1

Science is …
In July 2002, the American adventurer Steve Fossett
became the first person to travel solo and non-stop
around the world in his balloon, Spirit of Freedom.
It was his sixth try. His journey began in
Western Australia and ended, 32 963 kilometres
and 14 days later, in western Queensland.
At times his balloon reached speeds of
320 kilometres per hour.
Steve’s balloon was a giant
42 metres high and 18 metres
wide. It was filled with helium
and hot air to help it rise and
carry the weight of Steve inside
his capsule with all his supplies
and equipment. This capsule
was tiny: 2.1 metres long,
1.6 metres wide and 1.6 metres
high. In this tiny space he
worked, ate, slept and used a
bucket for a toilet. His journey
was an amazing effort.
Steve’s adventure would not
have been possible without the
work of scientists more than
200 years ago. Scientists are
people who experiment
so they can learn new
things. In this chapter
you will read some of
their stories.
 The scientific method
The story of flight
The very first balloons were designed in France
in 1783 by two brothers, Jacques-Étienne and
Joseph-Michel Montgolfier. Their idea to make
a balloon came from watching clothing billow
above a smoky fireplace.
There was much that the brothers had to
learn. Jacques and Joseph were paper-makers
and so they made their first balloons out of
linen and paper. They filled these with smoke.
Bigger and bigger balloons were tried. Next, they
experimented with flying the balloons, tying them
to a basket in which a small fire burned. Figure 1.1
At first the brothers thought that the more smoke One of the
their fire made, the more the balloon would rise. first balloons
Like all good scientists, the two brothers continued to
experiment by changing the fire, redesigning the balloon and noting what seemed to work best. They made
smokier and smokier fires with wet straw and old shoes. They even believed that a nasty smell would help
lift the balloon, so they put rotten meat on the fire.
The very first living cargo carried up in the balloons was a duck, a chicken and a sheep. The chicken got
hurt when the rather frightened sheep trod on its wing, but apart from that all the animals landed safely.
On 5 June they launched their first balloon in public. It rose into the air and landed two kilometres away.
This first journey lasted 10 minutes. News of their successful launch travelled quickly, and by August of that
same year the French Academy of Scientists had made the two brothers members of their exclusive group.
That November, the King’s historian and an army major made the first flight in a Montgolfier balloon.
The flight was watched by hundreds of people from Paris, despite the terrible odour. In time, the brothers
realised that they did not need the smoke or the smell. Within 12 months, balloon mania had gripped Europe.
Everybody wanted to be part of the action. And so ballooning was born.

eb
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Go to The designers of the very first balloons, the Montgolfier brothers, were
edge.com.au
www.science
oning news. scientists in every way.
and link to ballo
teresting new
Find out one in • They observed clothes billowing over an open fire and decided that flight
balloons and
fact about early might be possible. Observations are what you see, hear, smell and feel
s display of
add it to a clas
balloon fact s. (and sometimes taste) when something happens.
• They predicted that a bag of smoky air could lift a weight. Predictions are
educated guesses about what might happen.
BLM 1.1 Make your own balloon • They experimented, and re-designed and modified their balloons, until
they were successful. Modifications are changes to the way something is
made or done.
The brothers made mistakes along the way, but their efforts made
it possible for people to travel around the world in a balloon without
stopping, just over two centuries later.

2 Science Edge 1
 Chapter 1 Science is …

All scientists observe things, try to explain Modify

Observe
ideas if
them and conduct experiments to test their ideas. what actually
predictions
When something happens that is different to were wrong.
happens.
their predictions, they change their ideas. This
process is described as the scientific method
(Figure 1.2).

Develop an Think of Predict

Observe
idea about experiments what will
something
why it to test the happen in the
happening.
happens. ideas. experiments.

