Chapter 1 MEASUREMENT Chapter 1 is important because all quantitative knowledge about our physical environment is based on measurement. Some chapter sections have been reorganized and rewritten for clarity. The 1.2 Section, ―Scientific Investigation,‖ introduces the student to the procedures for scientific investigation. Major terms such as experiment, law, hypothesis, theory and scientific method are introduced. The idea that physical science deals with quantitative knowledge should be stressed. It is not enough to know that a car is going ―fast‖; it is necessary to know how fast. A good understanding of units is of the utmost importance, particularly with the metricBritish use in the United States today. The metric SI is introduced and explained. Both the metric and the British systems are used in the book in the early chapters for familiarity. The instructor may decide to do examples primarily in the metric system, but the student should get some practice in converting between the systems. This provides knowledge of the comparative size of similar units in the different systems and makes the student feel comfortable using what may be unfamiliar metric units. The Highlight, ―Is Unit Conversion Important? It Sure Is,‖ illustrates the importance of unit conversion. The general theme of the chapter and the textbook is the students’ position in his or her physical world. Show the students that they know about their environment and themselves through measurements. Measurements are involved in the answers to such questions as, How old are you? How much do you weigh? How tall are you? What is the normal body temperature? How much money do you have? These and many other technical questions are resolved or answered by measurements and quantitative analyses. DEMONSTRATIONS Have a meter stick, a yardstick, a timer, one or more kilogram masses, a one-liter beaker or a liter soda container, a one-quart container, and a balance or scales available on the instructor’s desk. Demonstrate the comparative units. The meter stick can be compared to the yardstick to show the difference between them, along with the subunits of inches and centimeters. The liter and quart also can be compared. Pass the kilogram mass around the classroom so that students can get some