| Question | Answer |
| What is the aim of all sciences? | The search for order in our observations of the world/ |
| What are the details of the observation of events? | Important first step toward scientific theory; requires imagination to tell what is important; includes the design and carrying out of experiments. |
| How do theories help? | Created to explain and order observations; will make predictions. |
| What are observations? | Will tell if the prediction is accurate, then repeat. |
| Define physics. | Study of physical world. Includes physical universe, structure of atom, and how objects move.
Ex. throwing a ball, electricity, a moving car. |
| What is the Scientific Method? | 1.) Make observations and collect date, leads to a question.
2.) Formulate the hypothesis and test.
3.) Interpret results.
4.) State conclusion. |
| What are models? | Create mental pictures to provide an analogy; limits in model and do not take too seriously.
Ex. Bohr Model of an atom. |
| What are theories? | Detailed and can give testable predictions.
Ex. The Cell Theory. |
| What are laws? | Brief descriptions of how nature behaves in a broad set of circumstances.
Ex. Law of Gravity. |
| What are principles? | Simimlar to a law, but applies to a narrower range of events.
Ex. Pauli Exclusion Principle. |
| What are the four main rules for significant figures?
Note: Zeros=0's. | 1.) 0's between other non-zeros: sig fig.
2.) 0's infront of non-zero digits: not sig fig.
3.)0's that are at the end of a number & right of the decimal: sig fig.
4.) 0's at the end of the decimal but left of decimal: significant if measured. |
| How many sig figs in 2.321? | 4. |
| How many sig figs in 0.062? | 2. |
| How many sig figs in 80? | 2 if measured, 1 if estimated. |
| How many sig figs in 0.3? | 1. |
| How many sig figs in 0.50? | 2, the '5' and second 0 (the one after the five) are significant. |
| Rule for sig figs when multiplying/dividing? | The result of the multiplication/division has the fewest sig figs.
Ex-
11.3 x 6.8= 77 cm. |
| Rule for sig figs when adding/subtracting? | No more accurate than the least accurate used (use the decimal places). |
| True or false: No measurement is exact.
Why is this true or false? | True, because measurements are limited to the instrument's accuracy. |
| Define accuracy. | Describes how close a measured value is to the true value. |
| Define precision. | Refers to degree of exactness with which a measurement is made and stated. |
| Give the subject and examples of mechanics. | Subject- Motion and what it causes.
Examples- Falling objects, a car moving. |
| Give the subject and examples of thermodynamics. | Subject- Heat and temp.
Examples- Melting, freezing. |
| Give the subject and examples of vibrations and waves. | Subject- Repetitive motion.
Examples- Springs, pendulum. |
| Give the subject and examples of optics. | Subject- Light.
Examples- Mirrors. |
| Give the subject and examples of electromagnetism. | Subject- Electricity and magnetism.
Examples- Electrical charge, circuits. |
| Give the subject and examples of relativity. | Subject- Particles moving at a high speed.
Examples- Particle collisions. |
| Give the subject and examples of quantum mechanics. | Subject- Behavior of submicroscopic particles.
Examples- Parts of an atom. |
| Since 1983, the standard meter has been defined in terms of what? | The distance travelled by light in 1/299,792,458 of a second, or 1/(speed of light).
Previously- the length of a platinum bar in Paris. |
| Standard definition for a second of time has been based on what? | Time for 9,192,631,770 periods to occur of radiation given off by caesium radition of a 133 atom. |
| What is the SI unit of time? | Seconds (s). |
| What is the SI unit of mass? | Kilogram (kg). |
| What is the SI unit of distance? | Meter. |
| What is the SI unit of amount? | Mole. |
| What is the SI unit of temperature? | Kelvin (K). |
| What is the SI unit of luminous intensity? | Candela. |
| What is the SI unit of current? | Ampere (amp). |
