Tools of Science
(Chapter 1)
Student Learning Objectives
• Differentiate between science and non-science
(pseudoscience)
• Apply the scientific method
• Develop some tools for interpreting data
What is science?
 Science is not simply a
collection of facts, but
rather an objective
process of quantifying
what we observe.
The outcomes of
science are laws and
theories with
repeatable results.
Tested
Verified
Practice
What are some examples of science?
How is science done?
• Measurements
• Observations
• Experiments
 Each scientist must be able to obtain the same results.
Observation  Hypothesis/Prediction 
Experiment  Theory  Law
Example: Setting Sun
Practice
1) What is the goal of science?
2) The scientific method is a circular process.
Explain
3) What do you think happens if scientists cannot
obtain the same results?
More Practice
4) Can the scientific method be used to answer
all questions?
5) What is pseudoscience?
What is the measurement system used in science?
Measurements are an objective tool.
 Standard units in science utilize the metric system.
 Each factor of ten difference results in a single move of
the decimal.
(Divide by 10’s)
(Multiply by 10’s)
Unit
Multiple
Conversions
kilometer
centimeter
millimeter
micron
nanometer
1 km = 103 m
1 cm = 10−2 m
1 mm = 10−3 m
1 mm = 10−6 m
1 nm = 10−9 m
1 km = 1000 m
100 cm = 1 m
1000 mm = 1 m
1,000,000 mm = 1 m
Practice
1) How many centimeters
are in 1 kilometer?
2)How many nanometers
are in 2 centimeters?
3) A length of 5
millimeters would be
what number of meters?
4) The average person is
75 kilograms. How
many grams is this?
3 Dimensions
Three measurements are used to define an
object's size in three dimensional space (x, y, z).
Length
Area
Volume
m
m2
m3
Length: 1 measurement in one dimension
Area: 2 measurements in two different dimensions
Volume: 3 measurements in the three different dimensions
Why are equations and units important in science?
Equations show how
quantities are related.
F = ma
Equations, and
measurements, describe
the universe objectively.
(quantitatively)
Example: Size of a desk
Units are the description of what was measured. (60)
Conversion factors can be used to change common
units to scientific units.
Common
Measurement
Metric
Conversion
mile
inch
pound
1 mile = 1609 meters
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
0.2248 pound = 1 Newton
Practice
1) A car on the freeway is traveling at 65 mph.
a) How many km/hr is this?
b) How many m/s is this?
2) A room measures 10 feet by 12 feet. How many
square meters of carpet would be needed for this
room?
What do graphs show?
Graphs show how data
is related and indicate a
mathematical formula,
the equation.
Linear
Linear: Y=X
y=x
Quadratic
Quadratic: Y = X
2
y = x2
Inverse Square
Inverse Square: Y = 1/X
y=1
x2
2
Practice
Use the data to construct and interpret a graph. What is
the relationship of the graph? How would you interpret
the graph (what does it show)?
Speed (mph)
15
28
47
62
78
Time (sec)
1
2
3
4
5