Unit 1 Module: Science: A Way of Knowing
Chapter 1 Lecture Notes
This worksheet is a space for additional engagement with lecture material- it is worth one bonus point to be added to your point total for the course!
1. How is science similar to making choices in everyday life? Science is similar to making choices in everyday life because one usually takes into consideration prior proven theories and knowledge when making a choice or studying science.
2. Define Science: Science is a method used to ask questions and develop answers about the physical world.
3. List reasons why we should study science: There are several reasons why we should study science. Some of those reasons are science provides us with answers on how survive in this world along with how to ensure that our future generations have a proper chance at survival as well. Another reason is science helps us make better sense of how the universe works. It also helps us create technology that not only improves our lie span but it also makes living a lot easier and convenient. Least but not last we should study science because it provides knowledge on why we think and act the way we do. Overall science shapes a huge part of our existence.
4. Define the scientific method: The scientific method is a cycle of steps scientist used to make observations, collect data, experiment on hypothesizes, make predictions, and find patterns in the physical world.
5. List the steps of the scientific method: Make an observation, collect data from the observations, Make a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, formulate a conclusion.
6. What is the difference between observation and experiment?
An observation is collected data in nature observed without any manipulation and an experiment is the tested hypothesis to solve a problem identified from the observations made.
7. How is our current definition of observation and experiment different from the historical approach used by Plato? Our current definition of observation and experiment differ from the historical approached used by Plato because during observations we also consider measurments along with using the collected data in the scientific method whereas Plato felt that observations was not beneficial technique as he compared as watching shadows on the wall.
8. Scientists summarize the results of observations in mathematical form, known as measurement (in the form of data).
9. Data are presented as tables or graph.
10. Describe how hypotheses become regularity: Hypotheses become regularity because data is collected through the process of repeated experiments.
11. Define mathematics: a brief language used to communicate results/data in a dense form
12. Define each of the following terms:
a. Fact- something that can be proven
b. Hypothesis- an educated guest
c. Law- description of the environment
d. Theory- a detailed description
13. Predictions must be quantitatively testable.
14. Testing DOES NOT prove or disprove, but rather defines a range of validity
15. Write one of the central tenets of science: One of the central tenets of science is that every law and theory of nature is subject to change based on new observations.

16. Describe the scientific method in operation: The scientific method in operation is conducted through a cycle of steps. The first step is to make an observation by observing nature in its natural state without any manipulation. The next step is to point out the patterns that where drawn from the observations, which will then lead to the making of a hypothesis. After this hypothesis is made is will become the theory which will lead to the development of an experiment that will then be tested out . After from the test results identify the data collected that will help explain the problem. Last use and analyze this data to draw a conclusion that will answer the defined problem.
17. What was Dimitri Mendeleev’s contribution to science?
Dimitri Mendeleev’ created the periodic table.
18.