The Five Biggest Ideas in Science

Description

In a thought-provoking and entertaining exploration of The Five Biggest Ideas in Science, authors Charles Wynn and Arthur Wiggins provide a panoramic view of the questions scientists seek to answer about the natural world: * Do basic building blocks of matter exist, and if so, what do they look like? * BIG IDEA #1: Physics' Model of the Atom * What relationships, if any, exist among different kinds of atoms? * BIG IDEA #2: Chemistry's Periodic Law * Where did the atoms of the universe come from,and what is their destiny? * BIG IDEA #3: Astronomy's Big Bang Theory * How is the matter of the universe arranged in planet Earth? * BIG IDEA #4: Geology's Plate Tectonics Model * How did life on planet Earth originate and develop? * BIG IDEA #5: Biology's Theory of Evolution Get set for a lively and informative discussion, as you also learn how to evaluate potential applications of these and other scientific ideas. Cover Back Cover Contents Prologue 1. The Road to Discovery: The Method of Science 2. BIG IDEA #1: Physics' Model of the Atom: Seeing the Unseeable 3. BIG IDEA #2: Chemistry’s Periodic Law: Sorting the Elements 4. BIG IDEA #3: Astronomy's Big Bang Theory: Tracing the Elements' Roots 5. BIG IDEA #4: Geology's Plate Tectonics Model: Down to Earth 6. BIG IDEA #5: Biology’s Theory of Evolution: Life Begins and Branches Out 7. The Method of Science: Further Insights 8. Benefit/Risk Analysis: Potential Applications of Scientific Knowledge Epilogue Idea Folders Additional Reading Index