What is a Frame of Reference and why do we care? The short version is we need to have a origin on the graph, (0,0), or any problems, and some default conventions when information is not explicitly given. A you are on Earth, therefore, up is away from the Earth, down is towards the Earth, Right is positive, Left is negative, gravity is 9,8 m/(s*s). Unless it has been expressly stated to be something different. There will be a video (eventually) Below is a couple of older videos on Frames of Reference, which is to say the YouTube is the that starting point of videos used in education. They are long so watching them is optional, though you never know where I might find a "replacement" questions from. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyBNImQkRuk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=053nYXFfjZE
The Scientific Method (PREACH) There will be a video (eventually) Extra Short Version P--> Purpose, Observation, Problem – The Why are we exploring or doing anything with this. R--> Research – What do we already know, check your textbook, Wikipedia (can be okay depending on the topic), the Internet (which does not mean it is true), Reference books, and a good reason to hang out in the library. This is one of the places you can put sample calculations. (Hypothesis actually is developed after you have checked for prior knowledge, then you come up with your educated guess. It is a lousy mnemonic device is you misspell or cannot remember all the parts.)
E -->Experiment This is the do it part. In this part you list everything to actually conduct the experiment. Variables, Equipment, diagrams (pictures work nicely too if you can find a “camera”). Cookbook type instructions of everything someone else needs to do in which order so they get results “like” similar, or otherwise comparable to yours. A -->Analysis of Data This is where you put all the RAW data with Errors and Uncertainties, first. Then you do the number crunching or other analysis, to transform the data from being a number to information in context. Such as graphs, regression, best-fit (lines/curves), percent differences or errors, charts, and tables.
C --> Conclusion and Evaluation This has two parts. First was your hypothesis confirmed, refuted, or something else. (It does not matter if your hypothesis is confirmed or not, as your explanation as to why it was confirmed or refuted is the “money” part of this. Second, what would you “improve” if you were to do this experiment or study again.
H --> Hypothesis This is your educated “guess” as to what will happen in the experiment. When you can, phrase it as a YES, or NO questions, as it is easier to determine if your hypothesis, was BUSTED, CONFIRMED or just plausible. We will not have plausible as a choice in our class but MythBusters made good use of that.
The actual order is PRHEAC, but PREACH is much easier to recall, and you can have some fun with it. Preaching the word of logic and scientific inquiry. Avoiding the pitfalls of ignorance and misconception, from failing to question the universe around us; Halleluiah, my Palawan scientist!
There is a copy of the lab report outline below. Find the rubric for lab reports to get the full story.
Science verses Myths and Pseudo-Science. We will start with http://ancientaliensdebunked.com/. Watch the first 10 minutes, you are welcome to watch more, but after 10 minutes, we have enough materials for a classroom discussion. You next mission is to watch any episode you like of Mythbusters. Then we can compare and contrast the differences, on making Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning.
Measurements
We need to talk about measurements as we all need to agree on where we start or Frame of Reference and how big something is. We will be using the SI system in this class as the standard measure. We will mention the obsolete system that shows up in the USA as a point of backwards comparability, and to help those who need to get a mental picture if they still think in that superseded system.
The Table of prefixes you need to use, and the bold ones you are expected to memorize. Prefix Symbol Multiplier Common Name Exponential yotta Y 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 10^24 zetta Z 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 10^21 exa E 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 10^18 peta P 1,000,000,000,000,000 10^15 tera T 1,000,000,000,000 TRILLION 10^12 giga G 1,000,000,000 BILLION 10^9 mega M 1,000,000 MILLION 10^6 kilo k 1,000 THOUSAND 10^3 hecto h 100 HUNDRED 10^2 deca da 10 TEN 10^1 1 0 BASE (you could multiply by 10^0 but that is x 1) deci d 0.1 TENTH 10^¯1 centi c 0.01 HUNDREDTH 10^¯2 milli m 0.001 THOUSANDTH 10^¯3 micro µ 0.000001 MILLIONTH 10^¯6 nano n 0.000000001 BILLIONTH 10^¯9 pico p 0.000000000001 TRILLIONTH 10^¯12 femto f 0.000000000000001 10^¯15 atto a 0.000000000000000001 10^¯18 zepto z 0.000000000000000000001 10^¯21 yocto y 0.000000000000000000000001 10^¯24