Part 1: Challenges of making direct measurements
Physical science is often viewed as the model of sound knowledge. Physical science represents a body of knowledge that has verifiable information. Physical science concept represents knowledge which has resulted after research and experiments on different scientific theories. During the development of such knowledge, measurements are made. Challenges in measurement are often related to the efficacy of the measuring tools being used. Challenges in measurement are as a result of lack of a direct method of measuring.
In astronomy, the scientists face a number of challenges such as measuring the distance between stars, the mass, and components making up the stars. This is because, as the earth revolves, the position of the stars relative to the earth keeps changing. To overcome these challenges, the scientists can use a number of powerful telescopes. These telescopes would be placed in different positions and would help in measuring the mass, distance between objects in the universe, and position. Astronomers in the international team have utilized this method to measure the position, distance between stars and other objects in the universe, and the mass making up the stars. These astronomers managed to measure the mass of a dwarf star. Using powerful telescopes, the astronomers managed to place four different telescopes on specific positions. This enabled the astronomers to measure the mass and position of the stars. The star was observed to be about 6.6 percent of the solar mass. It was also determined to be positioned between the planets and the stars in the evolutionary scheme (Susan, 2007).
Most Influential techniques in physical science
The most influential techniques in physical science include the use of mathematical formulas to prove scientific theories. All branches of science make use of mathematical formulas. Branches such as astronomy, physics, biology, and chemistry use mathematical models to support theory. All the branches of physical sciences exhibit the use of mathematical models to express ideas. Mathematical formulas represent the concept that governs the working of a system. Mathematical formulas are essential in the understanding of physical science. This is because; they provide a model representation of the system being described (Solomon, Qin, Manning, Chen, Marquis, Averyt, & Miller, 2007).
Another technique used in physical science is statistical methods of proving theories. Scientist from different fields such as physics, chemistry, biology and astronomy make use of experiments to gather statistical data. This data can then be used to prove theories. The technique of use experiments to gather statistical data has helped advance physical science because it provides verified evidence of the concept being proved. The use of statistics involves collecting of samples of data and using this data to conduct research. The behavior of the collected sample can be used to represent a larger group. The use of statistical methods has helped a lot in the advancement of physical science, this is because, a small sample of a large population may be used to represent the entire population (Susan, 2007).
Part 2
Hazard Associated with Research in Physical Science
There is a wide range of hazards associated with physical science. One of the hazards includes injuries while performing experiments in the laboratories. Scientists in the field of physics must ensure that they are careful when dealing with electricity. This will minimize incidents of electric shock. These scientists must ensure that they use insulated wires to avoid direct contact with electrical cables. Also, scientist must always be dressed in lab-coats and other protective gears as required for specific experiments being performed (Taylor, 1997).
This hazard may also occur in chemistry experiments. In these experiments, the scientists in chemistry laboratories must take caution to ensure that they do not get injured in the process of performing experiments. The chemistry scientist must always ensure that they understand the properties of the chemicals that they are using. This will help avoid mishandling of dangerous chemicals. If these chemicals are not handled properly, they could result to explosions and spillage on a person’s skin. To ensure safety in chemistry laboratories, the scientists must always wear protective gear as recommended for the experiments being performed. The scientists performing the experiments must also ensure that they understand the chemical properties of the chemicals that they are dealing with. Wearing appropriate clothing can help avoid injuries in the laboratories. Loose clothing and open shoes may be a cause of injuries that could have been avoided.
Ways in which advancement in the physical sciences might impact the safety of global community
The advancement of physical sciences has had numerous impacts on the development of global community. Physical science has helped people understand how the environment around them functions. Through this understanding, individuals are able to come up with proper measures that can help in the conservation of the environment around them. For these reasons, advancement in technology can improve the safety of the global community.
References
Kuhn, T. S. (1961). The function of measurement in modern physical science. Isis, 52(2), 161- 193.
Solomon, S., Qin, D., Manning, M., Chen, Z., Marquis, M., Averyt, K. B., & Miller, H. L. (2007). The physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, 235-337.
Susan, S. (Ed.). (2007). Climate change 2007-the physical science basis: Working group I contribution to the fourth assessment report of the IPCC (Vol. 4). Cambridge University Press.
Taylor, J. R. (1997). An introduction to error analysis: the study of uncertainties in physical measurements. University science books.