Figure 1.2 The scientific method

Design a parachute
You know from the story of the Montgolfier brothers that
SHORT ACTIVITY

materials such as paper and cloth can billow. This idea

is also used in adventure sports such as skydiving and
parachuting (Figure 1.3).
Your challenge
Form a small scientific team and use the scientific method
to design a parachute that will land an egg safely on the
ground after it has been dropped from a height.
You need
Your teacher will provide pieces of different materials,
string, small containers that can be used as egg ‘pods’,
eggs and stopwatches.
What to do
1 What do you think will be important for a good
parachute design? What material do you think will work
best? Draw the parachute you will make.
2 Build your parachute and test it. As your parachute
comes down, time it with a stopwatch and observe it
carefully. Did the egg land safely? How long did the
parachute take to land?
3 Use the results of your experiment to modify your
parachute so that it comes down even more slowly.
Build your new parachute and test your idea.
What did you discover? achute is designed to
billow. 1.1
3 Th e mat erial of a par
Which of your parachute designs worked best? Which Figure 1.
design was the best in the class?
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3
 What are scientists like?
Like all of us, scientists might also do other things. They may be models,
singers, dancers, composers, mountaineers, racing car drivers, footballers,
rock stars, comedians, playwrights or snowboarders. Although scientists
have a wide range of interests and personalities, they are alike in their
drive to solve problems.

Meet some modern scientists

Scientists and sport
At school, Kevin Ball knew that he wanted to be a scientist, but he could not
decide on a type of science. One day in Year 12, he was reading the sports
section of the newspaper and noticed a photo of a javelin thrower. The javelin
thrower’s movements were being analysed by a scientist to improve his
performance and to prevent injuries. Kevin knew instantly that this was
something he just had to do!
Kevin studied human movement at Wollongong University in New South
Wales. This branch of science is called biomechanics. Next, he worked at
the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, monitoring the performance
of Olympic athletes. He also researched the techniques used by the
Australian water polo teams. He advised them on their shooting technique,
their swimming stroke and the special ‘eggbeater’ kick that polo teams use.
Kevin then returned to study, this time at the Victoria University of Technology
in Victoria. He conducted research to help the 2000 Olympic pistol and rifle
teams prepare for the Games. Next, he researched the ways golfers swing their
Figure 1.4 Kevin Ball analysing the
clubs and how back injuries might be prevented.
play of a Hawthorn footballer
While doing this, Kevin worked for the Hawthorn Football Club, then in
2003 he moved to the Fremantle Dockers. He does a pre-season computer
analysis of the kicking and tackling styles of the players. He looks for technical
faults and identifies areas where the footballers need to improve. When the
season starts, Kevin fine-tunes the techniques of the players. He is constantly
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looking for ways to prevent the common injuries that footballers suffer.
ebsite
Kevin travels overseas regularly to meet with other scientists. He loves his
ntributes to a w
Kevin often co ety work because it combines his two great interests, science and sport. He still
rnational Soci
run by the Inte t. Th is plays hockey, and during summer you’ll find him at the beach on a surf-ski.
cs in Spor
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4 Science Edge 1
 Chapter 1 Science is …

Students can be scientists

Many students are already practising scientists. In 2002, Stephen White, a
secondary school student, was awarded a CSIRO Gold CREST Award for
designing and building a model of a lift that could help take people who cannot
walk up a flight of stairs. If you have learned some fascinating things by noticing
something, being curious about why or how it happened and experimenting to
discover or change what happened, you are on the way to being a scientist yourself!

Science or science fiction?

Dr Janine Thorpe found making a decision about her university
course one of the most difficult in her whole life. She loved reading and
writing, swimming and lifesaving and ballroom dancing, yet she loved science too.
Eventually she chose pharmacy. After the first year she knew that pharmacy wasn’t
for her and so she transferred to the biological sciences.
Janine had always been interested in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
research and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, which has caused
millions of people across the world to become very ill. Saddened by the thought that
even little children can get brain damage from HIV, Janine researched this virus and
its effect on the brain at the MacFarlane Burnet Institute in Melbourne. The team
of scientists she worked with made some important discoveries that in the
future will be very valuable. Janine was awarded her PhD for her work.
What now? Janine is a medical scientist, and is still researching
AIDS. But she hasn’t forgotten her love for reading and writing.
She has two science fiction novels under way and she thinks that
in the next phase of her life she will become a science writer.
She thinks that newspapers and many magazines don’t explain
science very well and such a career move would combine her
two great passions, science and writing. Sport still plays a very
big role in her life. She kayaks, surfs and still teaches swimming
part-time. And if you think that is more than enough for anyone
to do, she is painting and learning Spanish as well. Janine is proof
that careers can move in many directions.
Figure 1.5 Dr Janine Thorpe,
Describe a scientist AIDS researcher

• What kind of person do you think a scientist

SHORT ACTIVITY

should be? Draw a scientist and label your drawing

with the words you might use to describe a good
scientist.
• Compare your answers with those of the rest of
the class.

