WHAT IS SCIENCE?
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• The word science comes from the Latin
"scientia," meaning knowledge. It refers to
the organized, systematized, and logical body
of knowledge that uses observation and
experimentation to describe and explain
natural phenomena.
• The goal of science is to understand the world
around us. To prove this, one of the skills one
should develop is the ability to organize things
in a logical and orderly manner that is to
classify things.
• The study of science can be classified into
groups:
✓ Biology - is life science; it deals with living
things, their parts and functions and their
interactions with the world around them.
Smaller branches of life science include:
➢ Zoology the study of animals
➢ Botany the study of plants
✓ Earth Science deals with the study of the
Earth and its rocks, oceans, volcanoes,
earthquakes, atmosphere, and other
features. This includes astronomy, that
explore nature beyond Earth, to include
the stars, other planets and moons.
✓ Physical Science deals with the study of
matter and energy.
✓ This includes:
➢ Chemistry explore what substances
are made of and how they change and
combine.
➢ Physics explore the study of the
relationship between matter and
energy.
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• What distinguishes science from the other
fields of study is the way in which it seeks
answers to questions.
• What separates science is an approach called
Scientific Method, a step by-step way of
doing things. The scientific method is a
process of experimentation used to explore
observations and answer questions. This
method is used to search for cause and effect
relationships in nature.
The basic steps in the scientific method are:
✓ Identifying the Problem knowing what you
want to investigate or study or ask a question
about something that you observe (example:
Does the color of light a tomato plant receives
affect the size of its fruits?)
✓ Gathering Information on The Problem
collecting important and relevant data or
information about the problem through
observations, reviews of previous
of the internet
✓ Formulating Hypothesis a hypothesis is an
educated guess about how things work. The
hypothesis is a simple statement that defines
what you think the outcome of your
experiment will be. This will help you find out
what the answer to your problem might be.
o Null Hypothesis: The color of light a
tomato plant receives will not affect
the size of the tomato fruit.
o Alternative Hypothesis: A tomato
plant exposed to red light will have
bigger tomato fruits than that
exposed to white light.
✓ Testing the Hypothesis - designing and
carrying out an experiment to test whether
your hypothesis is true or false. This includes
determining the material, apparatus, and the
procedures to follow. It is important for your
experiment to be a fair test, making sure that
you change only one factor (experimental
variable) at a time while keeping all other
conditions (control variables) the same.
Making several trials or repeats of the
experiment will likewise assure that the
results are not just accidental.
o Experimental variables: colors of light
(red, blue, yellow, green)
o Control Variables: amount of light,
type of soil, tomato plant, amount of
water, nutrients received by the
plants
✓ Recording and Analyzing Data interpreting,
analyzing and evaluating the information
gathered and the results of the experiment.
The results can be presented in a table, graph
or chart.
✓ - drawing conclusions based on the
observations and results and answering the
problem stated. State whether the hypothesis
is true or false
Learning science is doing science. Science is not
merely a collection of facts and theories but a process,
a way of thinking about and investigating the world in
which we live. This addresses skills that are used by
scientists as they discover and explain the physical
universe skills that are an essential and ongoing part
of learning science.
One of the most important skills in science is
observation.
Most of the time we think of observation as
something we do with our eyes, however, all five
senses should be used to make observations: sight,
hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Observing can
include reading and studying what others have done
in the past because scientific knowledge is collective.
Observations in science are called data. We can make
two kinds of observations: those that are facts, and
those that are opinions.
✓ Facts are those things that are true for
everybody.
✓ Opinions are beliefs based on personal
preference.
✓ Data may also be qualitative or quantitative.
✓ Qualitative data are information that are hard
to measure, count, or describe in numbers.
They describe the qualities or characteristics
of how something looks, feels, smells etc. with
adjectives. Examples are color, taste, and
sound.
✓ Quantitative data are information that are
measured and expressed in numbers.
Fundamental physical quantities are measured
directly using measuring devices and tools.
These include:
o Length, L - the distance between two distinct
points.
This can be measured by a metric ruler.
Width, W, is the horizontal distance and
height,
H, is the vertical distance.
o Mass, m - the measure of the amount of
material in an object.
The mass of an object remains the same even
if the position of the object is change with
reference to the earth’s center.
The standard unit of mass is the kilogram (kg).
One (1) kg is the mass of 1 liter (L) of water at
4 C and a pressure of 1 atmosphere,(atm). It is
measured by an instrument known as the
triple beam balance or the equal arm
(platform) balance
o Time, t is the regular interval between two
successive points. The standard unit of time is
the second. The second was originally defined
in terms of the motion of the earth, but it was
revised and instead compared to vibrations of
cesium atoms.
o Electric current, I is the measure of the flow
of electrons or charges. An ammeter is used
to measure current expressed as Ampere (A).
o Luminous intensity, E is the amount of
illumination received by an object. The unit of
measure to describe this is candela (cd).
o Number of moles, n is the amount of
substance expressed in moles (mol). The mole
is the amount of substance of a system which
contains as many elementary entities as there
are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon 12.
When the mole is used, the elementary
entities must be specified and may be atoms,
molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, or
specified groups of such particles.
o Temperature, T - the measure of the hotness
or coldness of an object. It is technically
defined as the measure of the average kinetic
energy of a body. It can be measured by an
instrument known as thermometer. Three
temperature scales are commonly used and
the temperature conversions between them
are:
✓ Kelvin (K) / degree Celsius (°C)
conversions:
K = °C+ 273 °C= K - 273
✓ degree Fahrenheit (°F) / degree
Celsius(°C) conversions:
°F = °C x 1.8 + 32
°C = (°F - 32.) / 1.8
Derived Quantities are quantities that are based from
fundamental quantities.
These quantities are determined using formula.
Examples of these quantities are:
• Area, A = L x W . m2, cm2 are the units used to
express this quantity in mks and cgs
respectively.
• Volume, V is the amount of space occupied by
matter. The volume of solids can be measured
based on the length, L, width, W, and height,
H.
• The volume of liquids can be measured by
using a graduated cylinder. It can also
measure volume of irregular solids through
water displacement. To express volume in
mks and cgs, m3 , cm3 are the units used
respectively. Density, D is the mass per unit
volume. D = m/V. The units used are kg/m3 or
g/cm3 in mks and cgs respectively. Weight, W
is the amount of pull of gravity on an object.
W = mg, where g is the gravitational
acceleration equal to 9.8 m/s2 , 980 cm/s2 or
32 ft/s2 . Speed, v is the ratio of distance
traveled and time of travel. v = d/t expressed
in meter/second (m/s)
• Pressure, P - is a push of force against each
unit area of an objects surface
• Other derived quantities are acceleration,
energy, work, and all the other quantities
except the 7 fundamental quantities.
MEASUREMENT:
Measurement is process of comparing a known
quantity like measuring device to an unknown
quantity, things, or objects to be measured. It is the
process of determining how many times a certain
quantity is contained in a standard measuring device.
The scientific system of measurement is called the (If the exponents are not the same, make them first
metric system. The metric system is often referred to the same before adding or subtracting and copy the
as the International System of Units, or SI. Metric is common exponent) (5.2 x 105 ) + (0.13 x105 ) =
5
the universal language for measurement. It is based 5.33 x 10
on units of ten.

