Objectives

• Students will discover the changes which led to the dawn of modern science.

• Students will explore the discoveries which occurred in astronomy, physics, and math during the Scientific Revolution.

• Students will investigate how early scientists advanced knowledge in biology and chemistry.

Main IdeaNew ways of thinking led to remarkable discoveries during the Scientific Revolution.

The Scientific Revolution

Some Middle Ages scholars sought answers about the natural world from the church. In the mid-1500s, others began to think in new ways.

• Scholars relied on traditional authorities for beliefs about structure of universe

• Geocentric theory, Aristotle– Earth center of universe– Sun, moon, planets revolved

around Earth• Ideas upheld by church, accepted

authority for European intellectuals

The Old View• Scholars began to challenge

traditional authorities, 1500s• Scientific Revolution, new way of

thinking• Posed theories, developed

procedures to test ideas• Why open to new ideas?

– Exploration – New lands, new people, new

animals

New Viewpoints

Dawn of Modern Science

Dawn of Modern Science

Ancient scholars could provide no information about new lands, people, animals

• Age of Exploration led scientists to study natural world more closely

• Other things to be discovered, things unknown to ancients

• Navigators needed more accurate instruments, geographic knowledge

• Scientists examined natural world, found it did not match ancient beliefs

• Francis Bacon, experimentation to gain scientific knowledge

• Rene Descartes, reason key• Believed everything should be

doubted until proved by reason• Relied on math, logic• Ideas of both continue to influence

modern scientific methods

Scientific Method Scholars

• Scientific Method• Identify problem• Form hypothesis• Perform experiments to test

hypothesis• Record results• Analyze results, form conclusion

New Approach to Investigation

The Scientific Method

Find the Main Idea

What was the Scientific Revolution?

Answer(s): a new way of thinking about the natural world that challenged traditional views and instead relied upon experimentation

As science assumed greater significance, the question of the role of the Roman Catholic Church in a changing culture became important. While the church opposed the views of many scientists, it benefited from new discoveries that made Renaissance art and architecture possible.

• Church most powerful institution in Europe, Middle Ages

• Primary resource for knowledge, learning

• Cathedral schools, universities trained people to run the church

Science and the Church

Science and Society

• Most scientists did not want to challenge role of Christianity

• Church explained world through inspiration, revealed truth

• The church feared reason as an enemy of faith, but eventually began to embrace some of the achievements of the Scientific Revolution

• Science explained world through logical reasoning

Conflicts

Science and Community

Scientific Revolution established new way of thinking about physical world

• Great advances made in astronomy, physics, biology, chemistry

• Advances influenced developments in arts, architecture

• Impact of Scientific Revolution soon would cause philosophers, scholars to wonder if reason could solve poverty, war, ignorance

Draw Conclusions

How did the Scientific Revolution have an impact beyond the realm of science?

Answer(s): led people to question the Church; led to new ideas about government, religion, education, and economics.

Early scientists• Made significant contributions in astronomy, physics and math• Began to explain complexities of solar system, limits of physical world• Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish astronomer, among first

Copernicus’ theory• Idea of earth orbiting sun was not completely new• Copernicus developed detailed mathematical explanation of process• Was first scientist to create complete model of solar system

Copernicus• Found geocentric theory of movement of sun, moon, planets not accurate• Concluded sun, not earth, near center of solar system• Heliocentric theory, earth revolves around sun

Discoveries in Astronomy, Physics, and Math

Weaknesses of theory• Mathematical formulas were weak did not predict positions of planets well• Copernicus did not want to be ridiculed for weaknesses

On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres• Copernicus’ famous book not published until last year of his life• Knew church would oppose work• Work contradicted teachings of church• Died 1543 after work published, other scientists expanded on ideas

Brahe, Danish Astronomer• Wrote book proving bright object over Denmark sky was newly visible star• Coined the term, supernova, distant exploding star suddenly visible on earth• Book impressed Denmark’s King Frederick II• Gave Brahe money to build two observatories

• Brahe used observatories• Developed system to explain planetary

movement• Believed sun revolved around earth• Other five known planets revolved

around sun

Observations

• Hired as Brahe’s assistant to form mathematical theory from measurements of planets

• Published result of measurements of orbit of Mars after Brahe’s death

Kepler, German Mathematician

Brahe and Kepler

Kepler’s Solution

Kepler solved main problem of Copernican theory• Copernicus assumed planets orbited in circle

• Kepler found assumption untrue

• Proved planets orbited in oval pattern, ellipse

• Wanted to prove Copernicus wrong, instead proved heliocentric theory correct

• Kepler’s mathematical solar system model also correct

More support• Italian scientist Galileo Galilei • Built first telescope used for

astronomy• Scanned heavens beginning in 1609

Change in science world• Isaac Newton, English scientist • Brought together astronomy, physics,

math• Wondered about gravity

Starry Messenger• Galileo described discoveries • Craters on moon, sunspots• Saturn, moons of Jupiter• Milky Way made up of stars

Principia• Book explained law of gravity • Gravity affects objects on earth, also in

universe• Keeps planets in orbit • Developed calculus

Discoveries in Astronomy, Physics, and Math