Science Branches

Science is a Continuous Search for Knowledge

Science comes from the Latin word Scientia (scient, sciens), which means “having knowledge.” A scientist once said, “Science is an observation followed by experimentation leading to further observations and followed again by further experimentations.”

For example, from the idea of the four-dimensional universe, Albert Einstein developed his Law of Relativity. Then other scientists made use of Einstein’s theory to explore the atom. In the 1930’s, it was discovered that an atom could be split, producing a large quantity of energy. In the 1940’s, practical atomic reactors were built. Today, we have power plants that make use of atomic energy. Almost all the physical laws concerning the universe were discovered in the middle of the sixteenth century, the Age of Modern Science. It all began with very few ideas. Those few ideas have grown, and they continue to grow and develop. New ideas lead to new discoveries that fuel more new ideas and discoveries.

Today, we know that the neutrons, protons, and electrons are no longer the smallest particles that make up objects because scientists have discovered smaller particles in 1977 that they named as quarks.

Science as a Product and a Process

Science is ….

1. an ongoing process of investigating and thinking;

2. a way of thinking which involves reasoning; and

3. a way of investigating which involves questions, observations,
experimentations, and predictions.

Branches of Science

1. Social science – focuses primarily on the study of people, culture, and their      societies.

Branches of Social Science

                a. Economics                      e. Law                              

                b. Geography                      f. Education

                c. History                           g. Sociology

                d. Psychology

2. Natural science – seeks to understand the natural world and its different   processes

Natural Science is divided into...

a. Pure science – is used in pursuit of new knowledge. It deals with new     discoveries that may or may not have current practical applications.

Pure Science is divided into..

1. Physical sciences – are those that involve the study of nonliving things.

                               This group includes the following:
a. Physics – the science that deals with matter and energy and the interaction between them.

b. Chemistry – the science that deals with matter, its composition, structure, and properties; the changes it undergoes; and the energy accompanying these changes.

c. Earth Science – the study of earth and its composition, what processes happen in its interior and its surface, and how it is similar to and different with other entities in space. It includes the study of nonliving things such as rocks, soil, clouds, rivers, oceans, planets, stars and meteors. It also covers the weather and climate systems that affect Earth.

2. Biological sciences or Biology – involves the study of living things. 

b. Applied sciences – use the discoveries of the pure sciences to create practical solutions to existing problems and create products that can be used in actual settings.