module 1 Flashcards
Define science.
An endeavor dedicated to the accumulation and classification of observable facts in order to formulate general laws about the natural world.
Define papyrus
An ancient form of paper, made from a papyrus plant
Define spontaneous generation
The idea that living organisms can be spontaneously formed from nonliving substances
What are the three lessons learned from the history of science?
- 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.
- 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.
- Scientific progress occurs by building on the work of previous scientists.
Who was Imotep?
Imotep was an ancient Egyptian doctor.
Although the ancient Egyptians had incredibly advanced medical practices for their time, we do not consider them scientists. Why not?
The ancient Egyptians never used their observations to explain the world around them.
Who were Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes?
They were ancient Greeks who were among the first scientists.
Leucippus and his student, Democritus, are remembered for what idea?
They are best remembered for their idea that all matter is composed of atoms.
Who championed the idea of spontaneous generation and is responsible for it being believed for so long?
Aristotle
Who came up with the first classification scheme for living creatures?
Aristotle
What is the main difference between the geocentric system and the heliocentric system? Which is correct?
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.
What is the main goal of the alchemists?
They wanted to turn lead into gold.
Why don’t we consider the alchemists to be scientists?
They were not true scientists because their approach was strictly trial and error, and they did not try to explain the world around them.
What was the main reason that science progressed near the end of the Dark Ages?
Science began to progress towards the end of the Dark Ages because the Christian worldview began to replace the Roman worldview.
Who is considered to be the first modern scientist and why does he deserve that honor?
Grosseteste was the first modern scientist because he was first to use the scientific method.
Two great works were published in 1543. Who were the authors and what were the subjects?
Copernicus wrote a book about the arrangements of the stars and planets in space, and Vesalius wrote a book about the human body.
Although Galileo collected an enormous amount of data in support of the heliocentric system, he was forced to publicly reject it. Why?
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.
Who was Sir Issac Newton? Name three accomplishments.
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.
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?
He built a telescope.
A major change in scientific approach took place during the Enlightenment. What was good about the change and what was bad about it?
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.
What was Lavoisier’s greatest contribution to science?
He came up with the Law of Mass Conservation.
What is John Dalton remembered for?
He is remembered for the first detailed atomic theory.
What is Charles Darwin remembered for?
He is most known for his book, The Origin of Species, which was based on evolution.
What does “immutability of species” mean, and who showed that this notion is wrong?
It refers to the mistaken idea that living creatures cannot change, and Darwin showed that this is just not true.
What law did James Joule demonstrate to be true?
The First Law of Thermodynamics
What is Gregor Mendel remembered for?
He is remembered for his work on how traits are passed on during reproduction. This is called genetics.
James Clerk Maxwell is known as what?
He is the founder of modern physics.
What is the fundamental assumption behind quantum mechanics? Who first proposed it?
Max Planck first made the assumption that energy comes in small packets called “quanta.”
What is Niels Bohr remembered for?
He is known for his mathematical description of the atom.
Einstein was one of the founders of the quantum mechanical revolution. He is also famous for two other ideas. What are they?
- the special theory of relativity
2. the general theory of relativity
