Chapter 1

Introduction of Science

What is Science?
Science

is the organized knowledge

to explain the physical world and its
natural phenomena
Natural phenomena:
growth of human from a baby to an
adult,
fall of a ball to the ground,
melting of ice.

Importance of Science
Important

of science:

Helps

us understand how our body work

Understand the environment
Make life more comfortable
Science

divided into

Physics
Chemistry
Biology

Understanding the steps in

scientific investigation
Scientist

usually work in laboratory,

you will also carry out scientific
investigation in laboratory.

Laboratory safety rules:

Keep

laboratory clean and tidy

Wash all apparatus after use
Report any injury or breakage to your
teacher immediately
Do not enter laboratory without your
teachers permission
Do not play and run in laboratory
Do not eat or drink in laboratory
Do not taste any chemical

Hazardous substance in
Laboratory
These

substances can
cause death or harm.
Keep in a locked cupboard.

Poisonous
Bromine

Flammable
These

substances
easily catch fire
Keep away from fire
or heat sources.

Ethanol

Petrol

Corrosive

These substances
attack and destroy
living tissues, including
the eyes and skin.
Be careful not to spill
onto your clothes or
yourself. If accidentally
spilt, wash quickly with
lots of water.

Concentrate Sulphuric acid

Irritant
Cause

discomfort and
unconsciousness
Be careful not to spill onto
your clothes or yourself. If
accidentally spilt, wash
quickly with lots of water.

Radioactive
Give

out radiation
Keep in special lead
containers.

Plutonium
uranium

Explosive
Explodes easily
Keep away from fire or
heat sources.
Keep in paraffin

Sodium

Potassium

Apparatus of laboratory

Spatula
To pick solid
chemical

RoundEvaporating
bottomed flask
dish
Use to hold liquid To evaporate
liquid

Pipette
To measure a
fixed volume
liquid

Apparatus of laboratory

Wire Gauge
To spread the heat
of the flame evenly
Tripod stand
To support the
apparatus when
heating

Filter Funnel
To transfer liquid
into a container
Filter paper
To separate solid
from liquid
Measuring
cylinder
Used to measure
the volume of
liquid

Retort stand
and clamp
To hold or clamp
the apparatus
Burette
To measure the
volume of liquid
accurately.
Conical flask
Used to hold
liquid

Test tube
holder
To hold test tube
when its being
heated
Test tube
To hold small
amount of liquid
Test tube rack
To place test tube

Apparatus of laboratory

Crucible and
lids
To contain the
substance that
can be heated
directly without
using a wire
gauge

Crucible
Tongs
To hold hot
crucible and lid
but no test tube

Pestle and
mortar
To crush and
powder solid

Glass rod
To stir liquid in
container
Glass tube
To take small
amount of liquid

The Bunsen Burner

1.

2.

3.
4.

Used to heat things

Way to use
Close the air hole
completely by turning the
collar.
Hold a lighted match or
wooden splinter near the
mouth of the barrel.
Turn on the gas slowly.
When the flame is seen,
slowly open the air hole by
turning the collar.

Luminous Flame
(Yellow flame)

Non-luminous flame
(Blue flame)

Air hole is closed

Air hole is open
Easy to see because luminous Hard to see because nonluminous
Not so hot
Shape change
Not suitable for heating
Give out soot

Very hot
Constant shape
Suitable for heating
Does not give out soot

Scientific Investigation
Scientists

obtain knowledge by doing

scientific investigation.
Scientific investigation involves the use of
process skills in science.
Writing report

Asking question

Making observation

Taking measurement

Process
skills
Record data

Making
conclusion
Analysis and interpret
data

Step in scientific
investigation
Step

1: Identifying the problem

Determine

Step
Try

what you want to find out

2: Marking a hypothesis

to provide answer to the above

question by making a smart guess

 Step

3: Planning the experiment

Planning

how to test your smart guess

Involve:
what

apparatus to be used
what observation to make
what measurement to take
how to record the observation

Step

4: Controlling the variable

decide

what condition you are going to change

you would need to decide
which

things must not change

which thing will you change
what you will observe or measure

 Step

5: Collecting data

decide

how to record your observation

in

sentence
in table

Step

6: Analysis and interpreting data

find

the best way to present the data

study your data carefully and find if there are
any pattern in your data
you may present it in the form of graph
Step

7: Making a conclusion

based

on the result of your investigation, make

a conclusion whether your smart guess that you
made is true.

Discussion of Pendulum
Experiment
Identifying
o

the problem

will the pendulum swings faster when

the length of pendulum is shortened

Marking a hypothesis
o

the pendulum will swing faster when the

length of pendulum is shortened.

 Step

3: Planning the experiment

Wood pieces

string
Length of
pendulum

Pendulum
bob
Diagram 3

One complete
swing

The time taken for 10 complete swings is recorded

and the experiment is repeated using strings of
different lengths.

Step 4: Controlling the

variable
Manipulated
variable:

Responding
variable:

Fixed
variable:

Step 5: Collecting data

Second

Length of
pendulum = 10 cm
Time taken = 10 s

Second

Second

Length of pendulum = 20 cm Length of pendulum = 30 cm

Time taken = .. s
Time taken = .. s

Second
Second

Length of pendulum = 40 cm
Time taken = .. s

The length of pendulum = 50 cm

Time taken = .. s

Length of
pendulum (cm)

10

Time taken for 10

complete swings
(s)

10

Time taken for 1

complete swing
(s)

1.0

20

30

40

50

Step 6: Analysis and

interpreting data
3.05

swing (s)

2.0

1.0

10

20

30

40

50

Length of pendulum (cm)

60

70

Step 7: Making a
conclusion
State

the relationship between the

length of the pendulum and the time
taken for one complete swing.
The longer of the pendulum, the
longer the time taken for one
complete swing.