1ST SEMESTER SCIENCE REVIEW

An overall review of everything I've learned during the first semester of my freshmen integrated science

course

SCIENTIFIC METHOD

One of the first things I remember learning is the scientific method.

There are 7 steps to the S.M. in order from fist to last: observation, research question, collect variables, hypothesis, procedure, analyze data, and conclusion.

I've learned that in an experiment, you should go through many trials for a reliable outcome.

PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS

There are 4 groups to the periodic table. Metals, non metals, noble gasses, and transitional metals.

There are 7 periods. every element has a symbol and the number of protons and electrons given first hand.

STATES OF MATTER

The three states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. Each state has a specific particle arrangement the differs them apart.

Liquids particles are typically close together, but have limited movements. Some examples would be water, sodas, fruit juices, and any other beverage really.

Solids have a particle arrangement that is very closely packed together and does not move very much at all. Some examples would be rocks, woods, plastic, glass, ice, ect.

Gases have a very loose and fast moving particle arrangement. Examples: oxygen, hydrogen, carbon die oxide.

GRAVITY

Gravity is a force that pulls everything back down to earth. The strength of earths gravitational field is expressed by this: g

= 9.81 m/s2 = 32.2 ft/s2

NEWTON'S LAWS OF MOTION

Isaac Newton had made 3 scientific theories on motion that continue to prove themselves today.

The first one states that an object with applied force will continue to move through space unless a force to stop it is placed upon it.

The second law says an object with more mass will take more force to move than an object with less mass.

The third law says that every force that is put upon something will have an equal and opposite amount of force pushed back.

THE FIVE PHASE CHANGES

There are five different possible phase changes between solids, liquids, and gasses.

Melting point- solid to liquid. Example: ice to water.

Freezing point- liquid to solid. Ex. : water to ice. Boiling point- liquid to gas. Ex: water to steam. Condensation- gas to liquid. Ex: morning dew. Sublimation- solid to gas. Ex: Dry ice.

SOLUTIONS

There are two parts to a solution, solute, and solvent.

Solute is what is dissolved, solvent is what dissolves it.

Almost all solutions are homogeneous mixtures.

HEAT TRANSFER

There are three forms of heat transfer. Through touch, or conduction (stove) Through liquids, or convection (hot coffee) Or through waves, or Radiation (sun rays)

FORCE, RESISTANCE, FRICTION

By definition, force is “ an influence that causes a change in an object”.

The Def. of resistance is “ an opposed force that slows something down” and frictions is just a form of resistance. It is when something slows down do to it being rubbed against another object.

COLLECTING VARIABLES

In an experiment, the third step is to collect your variables.

The three necessary variables are IV (independent) DV (dependent) and CV (constant)

The independent variable is what you change, the dependent is effected by the IV (or the result of) and the CV is what never changes.

You should never change more than one variable at a time because it will destroy the experiment at the seams

PARTS OF AN ATOM

Protons and Neutrons are the center of the atom.

Electrons are the orbiting parts on the outside.

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHANGES

A physical change is a change in shape or appearance. Like crumpling a paper or painting a wall

A chemical change is a change in substance. Like rusting nails or burning wood.

DENSITY, BUOYANCY

A material as mass times per unit volume. Basically it is the measurement of how packed together a objects particles are.

Buoyancy the force (by fluid) that goes against an objects weight. Is the water is more dense than the object, then the object will float.

GOOD AND BAD RESEARCH QUESTIONS A good research question should never

involve an opinion, but something that can be tested and proven.

For example: “who's hair is prettier, James or Kyle?” would be a bad research question.

“will a plant grow faster in the light, or dark?” is a good one.

WAVES AND HOW WAVES TRAVEL

A wave by Def. is merely a disturbance in energy. The way they travel depends on the type of wave it is.

Mechanical waves need mediums to travel, however Electro magnetic waves do not.

Mechanical waves such as movements and such cannot travel through a vacuum such as space but EM. Waves like radio waves or heat waves can.

HETERO AND HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURES In a heterogeneous mixture, you CAN

see the particles , but in a homogeneous mixture you can’t.

Some examples of a homogeneous would be tea, fruit juice, sodas and energy drinks.

A heterogeneous mixture would be a salad, fruit basket, ice water and pencils in a blender.

SOUND WAVES

Sound waves are made from vibrations across a medium. The most typical from a sound wave that is made is when people talk and vibrate their vocal cords.

Sound is detected by the human ear, which takes the sound into the ear, passes the eardrum, and gets to the inner ear where throughout the process has translated the vibrations and comprehended by the brain.

When the vocal cords vibrate, air is passed out of the lungs and past the vocal cords where the sound leaves the mouth and speaks.