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What is Physical Science?

What is Physical Science?. Chapter 1 Section 1. What is Science?. Science is a method for studying the natural world. It is a process that uses observation and investigation to gain knowledge about events in nature What is observation? What is inference?. What is Science?.

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What is Physical Science?

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  1. What is Physical Science? Chapter 1 Section 1

  2. What is Science? • Science is a method for studying the natural world. • It is a process that uses observation and investigation to gain knowledge about events in nature What is observation? What is inference?

  3. What is Science? • Nature follows a set of rules. • Many rules, such as those concerning how the human body works, are complex.

  4. What is Science? • Other rules are much simpler. Earth rotates about once every 24 hours. Acceleration due to gravity on Earth is 32 feet per second. • Scientists ask questions to learn about the natural world. • Science is a way to explaining the rules and the natural world we observe.

  5. Defining Science • Life Science • the study of living organisms • Earth Science • the study of Earth and space • Physical Science • the study of matter and energy • chemistry & physics

  6. Defining Science • Sometimes, a scientific study will overlap the categories. • One scientist, for example, might study the motions of the Human body to understand how to build better artificial limbs.

  7. Investigations • Scientists learn new information about the natural world by performing investigations, which can be done in many different ways. • Some investigations involve simply observing something that occurs and recording the observations.

  8. Investigations • Other investigations involve setting up experiments that test the effect of one thing on another. • Some investigations involve building a model that resembles something in the natural world and then testing the model to see how it acts

  9. Think Like A Scientist Watch the Physics of Basketball Video In your groups: • Share your favorite sport and the type of ball used for that sport. • Find a picture of 4 different balls from various sports. • Create a table and describe each one by its shape, texture, size, material, & weight. Do these balls bounce? • What other factors might be important for the ball? • How do these properties affect the ball’s movement and make it suitable for the sport?

  10. Scientific Methods • An organized set of investigation procedures is called a scientific method • Six common steps found in scientific methods are shown.

  11. Scientific Inquiry Chapter 1 Section 2

  12. Problem-Solving • Posing a Question • Ask a question that can be answered (not “Why?”) • Ask “What?” or “How?” • Can you think of an example? • Conduct Research • Gather information that will help you answer the question • Use all your resources: Library, Internet, Interviews • Formulating a Hypothesis • A prediction/educated guess about your questions • Must be able to be tested in an experiment • Based on observations, prior knowledge, and research. • Can you think of an example?

  13. Problem-Solving • Design an Experiment • A step by step procedure to test your hypothesis • Independent Variable: The factor that is intentionally changed in an experiment…it is what you are testing! • Control: All of the factors that remain the same! • Controlled Experiment: An experiment where all factors except independent variable are kept the Question: Which freezes faster, fresh water or salt water? Hypothesis: IF I add salt to fresh water, THEN the salt water will take longer to freeze Experiment: Independent Variable: the salt that is added to the water Control: the amount of water, temperature of water Controlled Experiment: All factors, or potential variables are kept the same, such as temperature and amount of water

  14. Problem-Solving • Collect Data OBSERVATIONS • Qualitative: Observations that use descriptions Ex: How an animal reacts to an event • Quantitative:Observations that use numbers Ex: Measurements or counting INFERENCE • To explain an observation • Is it always correct? Ex: When you hear a dog barking. . . you may infer that someone is at the door Ex: When you see a someone yawn. . . you may infer that person is tired

  15. What is a possible inference?

  16. What do you OBSERVE?What do you INFER?

  17. Problem-Solving • Making Predictions • Sometimes changes your hypothesis • Making a inference about a future event based upon past experience of evidence. • Is it always correct? What do you PREDICT will happen here?

  18. Problem-Solving • Analyze Data • Did your experiment support your hypothesis? • Were your results valid? • Do you need to do more research? • Communicate Results • Share those results. . . Writing, writing, writing! • Can someone else use these results for their experiment? • Repeat, repeat, repeat! This is the only way a hypothesis is accepted as valid.

  19. Scientific Method • Hypothesis - testable prediction • Theory - explanation of “why” • based on many observations & experimental results • Scientific Law - prediction of “what” • describes a pattern in nature • Gravity is an example of a scientific law because no experiment has been done to disprove it.

  20. Scientific Method Theories and laws are well-accepted by scientists, but... THEY ARE NOT SET IN STONE! They are revised when new information is discovered.

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