1. The Nature of Science ▪ A notes page is being handed out to you by our TA ▪ As we discuss the notes, please fill in the blanks ▪ Once completed, paste your notes into the next blank page of your science notebook

2. The Nature of Science ▪ Science is the study of the natural world. ▪ There are different fields of science: – Biology or life science – Geology or Earth science – Physics or physical science

3. The Nature of Science ▪ Scientific knowledge is and probably always will be changing. ▪ Empirical evidence is all the measurements and data scientists gather in support of a scientific explanation. ▪ Evidence can be collected through experiments, fieldwork, and surveys.

4. Scientific Theory ▪ Scientific theory (HOW IT HAPPENS) – an explanation supported by a large amount of evidence, best explanation based on what we know, helps us understand scientific law

5. Scientific Law ▪ Scientific law (DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPENS) – a description of a specific relationship under given conditions in the natural world

6. Science and Society ▪ How does science impact society? – Improves quality of life (electricity, refrigerators, medical equipment, computers, electronic communication) – Meets the needs of society (medicines, transportation)

7. Models ▪ A model is a representation of an object or system. ▪ Models are used to study things that are very small, large, or too complex to study.