SCIENCE FORM 1

CHAPTER 1
1.1 UNDERSTANDING THAT
SCIENCE IS PART OF
EVERYDAY LIFE

WHAT IS SCIENCE?
Science is the systematic study of
nature and how it affects us and our
environment.
Science can explain natural phenomena
that happen in our environment.
How?
Through careful observations, studies and
scientific investigations.

CAREERS IN
SCIENCE

Environmentalist

Archeologist

Doctor

Forensic technicianScience teacher

VARIOUS FIELDS IN SCIENCE

Science covers a very wide area of study and is
divided into various fields, such as:
Biology: the study of living things
Physics : the study of interaction of matter and
energy
Chemistry : the study of composition and chemical
properties of substances, their reactions and uses
Geology : the study of rocks and minerals
Astronomy : the study of the stars and planets
Meteorology : the study of weather and climate

danger sign
simbol dan maksud

contoh

Petrol & Kerosene

Phosphorus
Corrosive

Alcohol / Ethanol
Sodium
Potassium

exploded

Hydrogen

danger sign
simbol dan maksud

irritating

contoh

Ammonia
Chlorine
Chlorofom
Mercury

Lead

Sodium cyanide
Hydrogen sulphide
poisonous

Bromine

simbol-simbol amaran
simbol dan maksud
5

contoh

Sodium hydroxide
Hydrogen peroxide

mengakis
6

Concentrated acids
& alkalis
Uranium
Radium
Thorium

Radioaktif

Plutonium

COMMON LABORATORY
APPARATUS

Bunsen burner

Test tube

Tripod stand and wire gauze

Crucible

Syringe
Test tube holder

Retort stand and clamp

1.2 Scientific
Investigation

Steps in scientific
investigation
1. Identifying problem
2. Forming a hypothesis
3. Planning the experiment
4. Controlling the variables
5. Collecting data
6. Analysing and interpreting data
7. Drawing a conclusion
8. Writing a report

1. List the steps of scientific

investigation.

2. Write down a report on

Simple
pendulum experiment.

Simple pendulum experiment

WRITING A REPORT
1. Aim
2. Problem statement
3. Hypothesis
4. Variables
5. Materials and apparatus
6. Procedure
7. Results
8. Analysis
9. Conclusion

1. Aim
To investigate how the length of the
pendulum string affect the time for 10
complete swings of the pendulum.

2. Problem statement
How the length of the pendulum
string affect the time for 10 complete
swings of the pendulum?

3. Hypothesis
If the length of the pendulum is longer, the
time taken for 10 complete swing of the
pendulum is longer.

4. Variables
Manipulated (what to change)
: the length of the pendulum
Responding (what is observed)
: time taken for 10 complete swings
Constant (kept the same)
: mass of the pendulum bob

5. Materials and apparatus

Pendulum bob, string/thread, retort stand
and clamp, stop watch
Apparatus set-up:

6. Procedure (active
sentence)
1. Prepare the simple pendulum with a 10cm long
thread.
2. Pull the pendulum bob to one side, then
release.
3. Record the time taken for 10 complete
oscillations in a table.
4. Repeat the experiment using a simple
pendulum of different lengths, e.g. 20cm, 30cm,
40cm and 50cm.
5. Draw a graph showing the time taken versus
length of pendulum for 10 complete oscillations.

6. Procedure (change to passive

sentence when writing a report)
1. A simple pendulum with a 10 cm long thread was
prepared.
2. The pendulum was pulled to one side, and then was
released.
3. The time taken for 10 complete oscillations was
recorded in a table.
4. The experiment was repeated using a simple
pendulum with 20cm, 30cm, 40 and 50cm long.
5. A graph showing the time taken versus length of
pendulum for 10 complete oscillations was drawn.

7. Results (data table)

Length of
Time taken for 10
Experime
simple
complete
nt
pendulum (
oscillations ( s )
cm )

1
2
3
4
5

10
20
30
40
50

10
13
15
18
20

7. Results (data table)

Time taken
Length
Time taken
for 1
of
for 10
Experi
complete
simple
complete
ment
oscillations (
pendulu oscillations (
s)
m ( cm )
s)

1
2
3
4
5

10
20
30
40
50

10
13
15
18
20

1.0
1.3
1.5
1.8
2.0

8. Analysis
Graph of time taken for 10 complete
oscillations versus length of simple
pendulum.

8. Analysis
From the graph, we can say that:
1. The pendulum with a longer string takes
longer
time
to oscillate than the pendulum with a
shorter string.
2. The time taken for the pendulum to make one
complete oscillation will increase when
the
pendulum string is longer.

9. Conclusion
From the results, the hypothesis is

accepted

.
The time taken for the simple pendulum to
increases
make one complete oscillation
with the length of the
pendulum.

1.3 physical
quantities and
their units

measurement
Measurement is important because:
It helps to describe things everyday;
It is a part of the scientific
investigation process
(e.g: simple pendulum experiment)

Measurement
Can be measured
How far is your
house to the
school?
How long does you
take to finish your
homework?
How hot is a glass
of water?

