The World of Earth Science Chapter 1

Branches of Earth Science Section 1 Branches of Earth Science Geology – Science that Rocks Geology = the study of the solid Earth. Volcanologist = a geologist who studies volcanoes. Seismologist = a geologist who studies earthquakes Paleontologist = a geologist who studies fossils Specialized Exploration – explore the subsurface of the Earth by scuba-diving in underwater caves.

Branches of Earth Science Section 1 Branches of Earth Science Oceanography – Water, Water Everywhere Oceanography = the study of the ocean. Physical oceanographers – study things like waves & ocean currents Biological oceanographers – study the plants & animals that live in the ocean Geological oceanographers – study the ocean floor. Chemical oceanographers – study the natural chemicals & chemicals from pollution in the ocean. Exploring the Ocean Floor – hydrothermal vents = black smokers The minerals & hot water from these vents support a biological community Rock chimneys on the ocean floor that spew black clouds of minerals

Branches of Earth Science Section 1 Branches of Earth Science Meteorology – It’s a Gas! Meteorology = the study of the entire atmosphere Weather forecasting Hurricanes – tracking hurricanes & weather forecasting saves lives Tornadoes – an average of 780 tornados touch down each year in the US. By studying tornadoes scientist hope to better understand and predict how these violent storms will behave.

Branches of Earth Science Section 1 Branches of Earth Science Astronomy – Far, Far Away Astronomy = the study of all physical things beyond Earth. Because most things in space are too far away to sense directly, astronomers depend on technology to help them study objects in space. Star Struck – astronomers estimate there are 100 billion billion stars in the sky. Astronomers study stars, asteroids, planets, and everything else in space.

Branches of Earth Science Section 1 Branches of Earth Science Special Branches of Earth Science Ecology – studying the relationships between these organisms & their surroundings. Ecosystem = a community of organisms & their nonliving environment The principles of ecology are useful in many related fields such as wildlife management, agriculture, forestry, climatology, mathematics, & computer technology.

Branches of Earth Science Section 1 Branches of Earth Science Geochemistry – combines the study of geology & chemistry. These scientist specialize in the chemistry of rocks, minerals, & soil. Environmental Science – the study of how humans interact with the environment. Geography & Cartography – study the surface features of the Earth. Cartography make maps of those features Geochemistry - They study the chemistry of these materials to determine their economic value, interpret what the environment was like when they formed, & interpret what the environment was like when they formed, & learn what has happened to them since they first formed. Environmental Science - One common task of an environment scientist is trying to find out whether humans are damaging the environment. Pollution of the air, water, and land can harm natural resources, such as wildlife, drinking water, and soil. Environmental science, which relies on life science, chemistry, physics, & geology, is helping us to preserve Earth’s resources & to use them more wisely.

Steps of the Scientific Method Section 2 Steps of the Scientific Method When scientists make observations about the natural world, they are often presented with a question or problem. Scientific Method = a series of steps that scientists use to answer questions & solve problems. Although the scientific method has several distinct steps, it is not a rigid procedure. The goal of the scientific method is to come up with reliable answers & solutions.

Dino Discovery – A Case for the Scientific Method Section 2 Dino Discovery – A Case for the Scientific Method Observation = any use of the senses to gather information. Observations are made throughout scientific investigations. Ask a Question Form a Hypothesis Hypothesis = a possible explanation or answer to the question sometimes called an educated guess. Can’t be just any answer. It has to be a testable explanation.

Dino Discovery – A Case for the Scientific Method Section 2 Dino Discovery – A Case for the Scientific Method Test the Hypothesis Scientist test hypotheses by gathering data that can help determine whether the hypotheses are valid or not. To test a hypothesis, a scientist may conduct a controlled experiment. A controlled experiment is an experiment that tests only one factor at a time. By changing only one factor (the variable), scientists can see the results of just that one change. Analyze the Results

Dino Discovery – A Case for the Scientific Method Section 2 Dino Discovery – A Case for the Scientific Method Draw Conclusions After carefully analyzing the results of their tests, scientists must draw conclusions. Was the hypothesis correct? Was it wrong? Should they redo the experiment? Whole new experiment? Communicate Results Scientist share information by publishing reports in scientific journals. Science depends on the sharing of information.

Life in a Warmer World – An Earth Science Model Section 3 Life in a Warmer World – An Earth Science Model Global Warming = a worldwide increase in temperature Types of Scientific Models Models = representations of objects or systems. They are used to represent things that are too small to see, such as atoms, or too large to see completely see, like the Earth or the solar system. Models can be used to explain the past & present as well as to predict the future.

Scientific Models Section 3 Physical Models = models that you can touch. They should look & act just like the real thing. Mathematical Models = made up of mathematical equations & data. Some models are so complex that only supercomputers can handle them. Conceptual Models = composed of many hypotheses, each of which has found support through the scientific method. Theory = a unifying explanation for a broad range of hypotheses & observations that have been supported by testing. 1) It is safer & cheaper to discover problems with models than with real planes. 2) These are used to predict the weather 3) Atomic theories, big bang theories are conceptual models

The Global – Warming Model Section 3 The Global – Warming Model Global-warming model = a mathematical model designed to help scientists predict future temperature changes of the Earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse Effect – is partly responsible for the Earth’s moderate temperatures, which are suitable to support life. Sunlight enters the atmosphere & heats the Earth’s surface. The Earth radiates energy back into the atmosphere Greenhouse gases trap & reradiate energy to the lower atmosphere, heating the Earth’s surface.

The Global – Warming Model Section 3 The Global – Warming Model Testing the Global-Warming Model If this model can accurately explain the present, then we can be more confident that the model will be able to accurately predict the future. Using the Global-Warming Model This model is extremely complicated so scientists often use words like possible & probable when making predictions form this model. Only the test of time will prove or disprove this model.

Section 4 Measurement In the late 1700s the French Academy of Sciences set out to develop a system of accurate & simple measurements. 200 years later they had what is now called the International System of Units (SI). Using the SI System Today most scientists & almost all countries use the SI system. It helps all scientists to share & compare their observations & results. Another advantage is that all units are based on the number 10. Makes calculations easy.

Measurement Section 4 Measuring Length Meter = the basic unit of length in the SI system. Measuring Volume Volume = the amount of space that something occupies, or as in the case of a crate, the amount of space that something contains. The volume of a liquid is often given in liters (L)

Section 4 Measurement Measuring Volume of Solids – the volume of a large solid object is given in cubic meters (m3). Objects like fossils & rocks have irregular shapes. One way to determine the volume of an irregularly shaped object is to measure how much liquid the object displaces. Mass Mass = the amount of matter that something is made of. Kilogram is the basic unit for mass & used to describe the mass of things.

Measurement & Safety Section 4 Temperature Temperature = a measure of how hot (or cold) something is. You are probably used to describing temperature with degrees Fahrenheit (oF). Scientists use degrees Celsius (oC) and kelvins, which is the SI unit for temperature. Safety Rules! If we do any labs always follow instructions to the letter! If you are unsure ask questions