Chapter 1

The Way of Science

Sections

• 1.1- Stardust: An Invitation to Science• 1.2- Observing the Night Sky• 1.3- Ancient Greek Theories: An Earth-Centered

Universe• 1.4- Copernicus's Theory: A Sun-Centered

Universe• 1.5- Kepler's Theory: a Sun-Focused Universe• 1.6- Science: A Dialogue Between Nature and

Mind• 1.7- The Copernican Revolution: Dawn of the

Modern Age

1.1- Stardust: An Invitation to Science

• -We literally came from the stars, therefore we are connected to the rest of the universe. It is human nature to question the physical phenomena that we encounter everyday.

• -Reasons for learning science-• 1. Expand awareness• 2. Develop social values appropriate to the scientific

age• -The problems and the solutions of our time are

bound up with science and its close relative, technology. Thats why we all this the scientific age.

• -Physics- Is the study of phenomena that, like falling, are universal.

1.2- Observing the Night Sky• -This book's most important

theme is the study of the nature of science itself.

• - The Scientific Process- is often described as several activities that scientists sometimes practice.

• - Astronomy- The scientific study of the stars and other objects in space, and has been closely associated with physics.

• - Astrology- The belief, rejected by science for over two centuries, that events on Earth are influenced by the positions and motion of the planets.

1.2

1.3- Ancient Greek Theories: An Earth-Centered Universe

• - This figure shows the heavenly objects circling a motionless Earth. This is also known as the

Pythagorean theory of the universe.

1.3 Facts• - It was thought that the stars kept pace with one another because they were all

attached to the inside surface of a single transparent spherical shell that rotates around the Earth once a day.

• - The known planets were thought to move in a uniform circular motion.• - Uniform circular motion- Motion in a circle at an unchanging or uniform speed.• - A philosophical-mathematical-religious group led by Pythagoras developed this

Pythagorean theory of the universe.• - Pythagorean theory of the universe- The earliest Greek theory. The stars, sun,

and moon, and each of five planets circle Earth on uniformly spinning, transparent, Earth-Centered spheres to which each is attached.

• - These Pythagoreans formed a secretive cult that believed passionately in the importance of abstract ideas.

• -Pythagoras believed that the most perfect ideas were mathematical because they could be stated so precisely yet abstractly.

• - Retrograde motion- A temporary change in the direction that a planet moves relative to the stars, as seen from Earth.

• - Aristarchus’s Theory- A sun-centered theory that was rejected because it seemed to conflict with everyday observations.

Retrograde Motion and Aristarchus’s Theory

1.4 – Copernicus’s Theory: A Sun-Centered Universe

• - Copernicus’s Theory- A sun-centered theory, similar to Aristarchus’s. The planets, including Earth, circle the sun, and Earth spins on its axis. This theory explained to East-to-West motion of the heavenly bodies.

• - Like Pythagoras, Copernicus also believed in a uniform circular heavenly motion.

• - Copernicus’s theory was kept a secret until he was on his deathbed for fear of criticism.

1.5- Kepler’s Theory: A Sun-Focused Universe

• - It was not until  Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) that Aristotle's work was completely eclipsed. Driven by the need to explain the highly accurate observations of planetary motion made by Tyco Brahe (1546-1601), Kepler replaced Aristotle's circular orbits with ellipses .

• - Kepler’s Theory- states that rather than moving in sun-centered circles, each planet moves in a sun-focused ellipse.

1.6- Science: A Dialogue Between Nature and Mind

• - Observation- refers to the data-gathering process.

• - Measurement- is a quantitative observation• - Experiment- is an observation that is

designed by humans in a controlled environment.

• - Theory- is a well-confirmed framework of ideas that explains what we observe.

• - Model- is a theory that can be visualized. • - Hypothesis- an educated suggestion or

guess, a tentative theory.

1.7- The Copernican Revolution: Dawn of the Modern Age

• The Copernican revolution- The rejection of the idea that Earth is at the center of, and therefore basically different from, the rest of the universe.

• The Copernican viewpoint- The view that Earth is not a unique place in the universe, that the same principles of nature apply throughout the universe.

• Galaxy- A large aggregation of stars. Most galaxies, such as our own Milky Way, have a disk like shape and revolve about their centers.

1.7

• The universe is estimated to contain somewhere near 100 billion galaxies. 100,000,000,000.( WOW!!!)

• 70 years after Copernicus’s death, the Catholic church pronounced his theory was incorrect and opposed to Scripture.