SCIENCE FORM 1

CHAPTER 1
1.1 UNDERSTANDING THAT SCIENCE IS PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE

WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Science is the systematic study
of nature and how it
affects us and our environment.
Science can explain natural
phenomena that
happen in our environment.
How?
Through careful observations, studies and
scientific investigations.

List some of natural

phenomena:

CAREERS IN
SCIENCE

Environmentalist

Archeologist

Doctor

Forensic technicianScience teacher

VARIOUS FIELDS IN SCIENCE

Science covers a very wide area of study and is
divided into various fields, such as:
Biology : the study of living things
Physics : the study of interaction of matter and
energy
Chemistry : the study of composition and
chemical properties of substances, their reactions and
uses
Geology : the study of rocks and minerals
Astronomy : the study of the stars and planets
Meteorology : the study of weather and
climate

A SCIENCE LABORATORY

What are the good practices

demonstrated by the student?

Wearing
goggles
Carrying
bottles by
the body; not
the neck

GENERAL RULES AND SAFETY

PRECAUTIONS

COMMON LABORATORY
APPARATUS

Bunsen burner

Tripod stand and wire gauze

Test tube

Crucible

Syringe
Test tube holder

Retort stand and clamp

1.2 Scientific
Investigation

Steps in scientific
investigation
1. Identifying problem
2. Forming a hypothesis
3. Planning the experiment
4. Controlling the variables
5. Collecting data
6. Analysing and interpreting data
7. Drawing a conclusion
8. Writing a report

1. List the steps of

scientific
investigation.

2. Write down a report

on Simple
pendulum experiment.

SIMPLE PENDULUM
EXPERIMENT

WRITING A REPORT
1.
Aim
2.
Problem statement
3.
Hypothesis
4.
Variables
5. Materials and apparatus
6.
Procedure
7.
Results
8.
Analysis
9.
Conclusion

1. AIM
To investigate how the length of the
pendulum string affect the time for
10 complete swings of the pendulum.

2. PROBLEM STATEMENT
How the length of the pendulum
string affect the time for 10 complete
swings of the pendulum?

3. HYPOTHESIS
If the length of the pendulum is
longer, the time taken for 10
complete swing of the pendulum is
longer.

4. VARIABLES
Manipulated (what to change)
: the length of the pendulum
Responding (what is observed)
: time taken for 10 complete swings
Constant (kept the same)
: mass of the pendulum bob

5. MATERIALS AND
APPARATUS
Pendulum bob, string/thread, retort
stand and clamp, stop watch
Apparatus set-up:

6. PROCEDURE (active
sentence)
1. Prepare the simple pendulum with a 10cm long
thread.
2. Pull the pendulum bob to one side, then release.
3. Record the time taken for 10 complete
oscillations in a table.
4. Repeat the experiment using a simple pendulum
of different lengths, e.g. 20cm, 30cm, 40cm and
50cm.
5. Draw a graph showing the time taken versus
length of pendulum for 10 complete oscillations.

6. PROCEDURE (change to passive

sentence when writing a report)
1. A simple pendulum with a 10 cm long
thread was prepared.
2. The pendulum was pulled to one side,
and then was released.
3. The time taken for 10 complete
oscillations was recorded in a table.
4. The experiment was repeated using a
simple pendulum with 20cm, 30cm, 40
and 50cm long.
5. A graph showing the time taken versus

7. RESULTS (DATA TABLE)

Length of
Time taken for 10
Experime
simple
complete
nt
pendulum (
oscillations ( s )
cm )

1
2
3
4
5

10
20
30
40
50

10
13
15
18
20

7. RESULTS (DATA TABLE)

Time taken
Length
Time taken
for 1
of
for 10
Experi
complete
simple
complete
ment
oscillations (
pendulu oscillations (
s)
m ( cm )
s)

1
2
3
4
5

10
20
30
40
50

10
13
15
18
20

1.0
1.3
1.5
1.8
2.0

8. ANALYSIS
Graph of time taken for 10 complete
oscillations versus length of simple
pendulum.

8. ANALYSIS
From the graph, we can say that:
1. The pendulum with a longer string
longer
takes
time to oscillate than the
pendulum with a shorter string.
2. The time taken for the
pendulum to
increase
make one
complete oscillation will
when the

9. CONCLUSION
From the results, the hypothesis is
accepted
.
The time taken for the simple
increases
pendulum to make one complete
oscillation
with
the length of the pendulum.

1.3 PHYSICAL
QUANTITIES
AND THEIR
UNITS

MEASUREMENT
Measurement is important
because:
It helps to describe things
everyday;
It is a part of the scientific
investigation process
(e.g: simple pendulum
experiment)

MEASUREMENT
Can be measured
How far is your
house to the
school?
How long does you
take to finish your
homework?
How hot is a glass
of water?

Cannot be
measured
How beautiful a
person is?
How does a durian
taste?
How soft a pillow
is?
How a flower

PHYSICAL QUANTITIES
A physical quantity is something that
can be measured.
There are five basic quantities:
length, time, mass, temperature and
electric current.
Measurement of physical quantities
consist of two parts:
A number indicating value or how
much;
A unit of measurement.

