Joy of Science

----------------------------------------------------------Eun-Kyung Park Department of Physics Faculty of Science, Bd #2, office #2-11-09 TEL: +81-(0)11-706-4415 FAX: +81-(0)11-706-4926 Email:epark@particle.sci.hokudai.ac.jp -----------------------------------------------------------

April 13, 2012

Joy of Science

Experience the evolution of Universe, Earth and Life

(Energy, Chemical reactions, Structure of matters will be taught in the second semester)

The Goals of this course

1. To achieve scientific literacy by dealing with the scientific aspects of problems that come into public debate. 2. To improve English skills within the intellectual framework of scientific areas.
Students Naturally can get more familiar with

thinking and expressing in English by reading and writing in English with various fields of science Enjoy Science!

Let us have a look at Syllabus

Course Schedule
1. 15 weeks: From Apr. 13 till Aug. 3 2. May 4: National holiday 3. June 8: No-class due to campus festival 4. August 3: Due date of final assignment

Course Grading
n Grades:

participation (40%) homework (20%) - biweekly quizzes and final assignment (40%)
n Distribution of grades:

30 % Excellent 40% Very Good 20% Good 10% Pass

Textbooks
n Textbook

Science Matters: Achieving Scientific Literacy Robert M. Hazen and James Trefil
ISBN-10: 9780307454584 ISBN-13: 978-0307454584 ASIN: 0307454584

n Reference book

The Sciences: An Integrated Approach Robert M. Hazen and James Trefil

ISBN-10: 0470118547 ISBN-13: 978-0470118542

Additional information
n Lectures and quizzes will be given using audience

response system
n Students can join polls anonymously using clickers

n Lecture slides are posted:

http://www.sci.hokudai.ac.jp/~epark/ekpark_e.html

Any Questions?

Example Clicker Test

1) Are you majoring in Science? 1. Yes 2. No 3. Partially Yes

Example Clicker Test

2) What grade are you in? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Others

3) What is your English level? (self-evaluation) 1. Native speaker 2. Not native speaker but no difficulty with English 3. No fluent but good enough to communicate with foreigners in English 4. Not good but enough to hear English seminar

Self introduction

Outline of todays lecture

Joy of Science as a Scientific Literacy course

n 1. The importance of scientific literacy: Why we need to n n n n

obtain scientific literacy 2. Objectives of this course: How we will obtain scientific literacy through this course 3. Properties of science: Definition of science 4. Scientific method: The tool to distinguish science from pseudoscience 5. Science of Evolution

Joy of Science

The Scientific Literacy

1. Importance of Scientific Literacy

Why do we need scientific literacy?

n Scientific literacy helps consumers make informed

decisions. n Todays workplace depends on science. n Scientific literacy provides a foundation for teaching children. n Scientific literacy allows you to share in the joy of science.

2. Objectives of this course

n 1) By Organizing our presentation around the central Great

Ideas rather than around specific disciplines, students can deal with the universe as it presents itself to them
n 2) By Integrating the concepts of each lesson to be discussed

related to every area of science, students can obtain better understanding of science and the universe as a seamless web of interacting phenomena

The Organization of Science

n Science is organized around a hierarchy of fundamental

principles. For instance, overarching concepts about forces, motion, matter, and energy apply to all scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, and geology
n Additional great ideas relate to specific systems molecules,

cells, planets, or stars.

n A seamless web of scientific knowledge draws a larger,

integrated picture of our universe

n Technology has been developed while the results of science

are applied to commercial or industrial goals.

Objectives of this course

n 1) By Organizing our presentation around the central Great
Physics Ideas rather than around specific disciplines, students can deal with the Biology universe as it presents itself to them Chemistry

n 2) By Integrating the concepts of each lesson to be discussed

related to every area of science, students can obtain better Technology Environment understanding of science and the universe as a seamless web of interacting phenomena

Great Idea

Astronomy

Health and Safety

Geology

3. Science: The Way of Knowing

Definition of Science

Why Study Science? Science, n gives us most powerful tool to understand how our world works and how we interact with our physical surroundings.
n provides a framework for learning more and tackling new

questions and concerns that come our way.

n helps us to predict and cope with natural disasters, diseases,

and to discover new materials and technologies.

n Provides an view of symmetry of the universe and its workings

form the unseen world of the atomic nucleus to the vastness of space.

