Science: The Process of Understanding the Natural World and Its Possibilities

Abstract

Science is defined by the example of the work of Euclid, Einstein and Newton, and its relation to mathematics is discussed. In essence, science is presented as a framework formulated in a sparing and logical language (mathematics) that predicts events in nature. The predictive power and agreement with actual experiments is the key and distinguishing feature of any scientific theory, and determines the impact of science on engineering and technology problems as well as their solution.The chapter presents the physics and chemistry necessary to understand important areas and instruments that influence everyday life. The topics range from the mechanics of billiard to the orbit of satellites, from water and sound waves to Tsunamis, from the theory of heat to the car- and the jet- engine, and from the elementary chemistry of water and acids to the biochemistry of DNA and the genetic code. A wide range of electrical phenomena is also covered including the working of lithium batteries, elementary electrical circuits, wireless communication and the spectral lines of light emitted from atoms as described by quantum mechanical theory.The interplay between science and engineering is always emphasized and it is shown, for example, how the physics and chemistry of heat phenomena has led to the invention of machines and how these machines, in turn, have expanded the knowledge and understanding of atomic physics and chemistry. Facts, concepts, examples and applications are mostly presented on a middle school level.