Homework CH00: The Nature of Science

Science is a body of knowledge that extends back to

humankind's beginnings.

In science, an educated guess is a

hypothesis

The language of science is

mathematics

In science, facts

may change

Science is concerned mainly with the

natural world

A scientific hypothesis can be disproved with

one reproducible experiment

Of the sciences known as physics, chemistry, and biology, the most basic is

Physics

In science, a theory is

a synthesis of a large body of well-tested knowledge

Which of these is a scientific hypothesis (that could be proved wrong)? a. atoms in proper proportions make us feel good b. atoms are in all the stars in the universe c. an atom is the smallest bit of matter in a material d. none of the above

an atom is the smallest bit of matter in a material

What involves passion, talent, and intelligence?

art, literature, music, science

Success in science is mainly linked to emphasis on

experiments

Science and technology are

fundamentally different from each other

The scientific method is most effective in

gaining, organizing, and applying new knowledge

Listed following are a series of statements that each make a claim. Classify these as either testable by accepted methods of science or non-testable by accepted methods of science. Be sure to note that this question does not ask whether a statement would pass or fail a test; it only asks whether it is testable in principle.

Testable by Science: Earth orbits the Sun every 365.25 days. There will be a solar eclipse next Tuesday at 11 a.m. Bacteria acquire resistance to antibiotics through changes in their DNA. Mars once had liquid water on its surface. People born under the sign of Sagittarius are twice as likely to be teachers as anyone else. Not Testable by Science: Hurricane Katrina was an act of God. Vince Young is the greatest quarterback of all time.

Which of the following is a scientific statement? a. matter is filled with undetectable particles b. there are parts of the universe that will never be found by humans c. the Moon is made of green cheese d. none of the above

The Moon is made of green cheese

The statement, "There are regions beneath the Earth's crust that will always be beyond the reach of scientific investigation," is

a speculation

A truly educated person is knowledgeable about

science, the arts, and religion

The synthesis of a large collection of information that contains well-tested and verified hypotheses about certain aspects of the world is known as a scientific

theory

A hypothesis that is scientific must have a test for proving it

wrong