MULTIPLICATION

To multiply numbers expressed in powers of ten add

the exponent. If the exponents are of different signs
meaning one is positive and the other one is negative,
add them algebraically by subtracting the smaller
number form the larger number and copy the sign of
the larger number.

(2.5 x 105 ) (4.3 x 103 ) = 10.75 x 108

= 1.075 x 108+1
= 1.075 x 109
(2.5 x 105 ) (4.3 x 10-3) = 10.75 x 102
= 1.075 x 103
(2.5 x 10 ) (4.3 x 10 ) = 10.75 x 10-2
-5 3

= 1.075 x 10-1
Final answer should be expressed in
standard form. M.N x 10n

DIVISION
To divide numbers expressed in powers of ten,
subtract the exponent. If the exponents are of
different signs meaning one is positive and the other
one is negative, change the sign of the number to be
subtracted an then proceed as in addition.
(4.3 x 105) = 1.72 x 105-3 = 1.72 x 102
(2.5 x103)

(4.3 x 10-5) = 1.72 x 10-5 3 = 1.72 x 10-8

SCIENTIFIC NOTATION is a compact, simplest and (2.5 x 103)
easiest way of writing down very small and very large
(4.3 x 105) = 1.72 x 10-5-3 = 1.72 x 10-8
numbers using powers of ten or in exponential
(2.5 x10-3)
notation. The exponent tells the number of times the
decimal point is moved from its original place to right
or from the original place to the left. CONVERSION OF UNITS

