WELCOME

CHAPTER 1:
Introduction to Science

Chapter
Chapter 1:
1: Introduction
Introduction to Science
1.1
1.1 What
What is
is Science?
Science?
1) Science is the systematic study of natural Phenomena and
how it effects us and the environment.
2) Science is studied through observation and scientific
investigation.
3) Natural Phenomena that happen in the environment can be
explained through science.
Examples:
a) the melting of ice
b) the birth of a baby
c) lightning
d) Earthquake (gempa bumi)

4) Science has the following uses and benefits:

a) it helps us to understand things around us.
b) it make our lives easier, healthier and comfortable.
c) it helps us to improve the environment.
d) it trains us to think logically and creatively.

5) Science covers a very wide area of study:

a) BIOLOGY-

The study of living things.

b) PHYSICS-

The study of interaction of motion and forces.

c) CHEMISTRY- The study of chemical properties, their

reactions and uses.
d) GEOLOGY- The study of rocks and minerals.
e) ASTRONOMY- The study of the stars and planets.
f) METEOROLOGY - The study of weather and climates.

6) Careers in Science including:

Doctor, Veterinarian, Pharmacist, Engineer, Architect, Chemist, Computer programmer,
pilot, scientist, astronomer, dentist forensic, Biologist, chemist and etc.

(Exercise 1.1 page 4) exercise book

Mark (/) for true statements or (x) for false

statement.
1) A natural phenomenon is an occurrence that
involves only non living things
2) Science is an arrangement of knowledge about
the environment
3) Knowledge of science can only be obtained
through experiments
4) Computer programming is a career in science

1.2 Science Laboratory

*Laboratory Safety Rules and
Precautions
(See text book pg 5).

*Common laboratory apparatus

(see text book pg 7, 8 and 9).

 Outline drawing for laboratory apparatus

10)

(Pg

Retort stand and

clamp

Gas jar

Test tube

Round-bottom flask

Beaker

Conical flask

Hazard symbols
1) Hazard symbols are recognizable symbols designed to
warn about hazardous materials or locations

Corrosive
(mengakis)

Highly flammable
(mudah terbakar)

Explosive
(mudah meletup)

Toxic/Poisonous
(Toksik/beracun)

Harmful/Irritant
(Berbahaya/merengsa)

Radioactive
(Radioaktif)
See also textbook page 11

Exercise 1.2 (page 12)

Lighting up the Bunsen

burner.
What are the steps that you should
follow to light up a Bunsen burner?

1. Close the air-hole using the

collar on the Bunsen burner
2. Hold a lighted match (or a
starter) at the top of the Bunsen
burner.
3. Turn on the gas slowly to get
Luminous flame (yellow flame)

4. Open the air-hole to get

Non - luminous flame ( blue flame)

Think about it
Why is it necessary to close the airhole first? Why cant you just light
the burner with the air-hole open?

1.3 Steps in Scientific Investigation

Propose a
Hypothesis

Identify
the Problem

Making
Conclusion

Analyse and
interpret
the data

Write a
Report
Collect
Data

Plan the
Experiment

Control the
variable
(experiment)
PHECDACR

 Exercise 1.3 (page 16)

Activity 1.5 : Scientific Investigation (pg 14) - REPORT

Date

: ___________

Problem

: How does the length of a simple

pendulum affects its period of oscillation?

Hypothesis : The shorter the length of pendulum,

the shorter the time taken for 10 oscillation.
Variables

: a) Constant
b) Manipulated
c) Responding

: Mass of the pendulum bob

: Length of the thread
: Periods of oscillation

Apparatus

: Pendulum bob, string, retort stand and clamp,

metre ruler and stop watch

Retort
stand

String
Pendulum bob

One complete swing meaning

A swing to B and swing back to A

Steps:
1) A pendulum with a 10cm long thread is prepared.
2) The pendulum is pulled to one side, then it is released.
3) The time taken for 10 complete oscillation is recorded
in a table.
4) The experiment is repeated using a pendulum of
different lengths as shown in the table.

