Chapter 1 About Science

Physics is the most basic science because

• all of these

• it is about the nature of basic things like forces, energy, and motion.

• the ideas of physics extend into more complex sciences.

• you can better understand science in general if you understand physics.

• the foundation of biology is chemistry and the foundation of chemistry is physics.

Which one of the following problems would NOT be a part of physics?

• Identifying all the bones in a human body

• Calculating the average density of a person

• Calculating the amount of energy a person uses while listening to a lecture

• Calculating the instantaneous velocity of an accelerating car

• Identifying all the forces acting on a person who is walking uphill

Which one of the following steps is NOT a part of the scientific method?

• Repeat the experiments until the answers match the predictions.

• Perform experiments to test the predictions.

• Formulate a general rule based on the predictions and experimental outcome.

• Make a guess about the answer to a problem and predict its consequences.

• Recognize a problem.

A hypothesis is

• an educated guess that has yet to be proven by experiment.

• the long side of a right triangle.

• close agreement by competent observers of observations of the same phenomena.

• a guess that has been tested over and over again and always found to be true.

• a synthesis of a large collection of information that includes guesses.

A scientific fact is

• close agreement by competent observers of observations of the same phenomena.

• something you believe is true because you have been taught it.

• a guess that has been tested over and over again and always found to be true.

• an educated guess that has yet to be proven by experiment.

• a synthesis of a collection of data that includes well-tested guesses.

A theory is

• a synthesis of a large collection of information including well-tested guesses.

• an educated guess that has yet to be proven by experiment.

• close agreement by competent observers of observations of the same phenomena.

• a guess that has been tested over and over again and always found to be true.

• a science story about atoms and molecules.

The difference between a hypothesis and a theory is that a hypothesis is

• an educated guess whereas a theory has been tested successfully many times in many ways.

• never true whereas a theory is always true.

• true where as a theory is not true.

• an isolated fact whereas a theory is a huge collections of facts.

• never true whereas a theory is sometimes true.

One difference between a hypothesis and a theory is that a hypothesis

• is a guess that has not been well tested, whereas a theory is a synthesis of well-tested guesses.

• is testable, whereas a theory is not testable.

• can be revised, whereas a theory cannot be revised.

• is not testable, whereas a theory is testable.

Which of these is a scientific hypothesis?

• Atoms are the smallest particles of matter that exist.

• Albert Einstein is the greatest physicist of the twentieth century.

• The universe is surrounded by a second universe, which cannot be seen.

• None of these

A scientific hypothesis may turn out to be right or it may turn out to be wrong. If it is a valid hypothesis, there must be a test for proving that it is

• wrong.

• right.