4. The Scientific Method

n Observations: should be re-producible

The tool to distinguish Science

n Experiments: based on careful measurements n Hypothesis: a tentative educated guess by collected a number n n n n

of facts which are confirmed observations Predictions: led by hypotheses, can be tested by more observations and experiments Scientific Law: a regular, predictable pattern of behavior in nature Scientific Theory: a well-substantiated explanation of the natural world based on independently verified observations and tests Mathematics: the language of science experimental analyses and developments of theories

The Scientific Method

Initial Observation Hypothesis Experiment New Observation and analysis of data n What is a common word

should be filled in the blanks?

New experiment

Final supported Theory stated

A. Observation B. Hypothesis C. Experiment D. Measurement E. Theory F. Law

not supported

The Scientific Method

Initial Observation Hypothesis Experiment Observation and analysis of data New hypothesis n What is a common word

should be filled in the blanks?

New experiment

Final hypothesis supported Theory stated

Hypothesis not supported

A. Observation B. Hypothesis C. Experiment D. Measurement E. Theory F. Law

Physics

n The search for laws that describe the most fundamental aspects

of nature: matter, energy,

n All natural systems display these basic phenomena n The starting point for almost any study of how nature works

Chemistry
n The study of atoms in combination n Chemicals form every material object of our world n Chemical reactions initiate vital changes in our environment and

our bodies
n A practical science

Biology
n The study of living systems n Scales of from microscopic molecules and cells to expansive

ecosystems

Astronomy
n The study of stars, planets, and other objects in space n Tremendous discoveries thank to the development of powerful

new telescopes and robotic space exploration (Pluto in the sequence of 9-plante of our solar system is demoted to non-planet)

Geology

n The study of the origin, evolution, and present state of Earth. n The study of other planets by understanding our own world

Pseudoscience
n Pseudoscience claims to be scientific, but it cannot be analyzed

using the scientific method.

n No reproducible test <=> Scientific ideas are testable and could

be wrong
n Not science but belief or dogma n Examples of Pseudoscience:

Pseudoscience
n Pseudoscience claims to be scientific, but it cannot be analyzed

using the scientific method.

n No reproducible test <=> Scientific ideas are testable and could

be wrong
n Not science but belief or dogma n Examples of Pseudoscience: Extrasensory Perception (ESP),

UFOs, crystal power, astrology

5. Science of Evolution
n Evolution: Biological evolution??

The theory of evolution by Charles Darwin???

n Exploring chronologically the evolution of universe, solar system

and life on earth Can integrate fundamental concepts in physics, chemistry, and biology, and then provide an interdisciplinary understanding of evolution
n Can learn

- How science works - How it is used to unravel the mysterious of the universe - How physics, chemistry, and biology have developed

Star formation, telescopes

n Picture

Hubble telescope

Expanding universe
n All matter heats up when it is compressed n Universe began from a hot, dense state and has been

expanding and cooling ever since n Time of changes of state in universe according to changes of temperature freezing (imagine the freezing of water)

Formation of Solar System

Credit: diagram of a solar nebula

The Solar System

Inner solar system

Outer solar system

Life formation on Earth

Independent Free-living prokaryotic cells

Human Evolution

Homo sapiens

Ecosystem

What to Understand from the Concept of Evolution

n Evolution is the result of cumulative changes over time that

occur in all realms of the natural world.

n Various processes underlie these changes in both the physical

universe and living systems.

n There are differing time scales and rates of change. n There are connections and relationships between the physical

universe and the life it hosts.

n Science is a process of advancing our understanding of the

natural world, not a set of final answers or beliefs.

cited from [SETI institute 2005 ]

Assignment #1:
Read chapter 10 Astronomy of the textbook before next class