Lesson 1

Nature of Science

What is of Science

What do you know about scientific method? What are the steps involved in scientific investigation?

Activity 1:

Material: coloured tokens, opaque plastic bag

Instruction: The class is divided into groups of 5 students. In each group

3students would act as the team players while 2 students will act as observers, observer A and B.

All the observer As and Bs will go outside the classroom when the teacher explains to the team players the rules of the game. Then all the observers will come back to the classroom and observe the team players to play the game.

After 1 minute, the observers will be allowed to play the game. If the observers play wrongly, team players can only say the word “wrong” but they are not allowed to give further hints.

Activity 1:

The observers need to record their observations and hypotheses about the rules of the game.

The time limit for the game with the participation of the observers is 2 minutes.

Then the observers are required to present the rules of the game.

Activity 1 :

What are your hypotheses? Do your data support your hypotheses?

Activity 1:

The focus on doing Activity 1 is to let you experience what scientists do in scientific research and hence broaden your knowledge on the nature of science.

The activity models the scientific process, including putting forward a hypothesis, carrying out experiments and getting results to see whether the data supports or does not support the hypothesis.

Activity 2:

Materials: Red packets & Ten-dollar bank notes

Instruction: You are given some red packets. Each of you will take turns to open a red pa

cket and then you are required to tell your classmates what is inside the red packet.

Activity 2:

Do any of your red packets contain money?

Predict the possibility that next red packet would contain money and explain your prediction.

Activity 2:

The focus of Activity 2 is to stimulate you to think about prediction based on induction (statistical induction);

Comment on the use of induction in science

Induction

Induction is the process of reasoning from particular facts or ideas to a general rule or law.

In induction, scientists use separate observations to arrive at general principles

Activity 3

Q3.1. What is the colour of swans?

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Q3.2. Do you have any comments on the following arguments?

______________________________

Activity 3

All the swans in France are observed as white.

All the swans in Germany are also observed as white.

Then, all swans in the world are white in colour.

Activity 3

In fact, the above statements are examples of logical statements.

Try to present the above statements in Mathematical terms.

Activity 3

Suggested Solution

A =B

C =B

X (including A & C) =B

Activity 3

The Structure of a Logical Argument involves a premise/premises and a conclusion.

Arguments all follow a certain basic structure. They begin with one or more premises. Premises are facts and these facts are used as the starting point of an argument. Then a principle of logic is applied in order to come to a conclusion.

Please write logical statements about the colour of swans:

Activity 3

All the swans in France are observed as white.

All the swans in Germany are also observed as white.

Then, all swans in the world are white in colour.

Using the example of the white swans

Premise1:

A (In France all the swans are observed =B

as white) (All the swans are observed as white.)

Premise2:

C (In Germany all the swans are = B

observed as white) (All the swans are observed as white)

Logical connection-Hence

Conclusion:

X(including A & C) =B

In the world (including France and Germany) all the swans are observed as

white = All the swans are observed as white

Activity 4

When a ping-pong ball, a basket ball, a football, a tennis ball are dropped from a certain height above the ground, they would fall on the ground, bounce back and finally stay on the ground.

Try to write down some logical statements about the above phenomena.

Activity 4

Dropping from a certain height above the ground, a ping pong ball bounces back to smaller heights and then finally stops bouncing.

Dropping from a certain height above the ground a basket ball bounces back to smaller heights and then finally stops bouncing.

Dropping from a certain height above the ground a football bounced back to smaller heights and then finally stops bouncing.

Dropping from a certain height above the ground a tennis ball bounces back to smaller heights and then finally stops bouncing.

Dropping from a certain height above the ground, all balls with properties of balls bounce back to smaller heights and then finally stop bouncing.

Activity 4

Your conclusion is based on some observations and experiments.

Q4.1. Are the results of your experiments consistent without contradiction?

_________________________________________________ Q4.2. Suppose you are given a ball made of a certain mat

erial, Xand required to carry out the same experiment as above, how would you comment on your previous conclusion if you got a contradictory result later?

_________________________________________________________________________

Activity 4

Remarks: The conclusion drawn by the method of “Induction by examples” may or may not be true. Once there is an exception, the conclusion can be overthrown

Activity 5 (True or False)

All swans are white. ( ) All plants possess chlorophyll. ( ) All fishes breathe with gills. ( ) All newborn mammals feed on mothers’ mil

k.( ) All snakes reproduce by laying eggs.()

Activity 5

All living things are composed of basic units called cells. ( )

All black parents will give birth to black babies.( )

All jelly fish (more than 10,000 species in the sea) are toxic to humans.( )

All matters are made of particles called atoms. ( )

All headaches can be relieved by taking panadol. ( )

All swans are white. (F) All plants possess chlorophyll. (F) All fishes breathe with gills. (F) All newborn mammals feed on mothers’ milk. (T) All snakes reproduce by laying eggs. (F) All living things are composed of basic units called c

ells. (T) All black parents will give birth to black babies. (F) All jelly fish (more than 10,000 species in the sea) are

toxic to humans. (F) All matters are made of particles called atoms. (T) All headaches can be relieved by taking panadol. (F)

Q5.1. Can you think of some other ways to enhance the validity of the conclusion drawn by the method “induction by examples”?

________________________________

Suggested Solution: increase the number of targets during ob

servations increase the range of targets a positive attitude towards contradictory

examples

Q5.2. What is the value of drawing conclusion by induction by examples?

___________________________________________________________

Suggested Solution: It is impossible to investigate all cases or

examples to establish a scientific relationship / theory / principle.

One of the advantages of using the method of induction by examples is that it is more practicable as long as the sampling method is appropriate.

The law of conservation of energy in Physics is established by using the method of induction by examples.