Post on 01-Jan-2016
Theories, Models, and Laws – Oh, my!
What is a scientific theory?
• a well-supported
explanation about
the natural world.
What does it really mean?•A scientific theory
EXPLAINS WHY or
HOW something
happens.
Example 1:• The Big Bang Theory
– more than just a TV show.
– it is the idea that the universe
started as a very dense ball of
matter and exploded outward
and formed the universe as we
know it.
• Edwin Hubble and others proved the
universe is still expanding today!
Example 2:
• Darwin’s Theory of
Evolution: the theory that
all life came from a common
ancestor, with specific traits
becoming different species.
– Natural selection – only the
organisms with the best
characteristics for survival will
survive.
Example 3
• Plate Tectonics
• The theory that the
Earth’s outer layer is
divided into plates
which move and carry
the continents with
them.
What is a scientific law?
• - describes a basic
principle of nature that
always occurs under
certain conditions.
What does it really mean?
•- DESCRIBES WHAT
you can expect to
happen.
Example 1• Law of
superposition
(geology) – states
that each layer of rock is
younger than the layer
underneath it.
• Kind of like your laundry
hamper
Example 2• Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
– – 1 . All planets orbit the sun in elliptical orbits.
Example 3
• Newton’s Laws
of Motion: – 1st Law – an object
in motion stays in
motion until
another force acts
on it.
Models
• Not the skinny kind!
• Illustrate something
too big or too small for
humans to study easily.
Models – what it really means
•SHOWS how
something looks or
behaves
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3
EXIT TICKET!
• Using sign language, you’re going to
show me you know what we just
covered!
A.
an untested idea
B.
an educated guess
C.
an accepted description
D.
a well-supported explanation
2. Which phrase defines a scientific theory?
A.
Hurricanes get bigger over warm water.
B.
The eye is the calmest part of the storm.
C.
Hurricanes have wind speeds greater than 119 km/h.
D.
Rotating thunderstorms gain energy over warm tropical waters.
3. Which statement belongs in a scientific theory about how hurricanes form?
A.
In theory, the experiment will work as planned.
B.
She has a theory about why the storm arrived later than predicted.
C.
The atomic theory explains that material objects are made up of atoms.
D.
The doctor’s prescription for curing a cold is based on his best theory or guess.
4. In which statement does the word theory mean scientific theory?
A.
a hypothesis
B.
an observation
C.
a scientific law
D.
a scientific theory
5. The fact that atoms and molecules are always in motion helps scientists explain how solids turn into liquids. What is this explanation an example of?
A.
data model
B.
visual model
C.
conceptual model
D.
mathematical model
6. The following map shows how likely it is for a storm to develop winds that are fast enough to become a tropical storm. The map was made with a computer program that uses weather data and mathematical equations to make predictions about the storm.What type of model is shown in the diagram?
A.
a model
B.
an observation
C.
a scientific law
D.
a scientific theory
17. Scientists need to know how gravity acts on a space shuttle so they can put the space shuttle into orbit. They use an equation that describes how gravity relates to the mass of two objects and the distance between the two objects. Which term describes this equation?
A.
The sun rises in the east.
B.
Why does the sun rise in the east?
C.
The sun appears in the east because of Earth’s rotation pattern.
D.
If the sun appears in the east, then I am in the Western Hemisphere.
18. Bryce observes that the sun always seems to rise in the east. He talks with others and finds that everyone has the same observation. Which statement is a scientific law?