Figure 1.6 The HIV virus 5

 Questions 1.1
1 What was inside Steve Fossett’s balloon to make it rise?
2 Identify two materials the very first balloons were made of.
3 The Wordfind that your teacher will give you contains the 16 hidden
BLM 1.2 Hidden words words listed below that could be used to describe a good scientist. They
may be written diagonally, backwards, horizontally or vertically. See if you
can find all 16!
logical wise
brainy responsible
keen honest
imaginative fair
careful truthful
curious skilful
open-minded observant
clever creative

Imagine and create

4 Draw what you think a typical lawyer and typical poet might look like
and label your drawings with descriptions. Compare your ideas with the
answers of other members of your class and with your answers from the
Activity on page 5. Where do these ideas come from? Have you met any
real scientists or poets or lawyers? If you have, do they fit in with your
ideas?

What do you think?

5 Outline why you think that food scientists are generally the only type
of scientist who would use taste during their observations.

What do scientists do?

Scientists study many different things. Some make big discoveries but
most find out a number of smaller things. These smaller discoveries may
not be well known, but together they have made a huge difference to
our way of life. As these scientists discover more and more, new types of
science are born to solve the new questions and problems that emerge.

Figure 1.7 A scientist watches as a female

polar bear recovers from the effects of a drug

6 Science Edge 1
 Chapter 1 Science is …

Different types of scientists

An astronomer … stars, planets and other objects in A geologist … the Earth, including rocks and
studies … the universe studies … soils and how they form

A biochemist … chemical substances present in A pharmacologist … medicines and drugs

studies … living things, such as the substances studies …
in these red blood cells

A botanist … plants A physicist … some aspect of the physical

studies … studies … world, such as movement, light,
electricity or sound

A chemist … chemical substances, such as A zoologist … animals

studies … metals, glass and acids studies …

7
 Where do scientists work?
Some of us may imagine scientists as people in white ‘lab’ coats, working
in rooms full of complicated equipment, computers, books and jars of
chemicals. However, not all scientists work in laboratories (often called
labs). Many scientists work in factories, on farms or in hospitals. Others
work in or near water, around rocks or ice, or even at a zoo. Some even
go out into space to conduct their experiments.

Zoologis t

Marine scientist Botanis t

er
As tronom
rator y technician
Labo Medical scientist

Vulcanologist
boti cs engineer
Ro

8 Science Edge 1
 Chapter 1 Science is …

Explore a laboratory
Your teacher will take you on a tour of your skin badly. Some can easily cause
SHORT ACTIVITY

a laboratory and show you some pieces fires and explosions.

of equipment. Can you guess their See if you can find things in your lab
names and what they are used for? See that make everyone safer. Draw a map
Appendix 2 for examples of the different of their location and their use. Make a
equipment found in a laboratory. colourful poster of five safety rules that
You need to be very careful when must never be broken. Illustrate it with
you visit a laboratory. Some chemicals, some great drawings or cartoons.
which may look like just water, can burn
BLM 1.3 What questions mean

Questions 1.2
1 In the following list, match the scientist with the 5 Did you notice that many of the names in
science they study. Question 4 end in ‘ologist’? Find out what this means.
a animals botanist 6 Use newspapers, journals or other sources to find
b medicines and drugs zoologist out about a scientist of your choice, or interview
c planets and stars biochemist a scientist in person. What is this scientist like as a
d body movements chemist human being? What interests do they have other
e chemicals found in astronomer than science? What scientific work do they do?
living things pharmacologist What made them interested in science? Present
f plants biomechanist your findings as a class talk, poster, newspaper
g chemicals found in article or audiotape for a radio broadcast.
our world
2 Name two different kinds of places in which Project
scientists might work.
3 Re-read one of the ‘modern scientists’ stories in
Me, the scientist
this chapter and answer the following questions. At scientific conferences, many scientists describe
a State what your scientist investigates. their work using posters. It means people can read
b What other interests does your chosen about the work of others quickly and easily. Imagine
scientist have? that it is the year 2020 and you are a scientist. You
have discovered something really important and
Investigate you are now famous. Make an illustrated poster to
explain your discovery to other scientists. Include the
4 Use electronic or printed sources to find out following information.
what the following scientists study. • what you discovered and how it works
a vulcanologist • how you came up with the idea
b microbiologist • where you did your research and how long it took
c anthropologist • any difference the discovery has made to other
d palaeontologist people’s lives
e lepidopterist • what you plan to do next.
f agronomist

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d pa st e photos from th
copy an posters and
n use them in
so that you ca
reports.

