The periodic table of the elements, one way to describe the properties of matter. Click on image for full size (14K GIF) Windows to the Universe original artwork by L. Gardiner.

Some basic concepts find applications in many, many places throughout science, especially physical science. We have grouped these "starting points for science" into three clusters: space, time, and matter.

On one hand, "space" is the term we use for everything beyond Earth. However, "space" is also the way we refer to location and the distance between objects. We live in a world with three spatial dimensions (unless string theory is indeed true, and there are many more dimensions... but that's a whole other can of worms!), so coordinate systems that describe locations and distances are an important tool for describing space. The many units we use for measuring distance are an important part of our notion of space. Our modern view of the Universe, based on Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, includes the non-Euclidean idea that space is curved.

Time is a second key cornerstone that helps us get specific in describing events. Many of our measures of time, such as days, months, and years, are based on astronomical phenomena. Armed with the concepts of space and time, we can specify the "where" and the "when" in our observations of the world around us. We employ many different units in our measurements of space and time, and an understanding of the history these units and the most appropriate situations in which to apply certain ones is helpful in our study of physical phenomena.

Out third cornerstone concept is matter, the "stuff" without which the Universe would be a lonely place. We specify the amount of matter in an object in terms of the object's mass. There are four basic forms that matter can take on: solid, liquid, gas or plasma. Numerous fundamental concepts, such as weight, pressure, and density, have close ties to the notions of mass and matter. Matter can be classified and grouped, as is done with the chemical elements in the periodic table. Matter and energy are intimately intertwined ideas, as expressed in Einstein's famous equation relating the two: E = mc².

The periodic table of the elements, one way to describe the properties of matter. Click on image for full size (14K GIF) Windows to the Universe original artwork by L. Gardiner.

Some basic concepts find applications in many, many places throughout science, especially physical science. We have grouped these "starting points for science" into three clusters: space, time, and matter.

On one hand, "space" is the term we use for everything beyond Earth. However, "space" is also the way we refer to location and the distance between objects. We live in a world with three spatial dimensions (unless string theory is indeed true, and there are many more dimensions... but that's a whole other can of worms!), so coordinate systems that describe locations and distances are an important tool for describing space. The many units we use for measuring distance are an important part of our notion of space. Our modern view of the Universe, based on Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, includes the non-Euclidean idea that space is curved.

Time is a second key cornerstone that helps us get specific in describing events. Many of our measures of time, such as days, months, and years, are based on astronomical phenomena. Armed with the concepts of space and time, we can specify the "where" and the "when" in our observations of the world around us. We employ many different units in our measurements of space and time, and an understanding of the history these units and the most appropriate situations in which to apply certain ones is helpful in our study of physical phenomena.

Out third cornerstone concept is matter, the "stuff" without which the Universe would be a lonely place. We specify the amount of matter in an object in terms of the object's mass. There are four basic forms that matter can take on: solid, liquid, gas or plasma. Numerous fundamental concepts, such as weight, pressure, and density, have close ties to the notions of mass and matter. Matter can be classified and grouped, as is done with the chemical elements in the periodic table. Matter and energy are intimately intertwined ideas, as expressed in Einstein's famous equation relating the two: E = mc².

The periodic table of the elements, one way to describe the properties of matter. Click on image for full size (14K GIF) Windows to the Universe original artwork by L. Gardiner.

There are some basic ideas that you find in many kinds of science. We have grouped these "starting points for science "into three areas: space, time, and matter.

On one hand, "space" is the term we use for everything beyond Earth. "Space" is also the way we tell an object's location or the distance between objects.

Time is the second key idea that helps us get detailed in describing events. Measures of time may be in seconds, days, months, or years.

Out third key concept is matter. Matter is the "stuff" in the Universe. The amount of matter in an object is called the object's mass.