美国高中物理课件.ppt

Science is the study of nature’s rules. We can’t control Earth’s motion, but we have learned the rules by which it moves. The study of nature’s rules is what this book is about. Understanding these rules adds richness to the way we see our world. Physics is about the nature of basic things such as motion, forces, energy, matter, heat, sound, light, and the composition of atoms. When scientific findings in nature are expressed mathematically, they are easier to verify or to disprove by experiment. Scientific methods generally include some, if not all, of the following: Recognize a problem. Make an educated guess—a hypothesis—about the answer. Predict the consequences of the hypothesis. Perform experiments to test predictions. Formulate the simplest general rule that organizes the main ingredients: hypothesis, prediction, and experimental outcome. If a scientist finds evidence that contradicts a hypothesis, law, or principle, then the hypothesis, law, or principle must be changed or abandoned. Scientific Theories To determine whether a hypothesis is scientific or not, look to see if there is a test for proving it wrong. think! Which of these is a scientific hypothesis? Atoms are the smallest particles of matter. The universe is surrounded by a second universe, the existence of which cannot be detected by scientists. Albert Einstein was the greatest physicist of the 1900s. think! Which of these is a scientific hypothesis? Atoms are the smallest particles of matter. The universe is surrounded by a second universe, the existence of which cannot be detected by scientists. Albert Einstein was the greatest physicist of the 1900s. Answer: (a) is scientific, because there is a test for its wrongness. (b) has no test for possible wrongness and is therefore unscientific. (c) is an assertion that has no test for possible wrongness. Science is a method of answering theoretical questions; technology is a method of solving practical problems. Science is mostly concerned