Science: A Study of Life and Environment (SCIE10001)

Science provides a view of the living world and its environment that uses observation and measurement to build an understanding of the function of parts of a system and the interactions between them. This subject aims to develop students’ understanding of this evidence-based approach, integrating the contributions of biology, chemistry, earth sciences and physics.

Careful development of students’ academic skills is embedded in this subject.

Topics include:

• Matter and interactions: an understanding of the basis of matter (atoms and molecules) and the organisation of matter at an atomic level, within living organisms and their environment;
• Energy transfers and transformations: Types of energy and relevance to the environment; mechanical and thermal energy transfers and transformations, behaviour of light and other electromagnetic radiation;
• The global environment: The global energy system and evolving global climates, atmosphere, ocean and water cycles, global ecology;
• The living world: What is life? Observations of the interactions of living things with their environment, the cycling of energy through living systems and their environment;
• The consequences of change in the environment: Living things and selective pressures, speciation and evolution.