The City School

Academic Year 2019-20

Topic: Simple Chemical Reactions
Unit: Skills of Enquiry
Worksheet # _002_
Class 7
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WHAT ARE FACTS AND OPINIONS?

We often refer to things that have shown to be correct over and over again as facts.
However, in science we must always be prepared for ‘facts’ to be shown to be wrong!
Until about 1780, scientists thought that water was an element. Then Antoine Lavoisier and
others showed that it was a compound.

Scientists use experiments to test and develop ideas about how and wye things happen.
These ideas are called hypotheses. If a hypothesis has a lot of evidence to support it, we call
it a theory. And some people may refer to it as a ‘fact’. A hypothesis is less certain than a
theory. Over time, many theories and hypotheses have to be changed or even replaced
altogether.

Opinions are views are judgements about something and are usually formed from our
feelings and experiences. They are what we believe to be true but often cannot be proved
or disapproved.
For example, ‘Element X is a metal’ is a fact whereas ‘Element X looks pretty’ is an opinion.

A fact is a statement or observation that has been repeatedly shown

to be correct.

An opinion is what someone believes to be true and often cannot be

proved or disapproved.

We may use facts to support our opinions and persuade others, but even if the facts are true it does
not make our opinions correct.

For example, ‘Diamonds are made of carbon and so cannot be beautiful’ is an opinion that is not
supported by a fact.

An expert opinion is given by someone who has training and wide knowledge in a certain subject
and is like a hypothesis. For instance, a doctor’s diagnosis of a problem is an expert opinion. An
expert opinion is more likely to be believed by people than anyone else’s opinion. We say that an
expert opinion carries more ‘weight’.

Facts are often used in advertising to persuade us to buy products or to change the way we live.
Q1. a. What are the differences between a fact and a hypothesis?

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b. What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?

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Q2. Have a look at the figure below and answer the questions that follow.

Gold is the most

The most beautiful metal Silver makes the
attractive metal prettiest jewellry
is platinum

a. Explain why these statements are all opinions.

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b. State two factors about metals and explain why they are facts.

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Q3. a. why might someone’s opinion about a car be wrong?

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b. Who might give an expert opinion on motor cars?

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Continue to worksheet 3