Question 1.14 - Chemistry: Molecular Nature Of Matter And Change

Question

How are the key elements of scientific thinking used in the following scenario? While making toast, you notice it fails to pop out of the toaster. Thinking the spring mechanism is stuck, you notice that the bread is unchanged. Assuming you forgot to plug in the toaster, you check and find it is plugged in. When you take the toaster into the dining room and plug it into a different outlet, you find the toaster works. Returning to the kitchen, you turn on the switch for the overhead light and nothing happens.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Answer

 

1) Observation- The toast has not popped out of the toaster.

2) Hypothesis- The spring mechanism is stuck.

3) Test-additional observation- The bread remains unchanged.

4) New hypothesis- The toaster was unplugged.

5) Additional tests- Inspect whether the toaster is plugged in and whether it functions when connected into a different socket.

6) New hypothesis- There is an electrical problem in the kitchen.

7) Final test- Concerning the light in the kitchen.

Definition

Principles and techniques for the methodical pursuit of knowledge that begins with the identification and conceptualization of a problem.

Scientific approach

 In a scientific approach, observations are the preliminary step. The toast has not yet popped out of the toaster, which is the initial observation. The next stage is to formulate a hypothesis (probable explanation) for the observation. The spring mechanism may be stuck, according to the hypothesis. The hypothesis must then be tested. The test in this situation is merely an observation –the bread remains unchanged. This observation leads to a fresh hypothesis: the toaster has been unplugged. This leads to additional tests, such as determining whether the toaster is plugged in and whether it works when plugged into a different outlet. The final test on the toaster leads to a novel hypothesis: the kitchen's power supply is out. This hypothesis leads to the final test, which involves the kitchen light.

Scientific approach in steps

Hence the Scientific approach in steps:

 1) Observation- the toast has not popped out of the toaster.

2) Hypothesis- the spring mechanism is stuck.

3) Test-additional observation- the bread remains unchanged.

4) New hypothesis- the toaster was unplugged.

5) Additional tests- Inspecting whether the toaster is plugged in and whether it functions when connected into a different socket.

6) New hypothesis- There is an electrical problem in the kitchen.

7) Final test- concerning the light in the kitchen.