Transcript Document

Objects and Properties
• Objects : physical "things" in our environment
• Properties of objects
– those qualities that make an object what it is
• Referent (reference)
– how we view things due to our experiences
– our window to the world
– in physical science we need common referents
(references) by which to study our physical universe
• in science we need to eliminate vagueness in
communication
• we do this by having standard measurements with
which to make comparisons between objects
• A measurement consists of two parts:
– numerical value: describes how big the measurement is
– unit: tells us what the measurement is in; e.g., meters,
kilograms, cubic centimeters, etc.
• the unit also shows the type of measurement we are making;
e.g., length, mass, volume, etc.
Making a measurement
• A measurement consists of three activities:
– choose a referent (reference), which will be your unit of
measurement
– compare the property you want to measure to the chosen
reference (unit)
– count the units (in the chosen reference)
• Standard Units
– in science a set of standard measuring units are used to
ensure that measurements can be duplicated by others
• Two major systems of standard units:
– Metric System
• Used throughout the world
• Based on powers of 10
– English System
• units which corresponded originally to parts of the human body
• Many early units for measurement were originally based on the
human body. Some of the units were later standardized by
governments to become the basis of the English system of
measurement.
• Area (the size of a surface) can be described by two length
measurements. Volume (the space an object occupies) can be
described by three length measurements. Length, however, can be
described only in terms of how it is measured, so it is called a
fundamental property. Area and volume are called derived
properties.
Fundamental (Base) and Derived
Properties
• Fundamental (base) property
– defined by itself, independent of other properties
– Fundamental (base) properties are:
• length, mass, time, temperature, electric current
• Derived property
– defined in terms of fundamental properties
(depends on fundamental properties)
– Examples: surface area, volume, speed (speed is
distance divided by time), etc.
• Metric system (MKS) - also called International
System of Units (SI)
Fundamental Properties
–
–
–
–
–
Length
Mass
Time
Temperature
Electric current
Base Unit
meter
kilogram
second
Kelvin
ampere
Symbol
m
kg
s
K
A
Base Units for the Metric System
• Meter (m)
– base unit of length: meter (m)
1m = 3.28 ft (foot is the base unit of length in the English
system)
• Kilogram (kg)
– base unit of mass: kilogram (kg)
• Mass represents the amount of matter (substance) contained in an object.
The mass of an object is a measure of the inertia (resistance to movement) of
that object.
• Weight is the effect of gravity on an object.
• The weight of an object changes with location, the mass of an object does
not.
• Second (s)
– base unit of time: second (s)
(also the base unit of time in the English system)
Each of the base units in the metric system can be
modified with different prefixes which multiply out the
base unit by some factor
Prefix
• Giga
Symbol
G
• Mega
M
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
k
h
da
d
c
m

n
Kilo
Hecto
Deka
Deci
Centi
Milli
Micro
Nano
Meaning
1,000,000,000 times the
base unit
1,000,000 times the base
unit
1,000 times the base unit
100 times the base unit
10 times the base unit
0.1 of the base unit
0.01 of the base unit
0.001 of the base unit
0.000001 of the base unit
0.000000001 of the base
unit
The Scientific Method
• Method for developing scientific knowledge
• Steps:
– Hypothesis: possible explanation of a phenomenon
– Experiments: test the hypothesis
• If the hypothesis fails, revise it and retest
• If the hypothesis passes, more experiments for more testing and greater
confidence
– An accepted hypothesis may result in a scientific principle or in a scientific law
• Scientific principle
• An explanation concerned with a specific range of phenomena
• Scientific law
• Describes a more general and important phenomenon than a principle
• Expressed:
– in verbal form
– by an equation
– by a graph
Scientific Models and Theories
• Model
– simulation of a real object or phenomenon
– used to study something that cannot be observed directly
• physical model - can be seen and touched
• mental model - exists in the mind and helps us understand
concepts
• equation model - describes the variables involved and their
relationship
• Theory
– a broad, detailed explanation of a phenomenon
– Hypothesis: statement before tests
– Theory: has passed the test
Scientific Statements and Data
• Must be testable (measurable)
• Data (or measurements) must meet two criteria:
– Reliability
• everyone agrees to the meaning of the data (measurements)
• others can replicate the measurements (or the experiments) with
the same results
– Precision
• Repeatable and reproducible measurements that conform to
standards