nature of science

• Science


  A way to study the world and accurately explain how everything works. This knowledge is based on the scientific method, a series of steps to ensure accuracy.
• Types of Science


  • Natural Sciences
  • Social Sciences
• Natural Sciences


  Deal with the physical, chemical and biological world
• Types of Natural Sciences


  • Physical Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
• Physical Sciences


  Study the physical properties of substances like weight, colour, size and temperature
• Properties


  Qualities and attributes of substances
• Physical Sciences


  • Physics
  • Chemistry
  • Geology
  • Computer Science
• Physics


  The study of the fundamental laws and forces of the universe, how energy and matter behaves, including measurements like weight, speed and temperature, and the study of forces like electricity and gravity.
• Chemistry


  The study of how atoms and molecules interact and bond to form different substances.
• Geology


  The study of rocks, minerals and land.
• Computer Science


  How computers process information.
• Science


  A way to study the world and accurately explain how everything works. This knowledge is based on the scientific method, a series of steps to ensure accuracy
• Types of science

  • Natural sciences
  • Social sciences
• Natural sciences


  • Deal with the physical, chemical and biological world
• Natural sciences


  • Physical sciences
  • Chemistry
  • Geology
  • Computer science
• Properties


  Things like weight, colour, taste, size and temperature
• Physics


  The study of the fundamental laws and forces of the universe, how energy and matter behave; it includes measurements like weight, speed and temperature, to study forces like electricity and gravity
• Chemistry


  The study of how atoms and molecules interact and bond to form different substances
• Geology


  The study of rocks, minerals and land
• Computer science

  How computers process information
• Light microscope


  • Used in school laboratories to see tiny objects more closely
  • Lenses are used to magnify the object
• Scanning electron microscope


  • Used to see tiny cell structures in great detail
• Parts of a light microscope


  • Eyepiece lens
  • Objective lens
  • Stage
  • Diaphragm
  • Light
  • Coarse focus
  • Fine focus
• How to use a light microscope


  1. Place the microscope and switch on the light

  2. Click the objective lens into place starting with the lower magnification

  3. Look through the eyepiece

  4. Use the diaphragm to adjust the light

  5. Place the slide on the stage

  6. Bring the object into focus

  7. Bring the object into sharper focus
• How to calculate magnification (light microscope)


  Eyepiece magnification x Objective lens magnification = Total magnification
• Stains


  Chemicals used to make specimens or cells visible under a microscope
• Stains used


  • Iodine for plant cells
  • Methylene blue for animal cells
• Scientific method


  The process used to obtain and test knowledge
• We trust science because it works
• Scientific ideas change over time as new discoveries are made
• Hypothesis


  A proposed explanation of why an event takes place. It is like an educated guess.
• Theory


  An explanation of observations based on hypotheses, laws and facts