tailieunhanh - English for students of Physics_Unit 1

6 Unit One SCIENCE Science (Latin scientia, from scire, “to know”), is the term which is used, in its broadest meaning to denote systematized knowledge in any field, but applied usually to the organization of objectively verifiable sense experience. The pursuit of knowledge in this context is known as pure science, to distinguish it from applied science, which is the search for practical uses of scientific knowledge, and from technology, through which applications are realized. Knowledge of nature originally was largely an undifferentiated observation and interrelation of experiences. . | 6 Unit One SCIENCE READING PASSAGE Science and fields of science Science Latin scientia from scire to know is the term which is used in its broadest meaning to denote systematized knowledge in any field but applied usually to the organization of objectively verifiable sense experience. The pursuit of knowledge in this context is known as pure science to distinguish it from applied science which is the search for practical uses of scientific knowledge and from technology through which applications are realized. Knowledge of nature originally was largely an undifferentiated observation and interrelation of experiences. The Pythagorean scholars distinguished only four sciences arithmetic geometry music and astronomy. By the time of Aristotle however other fields could also be recognized mechanics optics physics meteorology zoology and botany. Chemistry remained outside the mainstream of science until the time of Robert Boyle in the 17th century and geology achieved the status of a science only in the 18th century. By that time the study of heat magnetism and electricity had become part of physics. During the 19th century scientists finally recognized that pure mathematics differs from the other sciences in that it is a logic of relations and does not depend for its structure on the laws of nature. Its applicability in the elaboration of scientific theories however has resulted in its continued classification among the sciences. The pure natural sciences are generally divided into two classes the physical sciences and the biological or life sciences. The principal branches among the former are physics astronomy chemistry and geology the chief biological sciences are botany and zoology. The physical sciences can be subdivided to identify such fields as mechanics cosmology physical chemistry and meteorology physiology embryology anatomy genetics and ecology are subdivisions of the biological sciences. 7 The applied sciences include such fields as aeronautics electronics