The leading model for the beginning of the universe is know as the Big Bang. In a nutshell, it is the idea that the universe began with an explosion and this caused everything to be created and expand out. This model honestly sounds ridiculous and untrue but, considering the evidence it really makes sense. The reason scientists agree that the universe is expanding is because, when supernovas explode they show the same amount of light, and the light appears red. According to the Doppler effect the red light means it is moving away from us. Using the supernova we have found a trend that the farther the star is away from us the faster it is moving away. So therefore if the universe is expanding then, it must have started out smaller. I think this model is very reliable but, for me it is hard to understand all of the theories behind it and I question some of the elements of the Big Bang. For example, I don't understand how the universe finds the room to grow if there is "nothing there". In a video about the big bang from http://virtualgardnerblogs.weebly.com/integrated-earth--physical-science.html the speaker discussed the possible outcomes of the big bang. One I particularly thought was interesting was the idea that the universe would go thorough a process where there was stars and galaxies, followed by black holes, and then filled with emptiness. He said that emptiness gives off radiation and the universe could then go through the process again. Therefore, the Big Bang may not have been the beginning, but may be part of a process. Although I can't wrap my brain around these concepts completely, it does cause me to think about what new discoveries can prove about how the universe came to look the way it does now.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
The True Meaning of Science.
Science is the means by which we come to understand the world. When I think of science I tend to think only about science fairs, labs, and the facts that come from experiments. But depending on what you do with it, science is much more. Scientist create science from wanting to know why the world is the way it is but, I think scientist have that desire because they want to see how that can impact and improve the world.
For example, we constructed paper air planes because we wanted to know which model of airplane would go the farthest. From our experiment, you could use similar methods and designs to create a more efficient plane. This would help improve our world and maybe effect the way the plane runs causing less accidents and deaths. Therefore science is the methods to understand and improve our world. To see ways Science effects your life daily go to
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/whathassciencedone_01 .
For example, we constructed paper air planes because we wanted to know which model of airplane would go the farthest. From our experiment, you could use similar methods and designs to create a more efficient plane. This would help improve our world and maybe effect the way the plane runs causing less accidents and deaths. Therefore science is the methods to understand and improve our world. To see ways Science effects your life daily go to http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/whathassciencedone_01 .
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Science Defined
Science is a way to understand the laws of the world using experimentation, data, and precision. Scientist conduct experiments for the purpose of answering a question. When the experiment is done the question may not be fully answered but it leads to other discoveries and questions for things that couldn't be defined before. From http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/1122science2.html there are reasons for science that help us understand what it is and why we do it.
"Societies support science because of simple curiosity and because of the satisfaction and enlightenment that come from knowledge of the world around us. Few of us will ever derive any economic benefit from knowing that the starlight we see in a clear night sky left those stars thousands and even millions of years ago, so that we observe such light as messengers of a very distant past. However, the awe, perspective, and perhaps even serenity derived from that knowledge is very valuable to many of us. Likewise, few of us will derive greater physical well-being from watching a flowing stream and from reflecting on the hydrologic cycle through which that stream's water has passed, from the distant ocean to the floating clouds of our skies to the rains and storms upstream and now to the river channel at which we stand. However, the sense of interconnectedness that comes from such knowledge enriches our understanding of our world, and of our lives, in a very valuable way. In recognizing that the light of the sun and the water of a well are not here solely because we profit from their presence, we additionally gain an analogy from which we can recognize that the people in the world around us are not here solely to conform to our wishes and needs. When intangible benefits like these are combined with the more tangible ones outlined above, it's no wonder that most modern societies support scientific research for the improvement of our understanding of the world around us."
In our Integrated Earth and Science Class we conducted an experiment where we flew airplanes to see which type of airplane went the farthest. This experiment was clearly science because it focused on something we would like to know about the world which was what type of airplane was more aerodynamic. We tested using measureable data which was how far it went. Thorough the experiment we satified curiousity and discovered something new about our world. And that is what science is.
"Societies support science because of simple curiosity and because of the satisfaction and enlightenment that come from knowledge of the world around us. Few of us will ever derive any economic benefit from knowing that the starlight we see in a clear night sky left those stars thousands and even millions of years ago, so that we observe such light as messengers of a very distant past. However, the awe, perspective, and perhaps even serenity derived from that knowledge is very valuable to many of us. Likewise, few of us will derive greater physical well-being from watching a flowing stream and from reflecting on the hydrologic cycle through which that stream's water has passed, from the distant ocean to the floating clouds of our skies to the rains and storms upstream and now to the river channel at which we stand. However, the sense of interconnectedness that comes from such knowledge enriches our understanding of our world, and of our lives, in a very valuable way. In recognizing that the light of the sun and the water of a well are not here solely because we profit from their presence, we additionally gain an analogy from which we can recognize that the people in the world around us are not here solely to conform to our wishes and needs. When intangible benefits like these are combined with the more tangible ones outlined above, it's no wonder that most modern societies support scientific research for the improvement of our understanding of the world around us."
In our Integrated Earth and Science Class we conducted an experiment where we flew airplanes to see which type of airplane went the farthest. This experiment was clearly science because it focused on something we would like to know about the world which was what type of airplane was more aerodynamic. We tested using measureable data which was how far it went. Thorough the experiment we satified curiousity and discovered something new about our world. And that is what science is.
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