Introduction to Science

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What is Science?

SCIENCE is the study of how things work in the world around us.

It is the study of things that are very small, very large and things so large that they can’t be measured.
It is the study of things constantly changing and things that stay the same.
It is the study of how things work together and affect each other.

If you have sometimes wondered why something happened, or why something is the way it is, you are beginning to think scientifically.

Science also involves a special way of working called the scientific method. This involves finding things out by doing experiments, making careful observations, and, by inference, deciding what they show.

Who does Science?

SCIENTISTS observe and carry out experiments to try and prove their theories. Science is not just for scientists though - it is for everyone, as every day we make decisions based on what we know and see. We all interact with Science thousands of time a day, from things as complex as WiFi on our smart phones to the most simple thing as the air we breathe and food we eat.

Science also teaches us about life. We learn about problem solving, perseverance and that not everything works the first time.

New Zealand has produced some world renowned scientists. Our best known is Lord Ernest Rutherford who was the first person to split the atom. In 1975 Joan Wiffen was the first person to find dinosaur bones in New Zealand and Allan Wilson looked at the evolution of New Zealanders.

Are there different kinds of Science?

Science is broken up into different areas of study.

BIOLOGY is the study of living things.
CHEMISTRY is about what things are made of and how they change.
PHYSICS is the study of energy and motion - why things move or stay still, and the foces that make them do that.
EARTH and SPACE SCIENCE is the study of the Earth, air and oceans, planets, moons, stars, comets and galaxies.

More on an Intro to Science

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Glossary

Key terms and definitions.

Biology: The study of living things.
Chemistry: The study of what things are made of and how they change.
Earth and Space Science: The study of the Earth, air, and oceans, as well as planets, moons, stars, comets and galaxies.
Experiment: A test that scientists do to learn something new or understand how things work.
Physics: The study of how things move, why they stay still and the forces that make them do that.
Science: The study of how things work in the world around us.
Scientist: Someone who asks questions, observes things, and tries to figure out how the world works.
Theory: A well-supported explanation based on lots of evidence that helps us understand a big idea in Science.