The world is very complex and there are always new issues and technologies being developed.

Science lets us break down the world into smaller parts that we can observe, test and understand.

Branches of science

Sub Branches of science

What do scientists do?

•  Make observations and measurements
• Analyze their measurements construct tables and keys, plots graphs, make calculations and look for patterns
• Classify objects into groups of similar things 
• Make inferences and predictions about what is happening and what might happen in th future
• Make models to help them understand what is happening.

Scientists work together

Scientists of different branches come together to solve problems. Below are some examples of this:

Science and the Law 

The observations that scientists gather and the conclusions they make form the basis of many of the laws and regulation that we all must follow everyday.

Here are a few examples:

1. Make car manufacturers include airbags crumple zones and carash- resistant fuel tanks
2. Control the type of houses built in areas at risk of floods or cyclones
3. Control the additives that can be put into food
4. Control how long food can be sold for (‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates)
5. Determines unsafe levels of sound,chemicals and dust for workers.
6. Preserve animals, plant and landscapes of being lost forever.

Activity:

Sometimes, scientific evidence leads to changes in global laws. For example, chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons were destroying the ozone layer, putting us all at greater risk of skin cancer.

Governments across the world have since banned the use of chlorofluoro carbons in everyday products like deodorants and hair sprays and in fridges. Similar laws will be required to limit the release of CO2 to minimize global climate change.

Questions:

1. Name the chemicals banned across the world that were destroying the ozone layer.
2. Since 1971, wearing seat belts in cars has been compulsory by law in NSW. List the sort of scientific evidence that let to this law.
3. Different drugs are treated differently by the law/ Propose a reason why.
4. Propose reasons why laws now determine the type of houses that are allowed to be built in areas at risk of cyclones or bush fires.

Answers:

1. The chemicals banned across the world that were destroying the ozone layer are chlorofluorocarbons

2.Scientists found that these chemicals were destroying the ozone layer. This is the layer of the atmosphere that protects us from the suns harmful rays, without this everyone would be at severely higher risk of contracting skin cancer because of sun damage. 

3. Some drugs can be very harmful others hardly have an effect on people. Due to this there tends to be more laws around drugs that are more likely to cause people harm. 

4. The main function of laws are to protect people. Laws around building houses in cyclone and bush fire prone areas are made so that they prevent people from building houses in areas that may put them in danger. 

1.1 UNIT REVIEW

1.2 The Laboratory

Different scientist have different labs.