Module 4 What is Science? Flashcards
Define science
Science is the study of the physical and material knowledge of the world around us and the universe. It involves the observation of the natural world and things within it and experimentation when something new is discovered.
Give some characteristics of science
1) Science is based on evidence. Therefore experiments are important.
2) Science is different from religion, fortune telling and astrology. These do not have any proof behind their assertions.
Scientific conclusions are reliable but tentative. If anomalies happen then scientists must look at the anomaly and figure out what is wrong with the establilished theory. (An anomaly is when something in science doesnt go according to plan). For example, i know that if im going to drop a pen it will drop to the ground-why becase of the law of gravity. however if on one day im going to drop my pen and due to whatever reason the pen does not fall to the ground (and at the same time there is not a force acting upon it for example there is a current force which is keeping it upfloat),then an anomaly is created. why? because my pen defied the law of gravity.
Why are experiments conducted? + give 2 reasons
Experiments are conducted to test out hypothesis.
1) Experiments are controlled. this is done to monitor any changes that need to occur during experiments.
2)Different workspaces and fields of science require different workspaces to conduct their experiments. For example a biology lab can be used for experiments in some branches in biology. however field biologists cannot do work in a biology lab therefore they need to go out in nature to observe.
What are thought experiments?
Thought experiments are diffiult to prove using physical equipment and experiments. They inclue experimenets inphysics like how einsten proved histheory of relatibiy.
Mention some key fgures of the modern scientific world
Nicolas Copernicus: the helio-centric model of the universe.
Kepler: laws of planetary motion
newton:3 laws of motion and the principle of universal gravitation
galilei:refined the helio centric model fo the universe
darwin: theory of evolution
einstein:theory of relativity
francis crick and james watson: DNA
