Chapter Menu

1
Chapter Menu
Chapter Introduction Lesson 1 Understanding
Science Lesson 2 Measurement and Scientific
Tools Lesson 3 Case Study Chapter Wrap-Up
2
Chapter Introduction

• What processes do scientists use when they
  perform scientific investigations?

3
Lesson 1 Reading Guide - KC
Understanding Science

• What is scientific inquiry?
• How do scientific laws and scientific theories
  differ?
• What is the difference between a fact and an
  opinion?

4
Lesson 1 Reading Guide - Vocab
Understanding Science

• science
• observation
• inference
• hypothesis
• prediction

• technology
• scientific theory
• scientific law
• critical thinking

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Lesson 1-1
What is science?

• Science is the investigation and exploration of
  natural events and of the new information that
  results from those investigations.
• Scientific knowledge is the result of a great
  deal of debate and confirmation within the
  science community.
• People use science in their everyday lives and
  careers.

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Lesson 1-2
Branches of Science

• There are three main branches of scienceEarth
  science, life science, and physical science.

physical from Latin physica, means study of
nature
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Lesson 1-2
Branches of Science (cont.)

• The study of Earth, including rocks, soils,
  oceans, the atmosphere, and surface features of
  Earth, is Earth science.
• The study of living things is life science, or
  biology.
• The study of matter and energyincluding both
  physics and chemistryis physical science.

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Lesson 1-4
Scientific Inquiry

• Scientific inquiry is a process that uses a set
  of skills when they conduct scientific
  investigations to answer questions or to test
  ideas about the natural world.

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Lesson 1-4
Scientific Inquiry (cont.)

• Scientific inquiries include many possible steps.

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Lesson 1-4
Scientific Inquiry (cont.)

• Observation is the act of using one or more of
  your senses to gather information and taking
  notes of what occurs.
• An inference is a logical explanation of an
  observation that is drawn from prior knowledge or
  experience.

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Lesson 1-4
Scientific Inquiry (cont.)

• A hypothesis is a possible explanation for an
  observation that can be tested by scientific
  investigations.
• A prediction is a statement of what will happen
  next in
• a sequence of
• events.

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Lesson 1-4
Scientific Inquiry (cont.)

• Scientists test a hypothesis by doing one or more
  of these steps designing an experiment, making a
  model, gathering and evaluating evidence,
  collecting data, or recording observations.
• After testing your hypothesis, you analyze your
  results using various methods.

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Lesson 1-4
Scientific Inquiry (cont.)

• Once you find the relationships among data and
  make several inferences, you can draw
  conclusions.
• A conclusion is a summary of the information
  gained from testing a hypothesis.

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Lesson 1-5
Results of Science

• An important part of scientific inquiry is
  communicating results.
• Scientists communicate their results to inform
  other scientists about their research.

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Lesson 1-4
Scientific Inquiry (cont.)

• If predictions are correct and the hypothesis is
  supported, scientists will retest the predictions
  several times to make sure the conclusions are
  the same.

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Lesson 1-5
Results of Science (cont.)

• Scientific investigation can have various
  outcomes, including new technology, new
  materials, and new explanations as to how or why
  something happens.
• Technology is the practical use of scientific
  knowledge, especially for industrial or
  commercial use.

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Lesson 1-5
Results of Science (cont.)

• Another outcome of science is the development of
  scientific theories and laws.
• If hypotheses have been tested and supported
  repeatedly by scientific investigations they can
  become a theory.
• A scientific theory is an explanation of
  observations or events that is based on knowledge
  gained from many observations and investigations.
• A scientific law is a rule that describes a
  pattern in nature.

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Lesson 1-6
New Information

• Scientific information constantly changes as new
  information is discovered or as previous
  hypotheses are retested.

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Lesson 1-6
New Information (cont.)

• Critical thinking is important in all decision
  making.
• Critical thinking refers to comparing what you
  already know with the information you are given
  in order to decide whether you agree with it.
• Scientists evaluate scientific evidence by using
  skepticism-doubting the truth or accuracy of
  statement-and by identifying facts and opinions.
• Scientists realize that not all questions can be
  studied using scientific inquiry, including those
  related to opinions, beliefs, values and
  feelings.

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Lesson 1-6
New Information (cont.)

• It is very important for anyone performing
  scientific investigations to use safe practices.
• For information on safe practices, consult the
  Science Safety Skill Handbook in the back of your
  book.

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Lesson 1 LR1
Which is an explanation of observations or events
that is based on knowledge gained from many
observations and investigations?
A. scientific law B. scientific
theory C. prediction D. hypothesis
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Lesson 1 LR2
Which of these includes the study of physics and
chemistry?
A. Earth science B. life science C. physical
science D. biology
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Lesson 1 LR3
Which term refers to the act of using one or more
of your senses to gather information and taking
notes of what occurs?
A. prediction B. hypothesis C. inference
D. observation