Intro. to Earth Science Notes

What do you know About the Scientific Method? Scientific method: Is a process for experimentation that is used to explore observations and answer questions about the world.

What are the Steps in the Scientific Method? Ask a Question Do Background Research Construct a Hypothesis Test with an Experiment Analyze Results & Draw Conclusion Determine if Hypothesis is Supported or Rejected Communicate Results

How do Scientist Communicate Results? Peer-reviewed journals Present work at science conferences

How are you Informed by Science?

What Other Terms Have you Heard of that relate to the Scientific Method? Independent Variable Dependent Variable Observation Data Control Constant Qualitative Quantitative

Experiment – Practice Question: Do plants grow larger with more fertilizer? Plant 1 – No fertilizer Plant 2 – 10 mL of fertilizer Plant 3 – 50 mL of fertilizer

Experiment – Practice What did we change in the experiment? The amount of fertilizer is the Independent Variable: the variable controlled and changed by the person conducting the experiment How did we measure the results? The amount of plant growth is the Dependent Variable: What is measured as a result of the independent variable

What factors Stayed the same throughout the Experiment? Amount of water given to each plant Same type of plant Amount of soil each plant was put into Amount of sunlight received Time the experiment was run on each plant

What is the control group in this experiment? Control: The group that is not changed experimentally and will be used as a comparison. Plant 1 because it did not receive any fertilizer

How many times should we conduct our Experiment? It is important to test an experiment multiple times. The more times an experiment is tested the more valid and reliable the results are.

What tools can you use in science to take measurements? Ruler Scale / Triple Beam Balance Timer Force Meter Barometer Graduated Cylinder Erlenmeyer flask Beaker Thermometer Anemometer

Triple Beam Balance Used to measure mass in grams or (g) Can be also be digital called an electric scale How many grams does this balance show?

Ruler Used to measure length in centimeters (cm) or meters (m) How many centimeters is the ribbon? How many centimeters is this pencil?

Graduated Cylinder Used to measure volume in liters (L) or mililiters (mL) How many mL of water is in the graduated cylinder?

Thermometer Used to measure temperature in Celsius or (C˚) How many degrees Celsius is shown on the thermometer?

Timer/Clock Used to measure time in seconds or (s)

Is it Important to take reliable and accurate measurements? Accuracy: How close the measurement is to the actual valve Precision: How close each measurement is to each other

Accurate, Precise, or Both? Accurate and Precise Accurate not Precise Precise not Accurate

What is the Metric System? Length = Meters Mass = Grams Volume = Liters International System of units Used mostly widely in the World

How do we use the Metric System? It works on a power of 10 So you can move the decimal place to the right or left to convert easily Kilo = 1000 Hecko = 100 Deka = 10 Base = 1 deci = 1/10 centi = 1/100 mili = 1/1000 Moving decimal to left = smaller number Moving decimal to right = larger number

What is an Easy Way to Convert? Remember this: King Henry Died by drinking chocolate milk

Practice Problems!!! 0.012 cm to ________ mm 1.234 hg to _________ dg 25.4 L to _________ kL 0.0056 g to _________ cg 0.12 1234.0 0.0254 0.056

What is the Shape of Earth? Almost a sphere = called an oblate spheroid Bulges around the middle = called the equator

How old is Earth? 4.5 billion years old

What are the Four Spheres of the Earth? Atmosphere Biosphere Hydrosphere Lithosphere

Atmosphere An invisible blanket of gas that surrounds Earth Supports life on Earth w/ the energy from the Sun and the magnetic field

Biosphere All the living organisms found on all regions of Earth Example: Plants, Animals, Insects, Bacteria, etc. Biotic = living things Abiotic = non-living things

Hydrosphere All the water found on Earth, including oceans, rivers, glaciers, etc. 71% of Earth is water Water is universal solvent Found as solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (water vapor)

Lithosphere/ Geosphere Solid outermost shell on Earth Includes crust and upper mantle Earth is made up of lithospheric plates

Practice!!! Clouds Hurricanes Litho/Geosphere Impact Craters Oceans Air Litho/Geosphere Impact Craters Oceans Glaciers Water Biosphere Forests

What is Latitude? Latitude is a measurement of distance in degrees north and south of the equator.

What is Latitude? There are 90 degrees of latitude from the equator to each of the poles, north and south. Latitude lines are the same distance apart.

The Equator Equator is the longest of all of the latitude lines. It is an invisible line that divides the Earth in half. A 0˚ latitude.

Practice Questions Parallel 90 2 Lines of latitude are _____________ to the equator. There are __________ degrees of latitude north and south of the equator. The equator is _____________ degrees. The equator divides the Earth into ________ equal parts. Parallel 90 2

What is Longitude? A measurement of distance in degrees east or west of the prime meridian.

What is Longitude? Line of longitude, including the prime meridian, pass through the north and south pole. Makes the Earth look like a peeled orange.

The Prime Meridian The prime meridian divides the earth in half too. It is also 0˚. I passes through Greenwich, England