximation.

Scientific reasoning

Logic the study of reasoning. Something illogical is that cockroaches can hears us and know what we are talking about. The general process of reasoning is the same for any project. If we are not careful we can use logic incorrectly. Inference is a conclusion based on reasoning from evidence. Inference can be wrong when we assume but it’s reasoning from evidence. In science evidence comes from observation of the natural world or from experiments. Deductive reasoning is reasoning from evidence to s more specific conclusion. It is used to combine known facts and discover new facts. Proposition is a statement of fact in deductive reasoning. Hypothetical propositions is a type of proposition containing an if/then statement. Categorical propositions is saying Dr. Ridgley is tall. Antecedent is the before or if part of a proposition. The consequent the then part of a proposition. Symbolically, if A, then B. Example if I don’t shower then I’m stinky. Chaining proposition the consequent of the first proposition is the same as the antecedent of the second proposition. Symbolically if A then B. If B then C. Therefore if A then C. Affirming the antecedent a form of inference in which the consequent must be true because the antecedent is true. Symbolically if A then B. A is true. Therefore B is true. Denying The consequent a form of inference in which the antecedent must be false because the consequent is false. Symbolically if A then B. B is false therefore A is false. Inductive reasoning is reasoning from specific evidence to a more general conclusion. The ultimate purpose of inductive reasoning is to determine cause and effect. Method of difference is a method of inductive reasoning that  involves comparing two situations that are the same except one factor which is present in the one situation but not in the other. Sounds like the experimental group and the control group. Balls motionless now it’s in motion why because someone pushed it. Method of concomitant variation is a method of inductive reasoning that involves drawing a conclusion based on the fact that changing one factor changes another factor in a predictable way. The method by itself does not allow us to know which factor is the cause and which factor is the effect. The method requires that all other factors be the same.

End of lesson 3

Lesson 4

Review

Inference conclusion based on reasoning from evidence. The simplest form of inductive reasoning is method of difference.

Lesson

The scientific method requires using deductive reasoning to make predictions based on hypotheses. The scientific method is sometimes called the hypothetico-deductive method. We are testing a hypothesis to see if we are right or wrong. In theory the method of difference and concomitant variation would prove a hypothesis beyond all doubt. A theory describes why a law works. A scientific law is based on theories. Because life is not perfect it cannot be ensured that every possible factor is the same in every observation. Large groups or multiple are used so the scientific ideas are shown to be repeatable and reproducible to reduce possible errors.

Fallacies is a logic error or reasoning error. We messed up. Is a scientific reasoning valid? To determine validity does it describe an inference that logically follows from the premises of the argument . It’s not valid reasoning when we say cockroaches can hear what we say. A valid reasoning why cockroaches are in the house is probably food trash or that we live in Florida. A premise is a proposition on which a conclusion is based. A valid argument based on true proposition will always result in an inference that is true. Inference another word is conclusion. However just because a conclusion is true does not mean either that the argument is valid or that the premises are true. Biases and assumptions could be playing a role in this. Fallacy is an error in reasoning.

Denying the antecedent is the fallacy of trying to make an inference based on fact that the antecedent is false.

Affirming the consequent is the fallacy of trying to make an inference based on the fact that the consequent is true. Circular reasoning (begging the question ) the fallacy of deductive reasoning in which the conclusion logically follows from its premises but one of the premise includes the assumption that the conclusion is true. Post hoc fallacy is the easiest to make in science.

Post hoc fallacy is the fallacy of inductive reasoning in which someone assumes that a change in one factor caused a change in another factor just because the second change occurred after the first.

Equivocation is the fallacy that occurs when a term is misleadingly used with two different meanings in a single argument.

Ad hominem fallacy is the fallacy that occurs when someone attacks the person making an argument instead of challenging the person’s facts premises or reasoning.

Argument from authority is the fallacy in which an argument is based on the support of someone considered an authority instead of being based on facts and reasoning.

Lesson 5

Review. Bias, why should we study science, causality.

Technology is the use of science to solve practical problems.

The engineering design process is the process used by engineers to develop technology through engineering. The three steps of the engineering process are design the problem design a solution and evaluating the solution. Define the problem is choosing criteria and constraints based on function and limitations. In these three steps we can start and end anywhere. P.13 Fig. 1.9.

Criterion (plural  criteria) a minimum characteristic that a design must have to function at all

Constraint and characteristics (other than the criteria) that a design must have to solve the problem.

Constraints for a pencil are weight being able to write, eraser, and grip.

It is often necessary to consider the safety of the design and the acceptance of the design by users and society.

Develop a list of ideas that might work including how others may have solved similar problems. Evaluate and compare the different design ideas

If none of the possible designs meet the criteria and constraints it may be necessary to give up less important characteristics (a trade off)

Prototype is a model of a design that is used for testing.

Safety of a person is never a trade off. A model is anything that provides a partial representation of something else.

Lesson 6

Review

Logically follows from the premise is valid. Begging the question circular reasoning. Post hoc fallacy.

Lesson intro to matter and energy

The study of science can be dived into three major branches life earth and space and physical science.

Physical science the study of the nonliving creation other than the earth and space. Matter is anything that can be touched smelled or tasted. Inertia is the property of matter that makes it resist changes in motion. Inertia is in matter. Matter can be defined as anything that has inertia. The more mass the more matter the more inertia. Moving matter will keep moving stationary matter will remain stationary. Force a pushing or pulling action on an object. Energy is the ability to do work. Physical property is a property of matter that can be changed without changing the type of matter. Color length mass weight and boiling water. A physical change is a change in a physical property of matter. Dying t shirt chopping wood.

Mass is the amount of matter in an object. The amount of inertia an object has. Weight is the amount of gravitational force exerted on an object by earth or another celestial body. Volume is the amount of three dimensional space that matter takes up. Density is the ratio of mass in a certain volume. P= m/v. fresh water has a lesser density than salt water so salt water will have a better density. Do not confuse density with heaviness. Solid has a definite shape and volume. Liquid the state of matter that has constant volume but can flow and change its shape. Gas is the state of matter whose molecules move around so quickly that they are practically unaffected by cohesion and that can vary its volume by contracting and expanding. Fluid is matter that has no definite shape and can flow. Therefore liquid and gasses are considered fluid. Plasma a special state of matter that is an ionized gas and exists when temperature is too high for matter to exist in its ordinary state. Temperature is the hotness or coldness of an object. Temperature is the indirect measurement of an object thermal energy. Chemical properties the properties of a substance describing how it changes when reacting with other substances.

Chemical change a change that changes the substances. Physics is the study of matter and energy and the interaction occurring between them. It’s the foundational science.

Lesson 7

Physics Is the branch of science that study of interactions between matter and energy.

Review

Force (a push or pull). Physical property and physical change.

Lesson

Mathematics. Is a science of quantity. Because scientists use it to describe the universe mathematics is often called the language of science. Equation is a mathematical statement that two expressions are equal. The most important part of an equation is the equal sign. Mathematics is brief way to express physical truth. Example 2+2=4 E=mc2. Mathematics provides a quick way to see relationships between truths. Mathematics allows scientists to arrive at other truths or things that might be truths that cannot be easily observed or measured. Equation and be rearranged to get otherwise unavailable information. Use rules of algebra to rearrange equations to solve for other variables. Accuracy is the closeness of a measurement to the quantity actual value.

Precision is how closely a series of measurement match each other. Precision repeatability accuracy one.