module 1

Question 1

Define science.

Answer 1

An endeavor dedicated to the accumulation and classification of observable facts in order to formulate general laws about the natural world.

Question 2

Define papyrus

Answer 2

An ancient form of paper, made from a papyrus plant

Question 3

Define spontaneous generation

Answer 3

The idea that living organisms can be spontaneously formed from nonliving substances

Question 4

What are the three lessons learned from the history of science?

Answer 4

1. We should support a scientific idea based on the evidence, not based on the people who agree with it. Example: spontaneous generation lasted a long time mostly out of respect for Aristotle and Ptolemy and not evidence.
2. Scientific progress depends not only on scientists, but also on government and culture. Example: science stalled in the Dark Ages because there was little government or cultural support.
3. Scientific progress occurs by building on the work of previous scientists.

Question 5

Who was Imotep?

Answer 5

Imotep was an ancient Egyptian doctor.

Question 6

Although the ancient Egyptians had incredibly advanced medical practices for their time, we do not consider them scientists. Why not?

Answer 6

The ancient Egyptians never used their observations to explain the world around them.

Question 7

Who were Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes?

Answer 7

They were ancient Greeks who were among the first scientists.

Question 8

Leucippus and his student, Democritus, are remembered for what idea?

Answer 8

They are best remembered for their idea that all matter is composed of atoms.

Question 9

Who championed the idea of spontaneous generation and is responsible for it being believed for so long?

Answer 9

Aristotle

Question 10

Who came up with the first classification scheme for living creatures?

Answer 10

Aristotle

Question 11

What is the main difference between the geocentric system and the heliocentric system? Which is correct?

Answer 11

The geocentric system placed the earth at the center of the universe and had both the planets and the stars traveling around the earth. The heliocentric system has the sun at the center and the planets traveling around it. The heliocentric system is more correct.

Question 12

What is the main goal of the alchemists?

Answer 12

They wanted to turn lead into gold.

Question 13

Why don’t we consider the alchemists to be scientists?

Answer 13

They were not true scientists because their approach was strictly trial and error, and they did not try to explain the world around them.

Question 14

What was the main reason that science progressed near the end of the Dark Ages?

Answer 14

Science began to progress towards the end of the Dark Ages because the Christian worldview began to replace the Roman worldview.

Question 15

Who is considered to be the first modern scientist and why does he deserve that honor?

Answer 15

Grosseteste was the first modern scientist because he was first to use the scientific method.

Question 16

Two great works were published in 1543. Who were the authors and what were the subjects?

Answer 16

Copernicus wrote a book about the arrangements of the stars and planets in space, and Vesalius wrote a book about the human body.

Question 17

Although Galileo collected an enormous amount of data in support of the heliocentric system, he was forced to publicly reject it. Why?

Answer 17

Galileo was forced to recant belief in the heliocentric system by the the Roman Catholic church. Otherwise, he would have been thrown out of the church.

Question 18

Who was Sir Issac Newton? Name three accomplishments.

Answer 18

He was one of the greatest scientists of all time. He laid down the laws of motion, developed a universal law of gravity, invented calculus, showed white light is really composed of many different colors of light, and came up with a completely different design for telescopes.

Question 19

Galileo built an instrument based on descriptions he had heard of a military device. This allowed him to collect a lot more data about the heavens. What did he build?

Answer 19

He built a telescope.

Question 20

A major change in scientific approach took place during the Enlightenment. What was good about the change and what was bad about it?

Answer 20

The good was that science began to stop relying on the authority of past great scientists, but the bad was that science began to move away from the authority of the Bible.

Question 21

What was Lavoisier’s greatest contribution to science?

Answer 21

He came up with the Law of Mass Conservation.

Question 22

What is John Dalton remembered for?

Answer 22

He is remembered for the first detailed atomic theory.

Question 23

What is Charles Darwin remembered for?

Answer 23

He is most known for his book, The Origin of Species, which was based on evolution.

Question 24

What does “immutability of species” mean, and who showed that this notion is wrong?

Answer 24

It refers to the mistaken idea that living creatures cannot change, and Darwin showed that this is just not true.

Question 25

What law did James Joule demonstrate to be true?

Answer 25

The First Law of Thermodynamics

Question 26

What is Gregor Mendel remembered for?

Answer 26

He is remembered for his work on how traits are passed on during reproduction. This is called genetics.

Question 27

James Clerk Maxwell is known as what?

Answer 27

He is the founder of modern physics.

Question 28

What is the fundamental assumption behind quantum mechanics? Who first proposed it?

Answer 28

Max Planck first made the assumption that energy comes in small packets called “quanta.”

Question 29

What is Niels Bohr remembered for?

Answer 29

He is known for his mathematical description of the atom.

Question 30

Einstein was one of the founders of the quantum mechanical revolution. He is also famous for two other ideas. What are they?

Answer 30

1. the special theory of relativity

2. the general theory of relativity