The Language

of Science
GAC013 UNIT 2
Chapter Goals

 By the end of this Unit, you will be able to…

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…understand and correctly use scientific language, units, and scientific notation.
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…write a report based on the results of a scientific investigation.
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…use the glossary in the Appendix of this manual or the Internet Sites provided at
the beginning of Unit 4.
Think about a tree...

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How would you describe it?
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Write some notes in the box on p.
32.

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Now let’s get specific…
– Species
– Color, Texture
– Dimensions
– Shape
– Genetics
– Population
– Environment
– Uses…
Scientific Units

Measuring Methods Measurement International System

• How many ways can you • Length  Meter m
measure a book? • Time  Second s
• Quantitative measurements
• Mass  Kilogram kg
• Put numbers on an object
• Must always include units of • Current  Ampere A
measure!
• Temp  Degree K
• Qualitative measurements:
• Luminosity  Candela cd
• Describe what a thing is like.
About Temperature...

 Kelvin ●
To convert temperatures
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Absolute Zero ●
Celsius to Fahrenheit
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0K ● TF = 9/5 TC + 32
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Nothing can get colder ●
Fahrenheit to Celsius
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-273.15º C ● TC = 5/9 (TF – 32)
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Units are same size as Celsius
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Celsius to Kelvin
● TK = TC + 273.15

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Calculate: 98.6ºF in Celsius and
Kelvin
Compound SI Units

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Area  square meter m2
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Volume  cubic meter m3
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Speed/Velocity  meters per second m/s
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Acceleration  meters per second squared m/s2
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Density  kilograms per cubic meter kg/m3
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Electric field strength  volts per meter V/m
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Specific heat  joule per kilogram kelvin J/kgK
Units With Special Names

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Frequency  Hertz n / s-1 → Hz
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Force/weight  Newton kg m2/s →N
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Work/energy  Joule Nm →J
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Pressure/Stress  Pascal N/m2 → Pa
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Power  Watt kg m2/s3 →W
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Electric charge  Coulomb As →C
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Electrical potential  Volt J/A/S →V
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Electrical resistance  Ohm J/s/A2 →Ω
Dealing With BIG Numbers

 Important things about large numbers;

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In Asia, numbers are divided into sets of four digits ( 万 )
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In the west (and SI), digits are divided into three (1,000)
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In English, digit groups are separated by commas and decimals are
separated by periods. In other European languages, the opposite is
true:
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1,234,567.89 ← → 1.234.567,89
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To standardize, SI uses spaces and periods
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1 234 567.89
Making BIG Numbers
 When numbers get really big or really small, it gets hard to write
them down.
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Speed of Light: C = ~300 000 000 m/s
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Money US owes China: 6 200 000 000 000 USD
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Number of atoms in 1 G hydrogen:
602 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 atoms
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Mass of one hydrogen atom:
0.000 000 00 000 000 000 000 000 001 66 g
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So how can we make these easier to write?
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Scientific Notation! X * 10n
N times ten to the whatsit?

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Take a large number:
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15 600 000 K 0.000 000 4 m
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Use the end to create a decimal number
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1.560 000 0 0 000 000 4.0
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Count how many digits the decimal moved, n
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1.560 000 0 0 000 000 4.0
765 432 1 -123 456 7
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Write this as ten to the nth power
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1.56 * 107 4 * 10-7
Now You Try It...
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Speed of Light:
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300 000 000 m/s  3.0x108 m/s
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Money US owes China:
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1 110 000 000 000 USD  6.2x1012 USD
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Atoms in 1 G of Hydrogen:
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602 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 atoms  6.02x1023 atoms
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Mass of one hydrogen atom:
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0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 000 00166 g  1.66x10-27 grams

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Homework: Complete the exercises on page 44