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Physical Science 1011. Dr. Goodroad. PHYSICAL SCIENCE 1011. READ ASSIGNMENT ATTEMPT PROBLEMS ATTEND CLASS (TAKE NOTES) WORK PROBLEMS. PHYSICAL SCIENCE 1011. Prologue. The Scientific Method. A methodology for exploring phenomena Terms: Hypothesis – an educated guess that is testable.
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Physical Science1011 Dr. Goodroad
PHYSICAL SCIENCE 1011 • READ ASSIGNMENT • ATTEMPT PROBLEMS • ATTEND CLASS (TAKE NOTES) • WORK PROBLEMS
PHYSICAL SCIENCE 1011 Prologue
The Scientific Method • A methodology for exploring phenomena • Terms: • Hypothesis – an educated guess that is testable. • Law (Principle) – a scientific hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and has not been contradicted. • Fact - something that competent observers can observe and agree to be true. • Theory – a synthesis of facts and well-tested hypotheses.
The Scientific Method • Recognize a question or a problem. • Make an educated guess – a hypothesis – to answer the question. • Predict what can be observed if the hypothesis is correct. • Do experiments to see if the predicted effects are present. • Formulate the simplest general rule that integrates the hypothesis, the predicted effects and experimental findings.
Scientific Hypotheses • The hypothesis must be testable. • A hypothesis can be wrong. • Aristotle thought that heavier objects would fall faster than light objects. It seemed to be logical – however: • Galileo was a skeptic. He dropped heavy and light objects from the Tower of Pisa. They all fell at the same speed. • If the hypothesis is proven wrong, a new hypo-thesis can be formulated (back to the drawing board!).
What Is Good Science? • Scientists must be open to debate. Debate is a means of testing hypotheses. • Scientists must be willing to publish their experimental procedure so that others may have an opportunity to reproduce results. • Scientists must have integrity. They must publish experimental findings even if those findings do not support the hypothesis. • Consensus is not science! There was once consensus that the Earth was flat!
Technology • Science and Technology are not the same. • Science is concerned with gathering knowledge and organizing it. • Technology puts scientific knowledge to practical use. • Technology is a tool.