Questions tagged [science]
The use of English in science.
23
questions
2
votes
3answers
8k views
How do you explain cubic growth of a function
When reading scientific papers I have seen people explain the growth of a variable linearly, exponentially. However how would one say for a variable which grows in quadratic fashion, or cubic?
I don'...
2
votes
2answers
13k views
Capitalisation of “Nature”
Why is "Nature" usually spelt with an initial capital letter in scientific journals? I am mainly referring to life science here, in case this matters.
I am not talking about the obvious cases, like ...
2
votes
4answers
35k views
“We have showed that”/ “We have shown that” or “We showed that”?
In the summey of my physics paper, for a scientific journal, in the start of a new paragraph in the discussion, what is more correct to write?
"We have showed that" the system obeys this and that ...
-1
votes
1answer
36 views
Term for “extent/proportion of a population [that meet some condition]”
What is a technical term (perhaps from statistics) for the extent (or proportion) that a specified condition applies to some given population?
For example:
There is a communicable cancer currently ...
2
votes
1answer
156 views
Terminology for multi-cause changes
Is there any terminology or wording to describe the type of fundamental change of a system that is not the result of a single cause, but rather caused by many influences at interplay pushing from ...
1
vote
1answer
382 views
Amino acid vs. amino-acid [duplicate]
In the following two examples, is there any difference as to how amino acid should be hyphenated?
There are twenty amino acids.
The amino acid content is 80%.
My intuition would be to hyphenate in ...
1
vote
3answers
2k views
Word for: A river than splits into two, later rejoining into one? (fluvial terminology)
A tributary is river or stream that flows into a larger river.
A distributary a stream branching off a river.
Is there a word that combines both structures, the idea of a river that splits in two ...
1
vote
2answers
901 views
Meteor & Meteorite is to Meteoroid as A & B is to Asteroid?
In astronomy,
A meteoroid is what it is called before it enters a planet's atmosphere,
A meteor is what it is called after it enters a planet's atmosphere but before it hits the surface, and
A ...
26
votes
2answers
120k views
Are chemical element names capitalized?
Do the names of chemical elements need to be capitalized?
For example, in running text should it be hydrogen or Hydrogen?
13
votes
2answers
5k views
Suffix ‘-ium’ vs. ‘-um’ in element names
Many chemical elements have the suffix ‘-ium’. However, exactly four elements – molybdenum, tantalum, platinum, and lanthanum – have the suffix ‘-um’ instead.
Is there a difference between the ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
An article before the word “Equation”
In many scientific papers, the article before the word "Equation" is omitted. Is there any grammar statement behind this? For instance:
"Equation (8) contains various approximations, and we have to ...
9
votes
1answer
20k views
Should names of scientific theories be capitalized?
I'd really like to safely write stuff like Special Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Theory of Evolution without capitals; but I don't want to regret it, whence my question.
Should the name of ...
8
votes
3answers
741 views
If “string theory” and “M-theory” are not tested yet, should they be read as “string hypothesis”, “M-hypothesis”?
I came across this question on Yahoo! Answers:
Should M-theory read, M-hypothesis?
It being limited evidence for further investigation, perhaps not yet a theory.
I responded thus:
(I realise the ...
5
votes
5answers
3k views
What is the name of the behavior that makes you believe more in something when it contradicts your beliefs?
What is the name of a common human behavior that makes you believe more in one thing when you are contradicted?
I read an article a while ago about this behavior saying that people naturally (or ...
4
votes
1answer
5k views
Active vs Passive voice in lab reports, and history of scientific usage
I've had some discussions in the past with TA's who would tell my undergrads "Lab reports are written in the passive voice".
Aside from whether or not this is correct (let's come back to that in a ...
4
votes
1answer
349 views
Why do we write “Fourier's law” but “Soret effect”?
Can you explain why do we write e.g. Fourier's law, Ohm's law, Newton's law of cooling, etc. but Soret effect, Dufour effect instead of Soret's effect, Dufour's effect? What is the principle?
3
votes
2answers
466 views
A futuristic Phobia in the scientific context (Related to Artificial Intelligence)
Is there any specific term to describe a phobia about future of relationship between humans and (intelligent) machines? One may think it could be Cyberphobia or Mechanophobia, however these options ...
2
votes
1answer
240 views
How to pronounce the names of supersymmetric partner particles of fermions
The names of supersymmetric partner particles of fermions are formed by s- + the name of the normal particle. E.g.:
sparticle
sfermion
squark
sup
sdown
scharm
sstrange
stop
sbottom
slepton
...
0
votes
4answers
1k views
Why does binomial nomenclature seem to break case rules?
According to the Wiki page for binomial nomenclature, we are supposed to capitalize the first word when naming species regardless of where it occurs in the sentence. To me, this seem very incongruous ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
Why does the suffix of “iodine” sound different in American and British English?
As an American, I noticed Fluorine and Iodine, though clearly sharing the same ending (and this was corroborated by etymonline.com; both contain the same chemical suffix) sounded different. Fluorine ...
2
votes
2answers
249 views
Lanthanum vs lanthanium
All lanthanides except for lanthanum have suffix "-ium". Why lanthanum is so special, and why this particular word form has been considered canonical? Is using of "lanthanium" these days allowed, or ...
1
vote
2answers
259 views
Variations on “a [technical term] is said to be [adjective]” suited to scientific publications
(I'll use “spooky-graphoid” as a randomly made-up technical term and “saturated” as a random adjective from the scientific vernacular.)
First, when it comes to the definition of a “saturated spooky-...
1
vote
1answer
121 views
The practice of identifying authors from their writings
Is there an English word for the practice of analysing texts to determine their authors?
For example, comparing three texts A, B and C and realising that the choice of words, grammar and style of ...