Results:
Experiment

Length of simple
pendulum (cm)

Time taken for 10 complete

oscillation (s)
Reading 1

10

8.8

20

13.2

30

16.0

40

18.4

50

20.0

Reading 2

Average

Time taken (s)

Plot a graph:

20
16
12
8
4

10

20

30

40

50

Length of the pendulum (cm)

Analysis

: From the data, we can say that the

pendulum with a longer string takes
longer time to oscillate.

Conclusion : The time taken for the simple pendulum

to make one complete oscillation
increase with the length of the pendulum.
The hypothesis is accepted.

Question :
Which of the following is not one
of the steps in using the
scientific method?
A)Making a hypothesis
B) Collecting a data
C) Identify a problem
D) Making a theory

1.4 Physical Quantities and Their Units

1) A physical quantity is a quantity which can
be measured.
Physical quantity SI Unit/symbol Measuring instrument
Length
Metre (m)
Metre rule
Mass
Kilogram (kg)
Beam balance
Time
Second (s)
Stop watch
Temperature
Kelvin (K)
Thermometer
Electric current
Ampere (A)
Ammeter
Table 1.1: The SI units and measuring instruments

2) Physical quantities are measured in SI units.

3) SI units is the abbreviation of the French term
Le systeme International d unite
= International System
4) SI units are used as standard units all over the
world
5) Prefixes are used in the SI unit to state a very
small or a very big value.

Table 1.4 symbols and values for

prefixes (Pg 17)
Prefix

Symbol

Numerical
Value

mega

1 000 000

kilo
centi
milli
micro

k
C
m

1 000
0.01
0.001
0.000001

Value
6

10
3

10
-2

10
-3

10
-6

10

Example:
Value of physical quantity

5 000 000 k

Prefix form

3 300 g=

3.3 kg

0.081m =

8.1 mm

0.000 006 A=

6m

5 Mk

Try it!

0.02 m
4 000 g
0.007 A
9 500 m

=
=
=
=

2 cm
4 kg
.
.

2cm
4kg
7mA
9.5 km
8 mm

Weight

Mass

1) The pull of earths gravity

on that object.

1) The quantity of matter in the

object.

2) The weight of an object

change depends on the
gravitational force that
acts on the object at the
place.

2) The mass of an object is

constant everywherebecause the quantity of
matter in an object is the
same wherever the object is.

3) The SI unit Newton (N)

3) The SI unit- Kilogram (kg)

4) Measuring weight- spring

balance, compression
balance (pg 18)

4) Measuring mass- beam

balance, Lever balance and
electronic balance, chemical
balance

Beam balance measure mass

Measuring length
1) Length is the distance between 2 points
2) The SI unit for length metre (m)
3) Short lengths are measured in cm or mm while long
distance measured in km

a) Measuring the length of straight line

1) A metre ruler can be used.
2) The correct reading obtained only when the eyes
vertically above the mark on ruler

3) Parallax error occurs if the position of the eye

is wrong when taking the reading
4) Measuring tape can be used to measure
The length of long straight lines

b) Measuring the length of curved line

1) A piece of thread and a metre ruler can be used.
2) using opisometer

Measuring curve line

Measuring curve line

using an opisometer

2) Measuring the diameter of object

- The diameter of an object can be measured using
calipers and ruler
- The external calipers is used to measure the external
diameter of an object
- The internal calipers is used to measure the internal
diameter of an object

External calipers

Internal calipers

Measurement area

Mark (/) on each square that is fully covered,

half covered or more than half covered

12 unit2

d
b

Measuring Volume of the object

= Water displacement method

Suitable for volume of uneven object

45 ml
stone

30 ml
What is the volume of the stone?
Volume of the stone = (45 - 30)
= 15 cm3

Measuring Volume object less dance than water

55.5 cm3
45 cm
30 cm3

Object x

load
What is the volume of x?
Volume of object x = (55.5 -45)
= 10.5cm3

Volume
of stone

How to read the volume

of liquid

Measurement Skill
1)
2)

3)

The measurement is accurate if it is very

close to the actual value
Inaccurate measurement may lead a
scientific investigation to make a wrong
conclusion to an experiment.
We can increase the accuracy:
a) using suitable measuring tools
b) using right technique avoid parallax error
c) taking several readings take the average