The document defines science as using observations and experiments to describe and explain the world around us. It discusses how the scientific method involves making observations, developing ideas to explain them, thinking of experiments to test those ideas, predicting the results, and modifying ideas based on what is observed. The document provides examples of different types of scientists such as astronomers, biochemists, botanists, and explains that a scientist conducts experiments to learn. It notes that studies not based on the scientific method, like some advertising claims, are considered pseudoscience rather than real science. Finally, it states that students can also be scientists.

1. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Ian Anderson
Saint Ignatius College Geelong

2. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Some definitions.

“Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning „knowledge‟
or „knowing‟) is the effort to discover, and increase
human understanding of how the physical world works.”
(from Wikipedia)

“Any system of knowledge that is concerned with the
physical world and its phenomena and that entails
unbiased observations and systematic experimentation.”
(from Encyclopaedia Britannica)

3. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Are these definitions confusing?

4. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Want a simpler definition?

5. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
“Science is the knowledge gained from using
observations and experiments to describe and
explain the world around us.”

6. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
How does Science differ from other fields of study?
“Science is the knowledge gained from using
observations and experiments to describe and
explain the world around us.”

7. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
How does Science differ from other fields of study?
“Science is the knowledge gained from using
observations and experiments to describe and
explain the world around us.”

8. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
All scientists observe things, try to explain their
observations and then conduct experiments to test
their ideas.
This process is known as the
scientific method.

9. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Scientific method.
A way to solve a problem.
Make an
observation
Develop an
idea about
why it
happens
Modify
ideas if
predictions
were wrong
Observe
what
actually
happens
Think of
experiments
to test the
ideas
Predict what
will happen in
the
experiments

10. OBSERVATION

Observation is one of the most important tools for a
scientist.

12. WHAT DID YOU OBSERVE?
1.
2.
3.
What was the time?
What was the date?
Describe the person at the front of the queue:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Was it a man or woman?
Was he or she tall or short?
Was he or she fat or thin?
What was he or she doing with their hands?
(Source: Science Quest 1 Student Workbook)

13. What was the time?

14. What was the date?

15. Describe the person at the front of the queue:

16. WHAT IS A SCIENTIST?
A scientist is a person who experiments in order to
learn.

17. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
There are many different types of scientists.

18. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
An astronomer studies
 stars, planets and other
objects in the universe.

19. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
A biochemist studies
 chemical substances
found in living organisms.

20. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
A botanist studies
 plants.

21. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
A chemist studies
 chemical substances such
as plastics, metals and
food.

22. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
An ecotoxicologist studies
 the harmful effects of
chemicals on the
environment, including
animals and plants.

23. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
A geologist studies
 the earth, including rocks
and soils and how they
form.

24. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
A pharmacologist studies
 medicines and drugs.

25. WHERE DO SCIENTISTS WORK?
A zoologist studies
 animals.

26. WHAT IS NOT SCIENCE?
Studies that are not based on the scientific method (yet
are claimed to be scientific) are called pseudoscience.

i.e. they make claims that are not testable.
Pseudoscience is often seen in advertising.

27. WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Can students be scientists?
Yes we can!

28. http://sickscience7.wikispaces.com/