Tuesday, January 2, 2018

What is a Theory? Why do Scientists Use Them? What do they "prove"?

What is a Theory? Why do scientists use theories and how to they prove them? These may seem like big questions but theories are the basis of Science.  Scientists in a variety of fields come up with ideas, assumptions, hunches and hypothesis and set out to prove them.  This can range from researching cures for diseases to finding materials that hold in heat to keep our hot chocolate warm in the cold.

What is Scientific Theory?

This term we will be focusing on "Particle Theory".  This is the theory that all matter is made of particles. These particles are always in motion. They move quicker or slower depending on the state of matter it is in.

This is a basic explanation so we need to dig deeper. When studying a new topic, it is always good to learn the key terms and/or new vocabulary of that topic so we can better understand what we are talking and learning about.  

One goal during our unit will be to use our new knowledge and understanding build a Solar Cooker that can "cook" a S'more. This unit also fits in with our mid-year project focussed on Sustainability. We can see that using renewable energy we can reduce our carbon footprint and reduce our impact on our planet. 

Before we begin, let's discuss a few ideas. 


Brain Pop - States of Matter
Changing States of Matter













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