The exponent is NEGATIVE if the decimal point is Conversion of units is the conversion between
moved from left to right and POSITIVE if it is moved
different units of measurement for the same quantity,
from right to left.
typically through multiplicative conversion factors
Example:
1. 4,000,000 = 4.0 x 106 which change the measured quantity value without
2. 532,000,000 = 5.32 x 108 changing its effects.
3. 0.000000045 = 4.5 x 10-8
4. 0.0032 = 3.2 x 10-3
Rules:
ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION
To add and subtract numbers expressed in powers of
ten, simply copy the common exponent and proceed
as to addition or subtraction of the coefficients.
Add: (1.3 x 102 ) + (2.4 x 102 ) = 3.7 x 102
(4.0 x 103) - (2.3 x 102) = 1.7 x 102
The process of conversion depends on the specific
situation and the intended purpose. This may be
governed by regulation, contract, technical
specifications or other published standards.
Engineering judgment may include such factors as:
✓ The precision and accuracy of measurement
and the associated uncertainty of
measurement.
✓ The statistical confidence interval or tolerance
interval of the initial measurement.
✓ The number of significant figures of the
measurement.
Sample Exercises on Conversion of Unit:
Convert 75 millimeters, mm to its
corresponding length in
(a) meters (b) centimeters, (c) kilometers
Solution:
o 75 mm x 1 m /1,000 mm = 75 m/1000
= 0.075 m
o 0.075 m x 100 cm/ 1 m = 0.075 x 100
cm = 7.5 cm
o 7.5 cm x 1 km / 1000 m x 1 m / 100
cm = 7.5 km /100,000 = 0.000075 km
o Change 430 milligrams to grams From the
Table of Prefixes , milli = 10-3 Change the
Powers to Ten to a prefix . 430 x 10-3
grams
By the use of scientific notation, it would
be 4.30 x 102 x 10-3
The final answer is 4.30 x 10-1
o 5 gallons of mineral is equivalent to how
many liters?
5 gallons x 3.79 Liters / gallon = 18.95
liters
o 2 x 109 bytes is equal to 2 Gigabytes or 20
Gb
Accuracy and Precision:
o Accuracy is a degree of agreement
between a measured value and the true
value
o Precision is the degree of the
instrument’s exactness.
Significant figures are the number of digits or
figures that best represent the value of a
measurement.
Rules in determining the Number of Significant
Figures:
o All non-zero digits are significant. (1, 2, 3,
4 , 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
o All zeros in between two non-zero digits
are significant. 2804 has four (4)
significant figures.
o All zeros to the right of a decimal point
but to the left of a non-zero digit are
o NOT significant. 0.0003068 has four (4)
significant figures
o All zeros to the right of non-zero digit
without an expressed decimal point
following it are NOT significant. 406,000
has three (3) significant figures, but
406,000. has six (6) significant figures.
Rule for Multiplication and Division
o For multiplication and division, your answer
must show the same number of significant
digits as the measurement in the calculation
with the least number of significant digits.
Rule for Addition and Subtraction
o For addition and subtraction, your answer
must show the same number of decimal
places as the number in the calculation with
the least number of decimal places.
Observations are usually written down, or recorded in
tables, graphs, or charts. They are used to present
facts in visual form. They help keep data organized
and easy to understand. This organized information
can then be used to draw conclusions or make
decisions.
Graphs can be used to illustrate many types of data
and may be drawn as a line graph, a bar or a pie
graph. They should be used to make facts clearer and
more understandable. Different types of graphs are
appropriate for different experiments. These are just
a few of the possible types of graphs:
• A bar graph might be appropriate for
comparing different trials or different
experimental groups. It also may be a good
choice if your independent variable is not
numerical.
• Pie graph are used to represent a part to
whole relationship. They are good illustrations
when considering how many parts of a whole
are designed.
• Most scientific graphs are made as line graphs
to show relationship between two variables:
the relationship between your dependent and
independent variables when both are
numerical and the dependent variable is a
function of the independent variable.
TYPES OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VARIABLES:

Direct relationships the variables change together.

When the dependent variable increases, the
independent variable increases at the same rate. Or
when one decreases, the other variables also
decrease at the same rate. The line graph is a straight
line.

If the slope or the quotient

of the two variables is
equal to a constant, then it
is a direct variation, k = Y/X

Inverse Relationships - when one variable increases,

the other one
decreases. The line
graph is a hyperbola.
The product of the
two variables is
equal to a constant,
K = XY.The line graph
is a hyperbola.

Direct-Square Relationships: When Y varies directly

with the square of X, then it is a direct square
relationship. K = Y/X2. The line graph is a parabola.
This relationship happens when one variable increases
faster than the other.