9
 Pseudo-science
Some people do studies that are not based on the scientific method. They
do not test their ideas with experiments. These people are not scientists;
they are sometimes called pseudo-scientists.
eb An astrologist is one example of a pseudo-scientist. Astrologists claim
Work the W that they can predict the future according to the stars. They believe that
Go to the stars influence human affairs. Although these predictions can be fun
edge.com.au
www.science to read, they are not based on the truth. They describe things that can
down Man.
and link to Pilt happen to anyone. People who study the stars in a scientific way are called
d how do
Who was he an
was a fraud? astronomers.
people know he
Pseudo-science is sometimes used in advertising. This is done by using an
‘expert’ who is dressed up to look like a scientist and who uses words that
seem like scientific language. Some cosmetic companies and weight-loss
programs use this technique in their advertising.

Pseudo-science in advertising
Examine the advertisement
SHORT ACTIVITY

shown, then have a class

discussion or debate on the
following questions.
• What techniques are used
in the advertisement to
make you believe that this is
scientific information?
• Did the advertisement
convince you about the
product it is trying to sell?
• Do you agree with the
use of pseudo-science in
advertising? Why or why
not?

10 Science Edge 1
Chapter r
New words
evi e w
1
astronomer pharmacologist
a scientist who studies stars, planets and other a scientist who studies medicines and drugs
objects in the universe
physicist
biochemist a scientist who studies some aspect of the physical
a scientist who studies chemical substances present world, such as movement, light, electricity or sound
in living things
predictions
botanist educated guesses about what might happen
a scientist who studies plants
pseudo-scientists
chemist people who do not use the scientific method to test
a scientist who studies chemical substances their ideas
geologist scientific method
a scientist who studies the Earth the process of observing things, trying to explain
them, conducting experiments to test these ideas, and
laboratories (labs) modifying the ideas if something unexpected happens
rooms in which scientific experiments are carried out
scientist
modifications a person who experiments in order to learn
changes to the way something is made or done
observations variables
what you see, hear, smell and feel (and sometimes things in an experiment that you can change
taste) when something happens zoologist
a scientist who studies animals

11
 Review questions SE L F - T

1
EST
1
1 List six essential qualities of a good scientist. 7 Look at the following astrology prediction for
2 Outline what the following scientists study. a person whose star sign is Gemini. Write your
a chemists own pretend prediction for one of your friends.
b physicists Remember to say nice things about him or her,
c botanists mention a planet or two and, above all, think
d zoologists of things that happen to people all the time.
Did you need to know any science to do this?
3 True or false?
a To be a true scientist you must keep doing
experiments to check your ideas.
b All scientists work in laboratories and wear
Gemini (21 May – 20 June)
lab coats. The Twins
c Biomechanics is the study of machines and for you
This is a special month
computers. your birth
because Saturn is in
d The best scientist to tell you about rocks u and this ma ke s you
is a pharmacologist. sign. Mercury rules yo be ca use
pend on you
e A pseudo-scientist is a scientist who makes talkative. Others will de ed to be
tener. You’ll ne
lots of mistakes when they do experiments. you are also a good lis
eds.
ready to meet their ne
to work hard from
4 Why do scientists need to be observant? You are likely to ve
ha
What could happen if they weren’t? natural intelligence
time to time but your a
y need to put on hold
5 Explain why scientists need to be honest. will help you. You ma fin an cia l
you until your
What could happen if they weren’t? project that is dear to Th ere ’s a
vel is likely.
resources improve. Tra
6 Figure 1.8 shows the simple event that led to the e yo urself – resist this. A
tempation to indulg
discovery of the balloon by the Montgolfier brothers. the cards. New people
family celebration is on
Explain the meaning of each of the following – they are likely to be
will come into your life
important stages of the scientific method, and Sagittarians.
you and violet is
give an example from the story about balloons. Tuesdays are lucky for
nt is air. Your lucky
a observation your colour. Your eleme
28 and 33.
b prediction numbers are 3, 7, 14,
c experimentation
d modification

Look at that nightdress

billowing in the smoke!

Figure 1.8

12 Science Edge 1