Introduction: Science
and measurement.
1. The scientific method.
The scientific method is the procedure that science people follow
to study problems and reach certain conclusions.
1. Observation. It consists of analyzing the phenomenon and
identifying the problem.
2. The hypothesis. Hypothesis: An assumption that is provisionally
established as the basis for initiating an investigation.
3. Experimentation. It is to repeat the phenomenon studied under
controlled conditions, taking into account various variables.
ü Independent variables are values that we can choose
freely.
ü Dependent variables are values based on previous
variables.
ü Controlled variables are fixed values.
4. Analysing the results. With the analysis of the data obtained in the
experiments, the scientist confirms or rejects the hypothesis. To
analyze the data, they are organized in tables and graphs.
5. Defining laws and theories. If the hypothesis is confirmed, the
scientist states a scientific law which is the statement of the
confirmed hypothesis. This law can be expressed by a sentence
or by a mathematical formula. When several laws are
interrelated, a theory is enunciated, which is an explanation to a
series of facts demonstrated by scientific laws.
6. Publishing the results. The research carried out must be published
in scientific journals so that it becomes known to other scientists.
2. Measurement.
2.1. Quantity and units.
Quantity (magnitude): any characteristic of matter which
can be measured. In other words, a quantity can be
expressed using a number and a unit.
When we measure a magnitude, we are comparing that
unknown magnitude with a standard quantity known as a
unit to see how many of them it contains.
2.2. The international System of Units
(SI)quantities: those which cannot be expressed in terms
Base
of other quantities.
●
Quantity ●
Unit in SI ●
Symbol
●
Length (L) ●
Metre ●
m
●
Mass (m) ●
Kilogram ●
kg
●
Time (t) ●
Second ●
s
●
Temperature (T) ●
Kelvin ●
K
●
Current intensity (I) ●
Ampere ●
A
● Luminous intensity (IL) ●
Candela ●
cd
●
Amount of substance (n) ●
Mole ●
mol
Derived quantities: those which can be expressed on the
basis of the fundamental ones.
Sometimes the unit of the derived quantity has its own name.
Example: the unit of force is Newton (N) and the unit of
pressure is Pascal (Pa).
2.3. Multiples and submultiples.
●
MULTIPLES ● ●
SUBMULTIPLES
●
PREFIX ●
SYMBOL ●
FACTOR ● ●
PREFIX ●
SYMBOL ●
FACTOR
●
peta ●
P ●
1015 ● ●
deci ●
d ●
10 – 1
●
tera ●
T ●
1012 ● ●
centi ●
c ●
10 – 2
●
giga ●
G ●
109 ● ●
mili ●
m ●
10 – 3
●
mega ●
M ●
106 ● ●
micro ●
µ ●
10 – 6
●
kilo ●
k ●
103 ● ●
nano ●
n ●
10 – 9
●
hecto ●
h ●
102 ● ●
pico ●
p ●
10 – 12
●
deca ●
da ●
10 ● ●
femto ●
f ●
10 – 15
●
Tera ●
T
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
Giga ●
G
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
Mega ●
M
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
kilo ●
k
●
hecto ●
h
●
deca ●
da
●
Basic unit ●
g, m, L, s, …
●
deci ●
d
●
centi ●
c
●
mili ●
m
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
micro ●
μ
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
nano ●
n
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
pico ●
p
2.4. Converting units and conversion
factors.
a) Converting a single unit.
It is multiplied or divided by a power of ten
whose exponent indicates the number of jumps
needed to go from one unit to another.
45 mg = ____ g
9,2 km = ___ cm
0,37 cL = ___ µL
610 dm2 = ___ hm2
●
Tera ●
T
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
Giga ●
G
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
Mega ●
M
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
kilo ●
k
●
hecto ●
h
●
deca ●
da
●
Basic unit ●
g, m, L, s, …
●
deci ●
d
●
centi ●
c
●
mili ●
m
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
micro ●
μ
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
nano ●
n
●
______ ●
--------
●
______ ●
--------
●
pico ●
p
45 mg = ____ g : 103 45 mg = 0,045 g
9,2 km = ___ cm x 105 9,2 km = 920 000 cm
0,37 cL = ___ µL x 104 0,37 cL = 3 700 µL
610 dm2 = ___ hm2 : 106 610 dm2 = 0,000 61 hm2
b) Converting time units
10 days = ____ h
7 500 days = ___ years
1800 s = ___ h
450 min = ___ h
2,5 h = ___ s
10 days = ____ h x 24 10 days = 240 h
7 500 days = ___ years : 365 7 500 days = 20,5 years
1800 s = ___ h : 3600 1800 s = 0,5 h
450 min = ___ h : 60 450 min = 7,5 h
2,5 h = ___ s x 3600 2,5 h = 9000 s
c) Converting Capacity units.
1 kL = 1000 L = 1 m3
1 L = 1 dm3
●
1 mL = 1 cm3
d) Conversion factors.
Example 1:
Example 2:
Example 3:
Example 2:
Example 3:
2.5. Scientific notation.
It has an integer part consisting of a
single digit other than O, followed by
a comma and decimal part,
Very large numbers (+):
multiplied by a power of 10 with
exponent (+ or -). 230 000 = 2,3 · 105
1. Write the first digit other than 0, 57 900 000 = 5,79 · 10 7
then a comma followed by the Very small numbers (-):
remaining digits.
0,000 000 579 = 5,79 · 10
2. Write the power of 10, count how –7
many places you have to
move the comma until you 0,000 041 = 4,1 · 10 –5
only have one integer left.
This is the exponent that you
will use.
3. Analysing the results: tables
and graphs.
A table allows to arrange data in rows and columns.
Graphs show the relationship between two variables in a
visual representation.
A mathematical function is a relationship that allows you to
assign the value of a variable called dependent (y) from
another variable called independent (x) using a
mathematical expression.
a) Proportional function: its
representation is a
straight line that passes
through the origin.
b) Linear or affine function: its
representation is a
straight line that does not
pass through the origin.
c) Constant function: its
representation is a
horizontal line.
d) Quadratic or parabolic function:
its representation is a curve
that passes through the
origin
e) Hyperbolic or inverse function:
its representation is a curve
that approaches the axes. Its
variables are inversely
proportional.
The graph allows us to know
values that we have not
measured:
Interpolation: when the data
to be determined are
within the range of values
of the experimental data.
Extrapolation: when the data
to be determined are
outside the range of
values of the experimental
data.