Science Test 1 Semester 2

Question 1

What is Science?

Answer 1

Science is a process. It uses:
- experiment
- observation
- reasoning (collect data)
to develop mental models (theories) of the natural world.

Question 2

What is the goal of science?

Answer 2

The goal of science is developing mental models that accurately describe how the natural world works.

Question 3

What is a model? Give an example.

Model of an animal cell is in the book. Can you think of another?

Answer 3

A model is a representation of how the natural world works. Give an example.

Question 4

What is a theory?

Answer 4

Representations in our conceptual understanding that explain how part of the natural world works. AKA Mental Model.

Question 5

What do we mean by “mental model?”

Answer 5

A mental model is a scientific theory that explains how the natural world works.

Question 6

What is the difference between a theory and a hypothesis?

Answer 6

A theory explains the known facts as accurately as possible. A hypothesis is an informed prediction based on a theory.

Question 7

What are the two major characteristics of a successful scientific theory?

Answer 7

1. Accounts for known facts and testability (allows new hypotheses to be tested.)
2. Repeatedly leads to correct predictions

Question 8

Describe the caloric theory of heat.

Answer 8

Caloric repels itself. So it expands out of hot substances (like fire and boiling water) and flows from hot objects to cool objects.

Hot objects have more caloric so they spread to cool objects where they have room to spread out.

Question 9

What is the purpose of an experiment?

Answer 9

to put a hypothesis to the test

Question 10

If an experimental result fails to support the hypothesis, what do scientists do?

Answer 10

Scientific review process. Something is incorrect somewhere, so scientists have to review it to find out what it is.

Question 11

Describe the scientific review process in order.

Answer 11

If a hypothesis fails, scientists:
1. REVISIT EXPERIMENT: compare how they compare to other results. Look at the measurement techniques.
2. REVISIT HYPOTHESIS: correct consequence, correct calculations, correct understanding of theory?
3. REVISIT THE THEORY. This is a big deal for a theory to be accepted. If enough problems turn up, the theory might need to be changed or a new one developed.

Question 12

What is a scientific fact?

Answer 12

Scientific facts are statements, supported by a lot of scientific evidence, and are correct as far as know.

Question 13

Are scientific facts true? Explain.

Answer 13

No, they are correct as far as we know, but they can change when we get new info.

Question 14

How does a theory become widely accepted?

Answer 14

They are theories that have been repeatedly successful for decades at producing confirmed hypotheses.

Question 15

Can a theory be disproven by a single experiment?

Answer 15

No. A theory is not abandoned until several experiments force scientists to look for a better model.

Question 16

How does scientific method relate to doing experimental research?

Answer 16

The scientific method is a solid procedure for conducting valid experimental research

Question 17

Describe several other methods for doing science besides the scientific method steps.

Answer 17

-Think a lot until the answer pops into your head
-Apply math in justifiable ways and see what happens
-Look for patterns in diffracted light
-Play with math for 20 years until you find equations that work
-Try to see the world from a different point of view
-Decode genetic information in pairs of DNA

Question 18

At what points does a scientist’s hypothesis come into play in the scientific method?

Answer 18

After you state the problem and research the problem, forming a hypothesis is the third step.

Question 19

What is meant by “repeat the work” in the scientific method?

Answer 19

1. Make measurements multiple times
2. Other scientists try to replicate others’ work to check if they are valid.

Question 20

What makes analysis of experimental results challenging?

Answer 20

Sometimes it is hard to determine what the data is saying. There can be more than one way to interpret a set of data.

Question 21

Explain why it is correct to say that science is not in the business of making truth claims.

Answer 21

Science develops successful theories and is only correct as far as we know.

Question 22

Define truth

Answer 22

Truth is the way things really are.

Question 23

List five examples of truths you know from your own experience.

Answer 23

I have two brothers. I ate a smoothie bowl for breakfast. ETC.

Question 24

List 5 examples of truths revealed in the Bible.

Answer 24

From class

Question 25

Describe three ways of knowing truth.

Answer 25

1. Direct experience
2. Use of valid logic starting from true premise
3. Divine revelation

Question 26

Describe each of the main steps in the Cycle of Scientific Enterprise.

Answer 26

Theory, Hypothesis, Experiment and Analysis. Be able to describe them,

Question 27

Choose an actual example of scientific theory and how theories change.

Answer 27

One example: Caloric Theory - caloric transfers from hot object to cold.
Over a half century scientists kept working on heat theory and developed the mechanical equivalent of heat and law of conservation of energy.

Question 28

Explain the difference between scientific theories and truth.

Answer 28

Theory is only correct as far as we know and can change.

Question 29

What is the real purpose for the order of steps in the scientific method.

Answer 29

Procedure for conducting a valid experiment, but not the only way to do science.

Question 30

Examples of appropriate ways to talk about theories.

Answer 30

Supported by many experiments,

Question 31

List several reasons why its important to learn about measurement

Answer 31

Everyone uses measurement in every profession from farmer to cook to mother to engineer.

Question 32

Briefly describe the origin of the English units inch, foot, mile,

Answer 32

foot - average length of a mand foot
inch - foot divided by 12
mile - originated by Roman soldiers marching in the Roman empire (approximately 50000 feet)

Question 33

What is a sounding lead?

Answer 33

a rope with a lead weight on the end to measure depth of water

Question 34

How is the inch defined today?

Answer 34

exactly 2.54 centimeters

Question 35

What is a base unit in the SI system

Answer 35

the metric system used universally for scientific work
(meter, kilogram, second, ampere, kelvin, candela, mole)

Question 36

What 3 standards have been used in the US since 1893 to define a meter?

Answer 36

-Standard meter bar
-certain number of wavelengths of a certain color of light emitted by a certain isotope of the element krypton
-speed of light and the second

Question 37

Why is it important to define unit with a natural standard instead of an artifact?

Answer 37

It is hard to make sure all countries have an exact copy of the official unit. It is expensive.
Have to keep in temperature controlled environment.
Hard to keep up with growing technology.

Question 38

Give two examples of meter, kilogram, and second.

Answer 38

meter: a large plant, a TV, a toddler
kilogram: a roll of coins, small bag of apples
second: finger snap, flashing light

Question 39

What is a derived unit? Give examples.

Answer 39

units based on combinations of 7 base units. example: watt, cubic meter, newton,