GENERAL SCIENCE

• Science


  The systematic study through observation and experimentation. It is the building and organizing of knowledge by following the scientific method.
• Branches of Science


  • Formal science
  • Social science
  • Natural science
• Formal science


  • Deals with abstract structures in formal systems, including mathematics and logic
• Social science


  • Deals with human behavior around its social and cultural aspects
• Natural science


  • Studies natural phenomena using empirical evidence
• Branches of Natural Science


  • Life science (biology)
  • Physical science
• Branches of Physical Science


  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Astronomy
  • Earth science
• Pure science


  The development of scientific theories and predictions in three broad subjects: Chemistry, Biology or Physics. Also known as 'Basic Science' or 'Natural Science', it is research which doesn't consider how these theories can be applied but is used to answer questions or phenomena.
• Applied science


  The application of scientific knowledge for practical use
• Research


  The act of systematically studying to find answers to a scientific problem, undertaken to build science by increasing its stock of knowledge
• Induction


  A reasoning process where a specific observation is used to make a general claim
• Deduction


  A reasoning process where general premises are used to make specific conclusions
• The Scientific Method


  1. Identify the problem

  2. Make observations

  3. State the hypothesis

  4. Test the hypothesis (experiment)

  5. Analyze and interpret resulting data

  6. Draw conclusions
• Experiment


  • A controlled investigation of natural phenomena where all factors should be the same among all the setups, except for the one being tested
• Experimental/manipulated/independent variable


  The variable being tested and changed
• Constant/controlled variables


  The factors that should be kept the same from setup to setup
• Responding/dependent variable


  The resulting variable that changes because of the independent variable
• Alternative hypothesis


  The hypothesis of interest; the guess that there is a significant relationship among the dependent and independent variables
• Null hypothesis


  States that there is no significant relationship among the two variables
• Theory


  A well-supported, testable explanation of natural phenomena
• Scientific law


  A statement that describes or predicts an observed natural phenomenon
• Axiom


  A statement which everyone agrees is true, also called a postulate in mathematical context
• Method


  A systematic process of performing a scientific task, such as conducting research
• Pseudoscience


  An approach to gathering knowledge that claims to be scientific, but violates tenets of science
• Paradigm


  A framework of thoughts from which reality is interpreted
• Measurement


  The quantification of attributes of an object which can be compared with other objects with the same attribute
• SI Base Quantities and Units


  • Time (second, s)
  • Length (meter, m)
  • Mass (kilogram, kg)
  • Electric current (ampere, A)
  • Temperature (Kelvin, K)
  • Amount of substance (mole, mol)
  • Luminous intensity (candela, cd)
• Some attributes have measurement units that are under two major measurement systems: the English measurement system, and the metric measurement system
• Systematic errors


  Errors caused by a predictable cause, therefore consistent
• Negligent errors


  Errors where the operator of the measuring device is at fault, human errors
• Random errors


  Fleeting errors that may not be attributed to a singular cause, such as parallax error
• Absolute error

  The difference between the measured value and the actual value
• Relative error


  The ratio of the absolute error to the expected value
• Negligent errors


  Errors where the operator of the measuring device is at fault
• Random errors


  Errors that are often fleeting and may not be attributed to a singular cause
• Random errors


  • Parallax error
• Percent error


  The percentage form of relative error
• Accurate measurements


  Measurements that are close to the true value
• Precise measurements


  Measurements that are close to each other and can be replicated repeatedly
• The darts are neither accurate nor precise

  • Darts are not close to each other, nor does the average of their distances hit close to the bullseye.