Science as a Way of Knowing: The Fundamentals

1. Introduction to HONORS 227& Science as a Way of Knowing Dr. Harold Geller Dr. George Taylor George Mason University

2. Chapter 1 and Other Stuff • The Syllabus • Grading • Laboratory Work • A Personal Response System (iClickers) • Science as a Way of Knowing • Units of length, mass and time • Metric Prefixes

3. iClicker Qustion The pyramids were built by aliens from outer space. • A Agree • B Disagree

4. iClicker Qustion The location of the stars and planets at birth determine your personality. • A Agree • B Disagree

5. iClicker Qustion • Humans have never stepped foot on the Moon’s surface. • A Agree • B Disagree

6. Science: A Way of Knowing Chapter 1 Great Idea: Science is a way of asking and answering questions about the physical universe

7. Chapter Outline • The Role of Science • The Scientific Method • Other Ways of Knowing • The Organization of Science

8. The Role of Science

9. The Role of Science • Making Choices • Ask questions, make observations, form conclusions • Applied in a more formal, quantitative way equals science

10. Why Study Science? • Most powerful tool for understanding • Incorporates basic ideas and theories • Provides framework for new questions • Provides unparalleled view of order and symmetry of the universe and its workings

11. The Scientific Methodalso known asThe Process of Doing Science

12. Observation • History • Greek Philosophers • Middle Ages • Observation • no manipulation • Experiment • manipulation

13. Identifying Patterns and Regularities • Measurement-better description • Data-table or graph • Patterns emerge • Describe: • In words • In equation form • In symbols

14. Mathematics: The Language of Science • Description • General • Mathematical • Mathematics • Equation • Description

15. Prediction and Testing • Predictions • Hypothesis, Theory, Law • Must be quantitatively testable • Testing • Do not prove or disprove • Define range of validity • Every law and theory of nature is subject to change, based on new observations

16. The Scientific Method in Operation • Cycle • Not rigid • Believe results • No preconceptions • No true starting place • Results must be reproducible • Cycle is continuous

17. Other Ways of Knowing

18. Different Kinds of Questions • Cannot always use scientific method • Art • Can use science to address age of painting • Not for style of painting • Not for beauty, etc. • Religion • Faith vs. experiment • Not a conflict between science & religion when kept in these realms

19. Pseudoscience • Pseudoscience • Belief, dogma • Ideas not testable • Evaluation of a claim • Are the ‘facts’ true as stated? • Is there an alternative explanation? • Is the claim falsifiable? • Have claims been tested? • Do claims require unreasonable changes in accepted ideas?

20. The Organization of Science

21. Divisions of Science • Disciplines • Historical • Modern • Approach • Field researcher • Experimentalists • Theorists

22. The Branches orDisciplines of Science • Physics • Fundamental aspects of nature • Chemistry • Atoms in combination • Biology • Living systems • Astronomy • Objects in space • Geology • Earth

23. The Web of Knowledge • Center • Laws of nature • Apply to all areas • Areas Interconnected • All branches integrated

24. Basic Research, Applied Research,and Technology • Basic Research • Expand knowledge • Applied Research • Direct application • Technology • Conservation • Medicine

25. Funding for Science • US Government • $130 billion • NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, EPA, NASA, NOAA • Apply for funds • Grant proposal • Ranked by independent scientists • Highly competitive

26. Communication Among Scientists • Collaboration • Scientific Meetings • Peer reviewed Journals • Cornerstone of science

27. Science as a way of knowing & understanding the universe - constructing testable theories/models • Scientific Method • A reiterative process based on observations, logic, and skepticism • Hypothesis • A concept or idea that seems to explain a phenomenon or set of observations • Model • A set of hypotheses that have withstood observational or experimental tests • Theory • A set of related hypotheses can be pieced together into a self consistent description of natural observations • Laws of Physics • Theories that accurately describe the workings of physical reality, and have stood the test of time and been shown to have great and general validity

28. iClicker Qustion • What defines the scientific method? A A set of related hypotheses can be pieced together into a self consistent description of natural observations B A concept or idea that seems to explain a phenomenon or set of observations C A reiterative process based on observations, logic, and skepticism D A set of hypotheses that have withstood observational or experimental tests E Theories that accurately describe the workings of physical reality, and have stood the test of time and been shown to have great and general validity

29. iClicker Qustion A scientific theory is best described as being • A an educated guess. • B a statement that describes how a system will behave. • C a precise mathematical equation. • D based on many observations and experiments. • E an untested hypothesis.

30. The basic unit of angular measure is the degree (°).

31. Angular Measurements • Subdivide one degree into 60 arcminutes • minutes of arc • abbreviated as 60 arcmin or 60´ • Subdivide one arcminute into 60 arcseconds • seconds of arc • abbreviated as 60 arcsec or 60” 1° = 60 arcmin = 60´ 1´ = 60 arcsec = 60”

32. iClicker Question • How many arcseconds are there in a degree? A 60 arcseconds B 360 arcseconds C 3600 arcseconds D 600 arcseconds E These are incompatible units.

33. Powers-of-ten notation is a useful shorthand system for writing numbers

34. iClicker Question Which measurement of an average classroom door is closest to 2 meters? • A. Thickness • B. Width • C. Height • D. Surface area • E. Volume

35. iClicker Question • What is the result if you multiply 1015 by 1010? A 1015 B 1010 C 10150 D 1025 E 2 x 1015

36. iClicker Question • What is the result if you add 1015 to 1015? A 1015 B 1030 C 10150 D 1025 E 2 x 1015

37. iClicker Question • What is the result if you multiply 1015 by 1015? A 1015 B 1030 C 10150 D 10225 E 2 x 1015

38. Factor Name Symbol (billion) 109 Giga- G (million) 106 Mega- M (thousand) 103 kilo- k (hundredth) 10-2 centi- c (thousandth) 10-3 milli- m (millionth) 10-6 micro-  (billionth) 10-9 nano- n Common Prefixes for Powers of Ten

39. Astronomical distances are often measured in astronomical units, light-years or parsecs • Astronomical Unit (AU) • One AU is the average distance between Earth and the Sun • 1.496 X 108 km or 92.96 million miles • Light Year (ly) • One ly is the distance light can travel in one year at a speed of about 3 x 105 km/s or 186,000 miles/s • 9.46 X 1012 km or 63,240 AU • Parsec (pc) • the distance at which 1 AU subtends an angle of 1 arcsec or the distance from which Earth would appear to be one arcsecond from the Sun • 1 pc = 3.09 × 1013 km = 3.26 ly

40. iClicker Question • Which unit of the following is the largest? A Kilometer B Astronomical Unit (AU) C Light Year (ly) D Parsec (pc) E Gigameter

41. Science is an adventure of the human mind