#wehavescience!

Do you use the word theory on a regular basis? Did you know that 'theory' is different from 'scientific theory'?

According to Oxford Dictionaries a Theory is:

A supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained

Basically if you have an idea of how a system works then you can guess the outcome of a specific event or the reason for something happening.

In science that would be a hypothesis.

According to Dictionary.com a Hypothesis is:

a proposition, or set of propositions, set forth as an explanation for the occurrence of some specified group of phenomena, either asserted merely as a provisional conjecture to guide investigation (working hypothesis) or accepted as highly probable in the light of established facts

A hypothesis and the general use of theory are very similar. they mean you are working from some background to make an educated, or what you hope is educated, guess.

According to Dictionary.com a Scientific Theory is:

systematic ideational structure of broad scope, conceived by the human imagination, that encompasses a family of empirical (experiential) laws regarding regularities existing in objects and events, both observed and posited. A scientific theory is a structure suggested by these laws and is devised to explain them in a scientifically rational manner

                           English: Flowchart that shows how an idea moves from hypothesis to accepted theory, with room for revision. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is different from everyday use of the word theory for the simple reason that research has already been put to the guess and scientists have found that it is true under specific criteria.

Why is it important? We hear about the climate-change deniers and creationists denying a theory because it is just a "theory." There are other arguments in the news that you can find using the same excuse. People who question a scientific theory that has been brought to them do not understand the meaning of the word. It is a scientific theory because there is a lacking of evidence to deny its existence. (I didn't use the phrase 'evidence has proven' because no such thing exists in science.)

Next time you here an argument against a scientific theory pay attention to the use of 'theory'. It may change your view on the debate.

Aluminum foil is a common modern piece of technology found all over the place. Many people use it at home and at work. I work in a laboratory and we use aluminum foil all the time.

I'm going to focus on why we use aluminum foil when we cook. If you have ever baked something you  have most likely covered what you were baking with a sheet of aluminum foil. For example, we are told to cover lasagna with aluminum foil so that it cooks more evenly.

Here I am using the aluminum foil to insulate the hotplate at work to get it to heat to temperature faster. (Photo by me: I'm not a photographer)

Aluminum foil conducts (directs the heat) more evenly over the surface of the dish you are covering by allowing the heat to flow through it and into the item it covers. Aluminum foil also insulates the dish, it reflects the heat back onto it and does not allow water vapor and hot air

to escape. You see this when you remove the aluminum foil and there is a rush of steam. This is also why you sometimes want to remove the foil before the dish is done so that the top will get a little crispy. You can do the same with boiling water. Put the lid on top of a kettle and the water will boil faster because the heated air and water vapor can't escape.

The aluminum foil is acting as an insulator. For example, aluminum foil can be used to insulate houses. It will reflect the infrared heat coming from the sun to keep the home cooler in the summer and reflect the infrared hear coming from the house to keep it warmer in the winter. Infrared (radiation) is emitted by most objects. It is energy. When you heat up an item, the molecules inside of it get excited and emit infrared radiation. When the infrared radiation strikes another object, those molecules get excited as well (heat). This is also why you cover your food with aluminum foil to keep it warm.

At home experiment: Hold a piece of aluminum foil close to your face, without touching. Soon you will feel the warmth of your own infrared rays bouncing back from the foil.

Sources:

The Physics of Foil. (n.d.). Retrieved August 27, 2014, from http://www.insulation4less.com/Insulation4lessTechnicalArticles-2-The-Physics-of-Foil.aspx