What is Science? Objectives  Define science.  Give examples of how science is used.  Define fact, theory, and law.  Describe characteristics of scientific knowledge.  Define what science is not. A Desire to Understand  Humans share a desire to explore and understand the ______around us. (What is the world around us?)  ______developed out this curiosity. Empiricism  Science is based on empiricism – a search for knowledge based on ______and observation. What is Science?  Science is the human effort to gain knowledge about the world and how it works through ______and experimentation, with observable physical evidence as the basis of that knowledge.  Science is also the organized body of ______gained through observation and experimentation (what others have already learned using science).  We can read about this knowledge in encyclopedias, scientific ______, and text books. What is Knowledge?  Knowledge is what we have ______or currently understand about the world in which we live. Pure Science vs. Applied Science  Pure science describes the most basic objects and forces in the universe, relationships between them and ______governing them.  Pure science is ______or learning for the purpose of adding information to the body of human knowledge.  Pure science is a result of human curiosity.  It is conducted by ______, universities, publicly funded research facilities.  Biology, ______, and physics are pure sciences.  Applied science is research conducted for______application such as a cure for cancer, designing a satellite, or improved automobile safety.  It is using or applying pure science in actual practice or to work out practical ______.  Engineering and ______are applied sciences.  Applied science is conducted by pharmaceutical companies or the auto industry.  Usually for profit and privately funded. The Economy & Science  What happens to scientific research when the economy is bad and money is limited?

Facts, Theories, and Laws  Scientific knowledge can be classified as fact, law, or theory. Facts  Fact - An observation that has been repeatedly ______and for all practical purposes is accepted as “true.” Examples of Facts  Ocean water is more salty than freshwater.  Fish breathe underwater using their gills.  Objects less dense than water float on water.  Fire needs oxygen to burn. Facts  Truth in science, however, is never ______and what is accepted as a fact today may be modified or even discarded tomorrow.  For example, the ______never existed! Turns out it is the same thing as the Apatosaurus. Laws  Law - a phenomenon (event) of nature that has been proven to ______occur when certain conditions exist or are met. Laws describe ______in nature.  Laws do not explain ______or ______. Examples of Laws  The law of gravity (explains what happens, but not why)  Newton’s Laws of Motion  The law of conservation of mass Theories  Theory - A hypothesis or a scientific explanation for a phenomenon (an event) that has been ______tested, is supported by a large body of ______, and is widely accepted.  A theory remains ______as long as there is no evidence to dispute it.  Theories explain how and/or why.  Theories can combine facts and ______to explain phenomenon.  Theories are often used to explain complex events (function of genes and DNA), events that occur over long periods of time (movement of a glacier, plate tectonics), are very distant (the birth of a star), are very large (explosions of a volcano) or are too small (movement of a euglena) to observe. Examples of Theories  The theory of plate tectonics  The theory of evolution  The Big Bang theory  What do each of these theories explain? 7 Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge 1. Amoral 2. Creative 3. Tentative/Developmental 4. Empirical 5. Unified 6. Socially and culturally embedded 7. Self-correcting Amoral  Scientific knowledge is neither ______nor ______.  The knowledge of how to split an atom and cause a nuclear explosion is neither good nor bad, it is just knowledge.  It is not making a moral judgment. Creative  Scientific knowledge is the product of human ______and intelligence.  New knowledge comes when people question, think outside the box, think of other possible explanations, new and improved ways to do things.  Galileo turned his spyglass to the stars. Tentative and Developmental  Scientific knowledge is never ______proven and is always changing.  New explanations can develop from new technology, new understanding, or creative thinking.  Development of atomic theory. Empirical/Testable  Scientific knowledge is gained through ______and experimentation.  Knowledge must be able to be repeatedly ______.  Procedures used to gain knowledge must be repeatable. Unified  New knowledge/explanations must ______with current knowledge and thinking to be generally accepted.  There is usually little disagreement in the science community. Socially and Culturally Embedded  Knowledge that is not culturally supported is often overlooked, ignored or ______.  Knowledge needs the backing of the scientific community to be considered valuable.  ______was imprisoned for suggesting that the earth revolved around the sun.  Stem cell, ______, genetic engineering? Self-Correcting  Scientific knowledge is shared with society and other scientists and through scientific processes is built upon, ______, and possibly corrected.  Ex. Development of atomic theory, theory of plate tectonics. Scientific Knowledge is Not…  Based on ______– somebody in authority told me  Based on ______– I lived it  Based on ______– Everyone thinks it  Based on a historical event – Recorded in history  We need ______!!! What Science is Not…  Science does not define ______.  We used to believe the earth was flat and the sun orbited the earth. Everybody Uses Science  Most careers, professions, hobbies, etc., and even every day life involve the use of science skills, processes, and knowledge.