Cannot be
measured
How beautiful a
person is?
How does a durian
taste?
How soft a pillow
is?
How a flower

Physical quantities
A physical quantity is something that can be
measured.
There are five basic quantities: length, time,
mass, temperature and electric current.
Measurement of physical quantities consist
of two parts:
A number indicating value or how much;
A unit of measurement.

Standard units: S.I. Units

Unit is a scale that helps you
understand a particular
measurement.
S.I units: International standard unit
of measurement (Systeme
International d Unites).

Importance of standard units

Allow us to analyse data and compare
information easily and more accurately;
No confusion because there is specific
symbols for each unit;
Allow us to solve problems related to
measurement.

Five basic quantities

Physical
quantities

SI units

Symbol
s

Length

Mass
Time

Metre

A measurement of how long

something from one point to
another

Kilogra
m

kg

A measurement of how much

matter there is in an object

Second

A measurement of the
interval between two events

A measurement of the
warmness or coldness in any
object

A measurement of the rate

flow of electric charges
through a circuit

Temperature
Kelvin
Electric
current

Definition

Amper
e

Prefixes
Prefixes are added to units like meter and
gram when we need to state values that
are too small or too large.
Prefix

Multiplie
r

Symbol

Numeric
al value

Micro

X 10-6

0.00000
1

Milli

X 10-3

0.001

Centi

X 10-2

0.01

Kilo

X 103

1000

Mega

X 10

100000

1.4 CONCEPT OF
MASS AND
WEIGHT

WHAT IS WEIGHT?
The weight of an object is the pull of the
Earth (force of gravity) on the object.
The S.I unit of weight is Newton (N).
The weight of any object depends on the
gravitational force.
The weight of an object is obtained using
a spring balance or compression spring
balance.

WHAT IS MASS?
The mass of an object is the quantity of
matter in the object.
The S.I. unit of mass is kilogram (kg).
The mass of an object can be obtained
using a triple beam balance or lever
balance.

Can u differentiate between

mass and weight?
mmassMASSm
mass
It is the amount of
matter in an
object.

WEIGHT
weight
It is the
gravitational pull
on an object.

Its value varies

Its value is fixed.
from place to
place.
Unit: kilogram (kg) Unit: Newton (N)
Measured using
Measured using
beam balance or spring balance or
lever balance.
weighing balance.

1.5 MEASURING
TOOLS

Measuring Length
Tools: ruler, metre rule, measuring tape
Measuring the length of a straight line:
Using metre rule or a ruler
Correct position of eye (to avoid parallax
error)

 Measuring the length of a curve:

Using a ruler and a piece of thread

A knot is tied at the end of a thread

The thread is stretched along the curve carefully
Make a mark at the end of the curve
Stretch the thread along the ruler to obtain the
length

Using an opisometer

 Measuring the diameter of a spherical

object:
Using two wooden blocks and a ruler

Using a set-square and a ruler

 Measuring the diameter of an object:

The external diameter is measured using
external calipers and a ruler

The internal diameter is measured using

internal caliper and a ruler.

 Measuring the thickness of an object:

The thickness of a piece of paper can be
determined by measuring the thickness of a
stack of papers and dividing the value of
number of sheets of paper.
Thickness of a stack of paper
Thickness of a single sheet
Number of sheets

 The thickness of a glass tube can be

measured by taking the difference between its
external and internal diameter.
External diameter - internal diameter
Thickness of glass
2

Measuring Area
Area is the total surface covered by an
object.
The SI unit is square metre (m2).
Regular-shaped areas can be calculated
using Mathematical formulae.
Irregular-shaped areas can be estimated
by using a graph paper.

 Using graph paper:

Trace the object on the
graph paper.
Estimate the area by
counting the number of full
squares, half full squares
and more than half full
squares (tick the squares)
Area of the object is
estimated by multiplying
the number of squares
with the area of one
square.
The area can be
estimated more accurately
with smaller squares.

Measuring volume
Volume of an object is the total space
occupied by the object.
The SI unit is cubic metre (m3).
It also can be measured in millilitre (ml).
The apparatus: measuring cylinder,
burette and pipette.
1 ml = 1 cm3
1 l = 1000 cm3= 1000 ml
1 m3= 1 000 000 cm3 = 1
000 000 ml

 Measuring volumes of liquids

The volume must be taken at the meniscus
level of the liquid.
Use a piece of white paper to enable the
meniscus to be seen clearly.
The eye is positioned at the same level of the
meniscus to avoid parallax error.

 Measuring volumes of solids

The volume of regular-shaped and irregularshaped can be measured using water
displacement method.

The object to be measured must be

submerged in the measuring cylinder filled with
water.
The volume of the water displaced is the
volume of the object.

 The volume of a solid can also be measured

using a displacement can or a Eureka can.
The volume of the water that flows out from
the can is the volume of the solid measured.

 The volume of a light object can be

measured with the aid of a weight, for
example, a stone.
The stone which is tied to the cork enables
the cork to be submerged in the water.