unit 1 lesson 1 scientific knowledge o ms. grant copyright © houghton mifflin harcourt publishing...

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Scientific Knowledge

o Ms. Grant

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company


Florida Benchmarks


• SC.7.N.1.5 Describe the methods used in the pursuit of a scientific explanation as seen in different fields of science such as biology, geology, and physics.

• SC.7.N.1.6 Explain that empirical evidence is the cumulative body of observations of a natural phenomenon on which scientific explanations are based.


Florida Benchmarks


• SC.7.N.1.7 Explain that scientific knowledge is the result of a great deal of debate and confirmation within the science community.

• SC.7.N.2.1 Identify an instance from the history of science in which scientific knowledge has changed when new evidence or new interpretations are encountered.

• SC.7.N.3.1 Recognize and explain the difference between theories and laws and give several examples of scientific theories and the evidence that supports them.


Florida Benchmarks


• LA.6.4.2.2 The student will record information (e.g., observations, notes, lists, charts, legends) related to a topic, including visual aids to organize and record information and include a list of sources used.

REMEMBER OUR LESSON GOALS!!!

1. What are the types of scientific knowledge?

2. What are the methods that scientists use to gain empirical evidence and how does this lead to scientific change?

… From the Beginning


What is science?• Science is the study of the natural world. Scientific

explanations are based on data and observations.

An example of an observation would be taking the measurement of the width of a rock.

• Scientists study many different things.

• Three important types of science are biology, geology, and physical science.

• A pseudoscience is the process of investigation that resembles science, but does not follow scientific methods


What is science?

• Biology, or life science, is the study of living things.



What is science?

• Geology, or Earth science, is the study of Earth and the processes that shape Earth.



What is science?

• Physical science is the study of nonliving matter and energy.



What does science tell us?

• Scientific knowledge is constantly changing.

Scientific ideas change as new evidence leads to modifications of ideas.

• Many things that people consider scientific “facts” are actually just well-accepted explanations.

• The things we learn in science are the current ideas that most scientists agree on.

• When scientists obtain new information, the existing scientific theory is reevaluated.



Not a Theory—It’s a Law!


How do scientific theories differ from laws?• The words law and theory have specific meanings

in science.

A scientific law is a description of a specific relationship under given conditions in the natural world.


How do scientific theories differ from laws?A scientific theory is a well-supported and widely

accepted explanation of nature.

• Scientific theories are supported by many pieces of evidence.

• Theories help us understand and explain the laws we observe.



What’s Your Evidence?


Where do scientists get their evidence?• Scientists are curious. They are always looking for

information about the world.

• Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence.

Empirical evidence is all the measurements and data scientists gather in support of a scientific explanation.

For example a scientist researching the solar system can make and record observations to add to their empirical evidence.


Where do scientists get their evidence?

• Scientists gather evidence in many places. Some do fieldwork, and others do laboratory work.

• Fieldwork is work done outside or in conditions that cannot be controlled. Fieldwork is most common in biology and geology.

• Fieldwork allows scientists to observe the world in its natural state.

A biologist would most likely engage in fieldwork to observe an organism.



Where do scientists get their evidence?

Laboratory work is work done in a controlled environment. Laboratory work allows scientists to control the conditions of an investigation.

• Most experiments are conducted in laboratories.

• Although laboratory work is most common in physics, chemistry, and biology, geologists may also conduct laboratory work.



The Debate Continues


How do scientific ideas change?• Scientists are always discovering new information.

That information can change accepted explanations and ideas.

• Sometimes, a scientist comes up with a better explanation for existing evidence. The new explanation may replace an older theory.

If two scientists have different ideas about a scientific concept they can debate their ideas using evidence they have gathered through observations and research.


How do scientific ideas change?

• Sometimes, new evidence is discovered that contradicts an existing theory. The theory may be changed to explain the new evidence.

• Scientists work together to debate, question, and explore ideas. These debates can change the explanations that scientists accept as true.



KINETIC THEORY OF MATTER

• Kinetic theory of matter describes the behavior of gases based on the motions of the particles. (explains Boyles law)

For example: The balloon gets bigger as the temperature

of the gas increases, because the gas particles move faster and get farther apart

Sebastian drew a figure to illustrate Boyle’s law, which explains the relationship between pressure and volume for a gas kept at constant temperature. His figure looked like the one shown below.

Based on the figure, the volume of gas decreases as pressure increases, and particles get closer together

STUDY YOUR NOTES!!

unit 1 lesson 1 scientific knowledge o ms. grant copyright © houghton mifflin harcourt publishing...

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