1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 1

Atoms and StarsIST 2420

and IST 1990

Class 2: January 19

Fall 2005

David Bowen

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 2

Handouts• PowerPoint notes• Corrected assignment schedule• Questions for midterm. May be later

additions.

Names• Initial by your name on signin list

• Go through class names again

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Due this week

• Report for Lab 1o Assignments go in the “IN” folder

For next week…• Reader through Pg 22

• Manual 30 – 34

• Turn in Report for Week 2

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Readings• Huxley, “We Are All Scientists”

o Induction. Apples, Math compared to Red Shifto Must put a supposed theory or hypothesis to

every test• Popper: science must be “falsifiable” – single failure

can be doom to a theoryo Hypothesis is normal

• DB: science prefers:o simple law before complicated oneo universal law before specific

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 5

Readings (cont’d)• Copi, “Science and Hypothesis”

o Often uses Sherlock Holmes to illustrateo Seven stepso Science has

• Practical benefit• Value in itself as knowledge

o Scientists focus on a problem• Hypothesis to focus on pertinent facts• Used to gather more facts• “Aha” – serious hypothesis

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 6

Readings (cont’d)

• Copi, “Science and Hypothesis”o Finding consequences of hypothesis

• DB: If none, “not science”

o Consequences must be testedo Application to problems

• DB: Today, can lead to technology. Transistor, microchip, programmable computer, laser

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 7

Readings (cont’d)

• Copi, “Science and Hypothesis”o Example of caloric theory of heat to kinetico Caloric – a substance, add it to matter,

temperature goes upo Count Rumford – worked on cannons

• Boring generated very large amount of heat, could not believe you could mix in that much caloric

• What could you add a lot of? Motion, led to…

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 8

Readings (cont’d)

• Copi, “Science and Hypothesis”o Kinetic theory of heato Sir Humphrey Davy compared theories,

devised test• Two pieces of ice, keep them frozen, rub together.

Caloric could not get in

• Did this, they melted, demonstrating kinetic theory

o Later, Joule more tests, also measurements

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 9

Why do scientistschange their minds?

• While focus is being studied, new facts arise, hypotheses must be changed

• At some point, tests are made, focus moves ono No change in Kinetic Theory of Heat for about

200 years

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 10

Scientific Theories(Review from last week)

Components of science

• Data or observations.o If data from different scientists disagree,

discrepancy must be checked and resolvedo Cannot depend on beliefs or preferences – such

effects must be checked and resolvedo Often gathered based on a theoretical picture,

but data stand even if picture fails

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 11

Scientific Theories (continued)Components of science

• Theory or Lawo Widely or universally accepted, accurately

explains or reproduces all or most datao (Almost) all implications have been testedo Points to new experiments which have been

completed and are in agreement with theoryo (Outside of science it is “just a theory” –

different meaning)

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 12

Scientific Theories (continued)Components of science

• Scientistso Scientists are often partisan, play favorites.

Career pressures.o “Scientific misconduct”o No special ethical standards for scientists, apart

from training.

• Scientific communityo Corrects mistakes (honest/dishonest) over time

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 13

Scientific Theories (continued)• Does this system work?

• There could be a conspiracy by scientists to cover up an unpopular theory

• Yes, but…o Conspiracies are hard to maintain for hundreds

of yearso Scientific discourse (arguments) are heated

• Some feminists are concerned that women are not used to debate that is this vigorous – maybe science should change.

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 14

Scientific Theories (continued)• Theoretically, a single contrary experiment

can overthrow the most accepted theoryo The experiment would certainly be repeated

several times to make sure it was correcto Alternate approaches would be investigatedo Science is “falsifiable” – if there is no

experiment that could overthrow a theory, the theory is not science (Karl Popper)

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 15

In the News

• This course is about Physical Science, but…• Science and Intelligent Design

o Dover, PA School Board put stickers in biology textbooks, saying that Evolution is “a theory, not a fact” and mentioning “Intelligent design.” A judge ordered the stickers removed – separation of church and state, a reasonable person would have understood that this is religion.

