The Greek mathematician Eratosthenes made measurements to show the size of
Earth.
When the sun was directly overhead in Syene, why wasn't it directly overhead in Alexandria?
The Earth is a sphere (circumference).
Earth, like everything else illuminated by the Sun, casts a shadow. Why does this shadow taper?
The Sun is much larger than the Earth.
How does the Moon's diameter compare with the distance between Earth and the Moon?
The Moon's diameter is 1/110 the distance between Earth and the Moon.
How does the Sun's diameter compare with the distance between the Earth and Sun?
The sun's diameter is 1/110 the distance between Earth and the Sun.
What are the circular spots of light seen on the ground beneath a tree on a sunny day?
These are pinhole images of the Sun.
What is the role of equations in this book?
Equations are guides to thinking and show connections between concepts.
Equations in Conceptual Physics are used mainly
guides to thinking.
Distinguish between a hypothesis and a theory.
A hypothesis is an educated guess, whereas a theory encompasses well tested and verified hypotheses.
In daily life, people are often praised for maintaining some particular point of view, for the "courage of their convictions." A change of mind is seen as a sign of weakness. How is this different in science?
When a scientist finds evidence that contradicts a law, then the law must be abandoned.
What is the test for whether a hypothesis is scientific or not?
A hypothesis is scientific if it is possible to prove it wrong.
In daily life, we see many cases of people who are caught misrepresenting things and who soon thereafter are excused and accepted by their contemporaries. How is this different in science?
A scientist who lies in a scientific publication will suffer professional excommunication.
Must people choose between science and religion?
No, there is no contradiction in being scientific and religious in one's thinking.
Psychological comfort is a benefit of having solid answers to religious questions. What benefit accompanies a position of not knowing the answers?
Not knowing answers opens the mind to a lifetime of exploring.
A theory in science is
a synthesis of well-tested ideas.
A fact in science is
an agreement between trained investigators.
A scientific hypothesis deemed valid must have a test for proving it
wrong.
Clearly distinguish between science and technology.
Science gathers the knowledge that technology uses for practical purposes.
Religion is concerned mainly with the
spiritual world.
Why is physics considered to be the basic science?
Because all other sciences can be shown to be derived from it.
Science is a body of knowledge that
1) Describes order in nature2) Is an ongoing human activity3) Condenses knowledge into testable laws(ALL OF THE ABOVE)
To a fair approximation, Early Greeks knew the
1) Earth-Moon distance2) Size of the Moon3) Size of the Earth (ALL OF THE ABOVE)
When the Sun shines on the Moon, the Moon casts a shadow
1) At all times2) That is tapered3)That sometimes falls on Earth(ALL OF THE ABOVE)
Spots of sunlight on the ground cast through openings between leaves in trees above are actually
images of the Sun.
A simple method of measuring the distance between the Earth and the Moon is to place in your line of sight to the Moon a
coin.
An educated scientific guess is a
hypothesis.
Facts in the field of science
are changeable.
When a dishonest scientist reports false information, he or she
gets no second chance in the scientific community.
Which of the following is a scientific statement?
Candy Bon Bons contain no sugar.
For a scientific hypothesis to be valid, there must be a test for proving it
wrong.
Science, art, and religion normally need not contradict one another because
all three involve different domains.
A truly educated person is knowledgeable about
1) The arts2) Religion3) Science(ALL OF THE ABOVE)
Technology is a tool that can
1) Be socially beneficial2) Be socially harmful when abused3) Lead to a better world(ALL OF THE ABOVE)