STANDARD UNITS: S.I. UNITS

Unit is a scale that helps you
understand a particular
measurement.
S.I units: International standard
unit of measurement (Systeme
International d Unites).

IMPORTANCE OF STANDARD
UNITS
Allow us to analyse data and
compare information easily and
more accurately;
No confusion because there is
specific symbols for each unit;
Allow us to solve problems related
to measurement.

FIVE BASIC QUANTITIES

Physical
quantities

SI
units

Symb
ols

Length

Mass
Time

Metre

A measurement of how long

something from one point to
another

Kilogra
m

kg

A measurement of how much

matter there is in an object

Second

A measurement of the
interval between two events

A measurement of the
warmness or coldness in any
object

A measurement of the rate

flow of electric charges
through a circuit

Temperature
Kelvin
Electric
current

Definition

Amper
e

PREFIXES
Prefixes are added to units like meter
and gram when we need to state
values that are too small or too
large.
Multiplie
Numeric
Prefix

Symbol

Micro

X 10-6

Milli
Centi
Kilo

X 10-3
X 10-2
X 103

m
c
k

Mega

X 106

al value
0.00000
1
0.001
0.01
1000
100000

1.4 CONCEPT OF
MASS AND
WEIGHT

WHAT IS WEIGHT?
The weight of an object is the pull
of the Earth (force of gravity) on
the object.
The S.I unit of weight is Newton (N).
The weight of any object depends on
the gravitational force.
The weight of an object is obtained
using a spring balance or
compression spring balance.

WHAT IS MASS?
The mass of an object is the
quantity of matter in the object.
The S.I. unit of mass is kilogram
(kg).
The mass of an object can be
obtained using a triple beam
balance or lever balance.

EXERCISE 5: CAN U DIFFERENTIATE

BETWEEN MASS AND WEIGHT?
MASS

WEIGHT

CAN U DIFFERENTIATE
BETWEEN MASS AND WEIGHT?
MASS
It is the amount of
matter in an
object.

WEIGHT
It is the
gravitational pull
on an object.
Its value varies
Its value is fixed.
from place to
place.
Unit: kilogram (kg) Unit: Newton (N)
Measured using
Measured using
beam balance or spring balance or
lever balance.
weighing balance.

1.5 MEASURING
TOOLS

MEASURING LENGTH
Tools: ruler, metre rule, measuring
tape
Measuring the length of a straight
line:
Using metre rule or a ruler
Correct position of eye (to avoid
parallax error)

 Measuring the length of a curve:

Using a ruler and a piece of thread

A knot is tied at the end of a thread

The thread is stretched along the curve carefully
Make a mark at the end of the curve
Stretch the thread along the ruler to obtain the
length

Using an opisometer

 Measuring the diameter of a

spherical object:
Using two wooden blocks and a ruler

Using a set-square and a ruler

 Measuring the diameter of an

object:
The external diameter is measured
using external calipers and a ruler

The internal diameter is measured using

internal caliper and a ruler.

 Measuring the thickness of an

object:
The thickness of a piece of paper can be
determined by measuring the thickness
of a stack of papers and dividing the
value of number of sheets of paper.
Thickness of a stack of paper
Thickness of a single sheet
Number of sheets

 The thickness of a glass tube can be

measured by taking the difference
between its external and internal
diameter.
External diameter - internal diameter
Thickness of glass
2

MEASURING AREA
Area is the total surface covered
by an object.
The SI unit is square metre (m2).
Regular-shaped areas can be
calculated using Mathematical
formulae.
Irregular-shaped areas can be
estimated by using a graph paper.

 Using graph paper:

Trace the object on the
graph paper.
Estimate the area by
counting the number of full
squares, half full squares
and more than half full
squares (tick the squares)
Area of the object is
estimated by multiplying
the number of squares
with the area of one
square.
The area can be estimated
more accurately with
smaller squares.

MEASURING VOLUME
Volume of an object is the total
space occupied by the object.
The SI unit is cubic metre (m3).
It also can be measured in millilitre
(ml).
The apparatus: measuring cylinder,
burette and pipette.
3
1 ml = 1 cm
1 l = 1000 cm3= 1000 ml
1 m3= 1 000 000 cm3 = 1
000 000 ml

 Measuring volumes of liquids

The volume must be taken at the
meniscus level of the liquid.
Use a piece of white paper to enable
the meniscus to be seen clearly.
The eye is positioned at the same level
of the meniscus to avoid parallax
error.

 Measuring volumes of solids

The volume of regular-shaped and irregularshaped can be measured using water
displacement method.

The object to be measured must be submerged in

the measuring cylinder filled with water.
The volume of the water displaced is the
volume of the object.

 The volume of a solid can also be

measured using a displacement can or a
Eureka can.
The volume of the water that flows
out from the can is the volume of the
solid measured.

 The volume of a light object can be

measured with the aid of a weight, for
example, a stone.
The stone which is tied to the cork
enables the cork to be submerged in the
water.