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 16

In the News (cont’d)

• Science and Intelligent Designo School Board has ordered similar statement to

be read to Biology students.o Science teachers refused

• Problems for Science Teachers– Variety of religious opposition to Evolution, from “young

earth” fundamentalists to “Intelligent Design”

– Many religions have no problem with evolution

o Read by school official

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 17

Background: History of Science

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History of Science (cont’d)

• Greeks (Aristotle, Plato and others)o General theories preferred

• Romanso Christians came to dominateo Concerned with God’s will, perfection of God

• India?

• Arabs / Muslims

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 19

History of Science (cont’d)

• Southern Europeo Specialization, systematic interplay of theory

and experiment

• Northern Europe

• USo Science generates of technology

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 20

Lab 1

• Observations

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Lab 1

• Aristotle:o World is full, if water would fall out of cup

when you lifted it up out of water, there would have to be room made for it, air would have to enter.

o Leads to “nature abhors a vacuum” – one would never exist

o Has to be a second hole to let air in

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 22

Lab for tonight• Lab 2, pages 4 & 5 in Lab Manual

• Starting early?o See Activity 6o Safety issues

• Sections:o Activity 1 (straws, also hook them together)o Activity 2 (eyedroppers)o Activity 3

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Lab for tonight

• Sections:o Activity 4

• Getting a good seal…

• Alternate spheres if big ones don’t work (they may come back)

o Activity 5 (be gentle with vacuum connection)o Activity 6 (practice with unheated water first,

start water boiling early)o Additional Reflections 1 & 2

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 24

Lab for tonight (cont’d)

• Activity 4: getting a good vacuum sealo Select set with flat “equator”o Valve handle pointing out, test turning it (CW)o Wipe down sphere to get dust off – O ringo Connect pump – at least two ridges coveredo Thick, continuous layer of Vaseline for a sealo Close spheres, turn about ¼ inch

• Close valve before disconnecting pump

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 25

Lab for tonight (cont’d)

• Record vacuum reading foro Activity 4o Activity 5o This is a measurements. Measurements often go

together with observations. For Activity 4, you could also measure the force required to pull the spheres apart.

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 26

Lab for tonight (cont’d)

• Data sheet – “I did A and I saw/measured B.” Sketches are good.

• Discussion: Explanations, hypotheses, answers to questions

• Report is:o Cover sheet with name, group, experiment, dateo Data sheet. If you copy it over, include originalo Discussion

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 27

ISP 3360 – break time

ISP 3340 starts

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ISP 3340

• Moodle – interactiveo Establish accounto Profileo Practice with Forum

• Introduce yourself

• Open forum

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Moodle• Establish account

o Start a web browser (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera, etc.)

o Go to course web sitehttp?//www.is.wayne.edu/drbowen/aasw05

o Scroll to bottom, click “Login”o Directions on the right

• "Is this your first time here?“

• "Surname" = last or family name

o Fill out New Account formo Moodle sends email to your address.

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 30

Moodle• Establish account (cont’d)

o Read email, click on web link in.• Title: “CULMA Open Learning Forums: account confirmation”• From Bill Warters (SysAdmin)

o After following link, your account is confirmed and you are logged in.

o Select course “IST 1990, Science and Religion.”o Enrolment key: given verbally.o You can now access the full course.

• From now on, only need to enter username and password.• Can use bottom link on course web site (direct to this course)

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 31

Moodle• Establish account (cont’d)

o People >> Edit profile• TWO telephone numbers (which can be the same)

• Phone 1: daytime

• Phone 2: evening

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 32

Moodle• Using Moodle

o Breadcrumbs separated by ">>" on top green baro Introduce Yourself.

• Discussions Vs Replies.

o Starting outo Science and religiono Activities

• Pictures?

1/19/05 Atoms and Stars, Class 2 33

End for ISP 3340

Lab