1. Chapter 1: The nature of science

2. 1.1 earth science
We will learn about Earth and the processes and forces that change it, the materials from which it is made, its long history, and its place in the universe.
The Scope of Earth Science
Very vast!
Dinosaur bones that were once embedded in rocks that make up cliffs and canyons
Ocean floor exploration that has led to the discovery of bizarre creatures

3. Four major areas
There are four major areas of specialization in Earth Science:
Astronomy
Meteorology
Geology
Oceanography

4. astronomy Study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere
Thanks to technology, telescopes are one example, we can study the universe

5. meteorology Studies the air that surrounds Earth
Meteorologist study the forces and processes that cause the atmosphere to change to produce weather
They also try to predict the weather and how changes in weather might affect Earth’s climate

6. geology
Study of the materials that make up Earth and the processes that form and change these materials
Geologists identify rocks, study glacier movements, interpret clues to Earth’s history, and determine how forces change our planet.

7. oceanography
Study of Earth’s oceans, which cover three-fourths of the planet
Oceanographers study the creatures that inhabit salty water, measure different chemical and physical properties of the oceans, and observe various processes in these bodies of water.
Some study the effects of human activity on Earth’s saltwater bodies.
There are also subspecialties of earth science, listed on page 7

8. Earth’s systems Scientists have identified 4 main Earth systems:
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
These four systems are interdependent.

9. Earth’s systems: Lithosphere
Rigid outer shell of the planet, includes: the crust and the mantle
There are two types of crust:
1. continental crust: made of mostly rock, called granite
2. oceanic crust: mainly basalt, a rock that is denser than granite
The mantle is made up of rock called peridotite.
Some parts are rigid solid, but some are partially molten and flow like soft plastic (this portion is referred to as the asthenosphere)
Under the earth’s mantle is the core
Includes 1. outer liquid part and 2. solid inner part

10. Earth’s systems: Hydrosphere
Earth’s water, including oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, glaciers, and the water in the atmosphere all make up Earth’s hydrosphere.
Can be either salt water (97%) or fresh water (3%).
Fresh water is contained in glaciers, in lakes and rivers, and beneath earth’s surface in groundwater.

11. Earth’s systems: the atmosphere
Blanket of gases that surrounds our planet
Necessary for respiration of living things, protects living things against harmful radiation from the sun, and keeps Earth’s temperature suitable for life.
Made up of about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen and 1% water vapor, argon, carbon dioxide, and trace gases

12. Earth’s systems: biosphere
All organisms on earth as well as the environment that they live in. Includes those that live deep in the oceans and high in the mountains.

13. Everyday life
We live in the biosphere. On the earth’s crust (lithosphere) and breath the gases from the atmosphere. Depend on water (hydrosphere)
Technology! Application of scientific discoveries to everyday use.

14. 1.2 methods of scientists

15. Nature of scientific investigations
Scientific method: a planned, organized, approach to solving a problems
Steps:
Identify the problem, what do you want to know?
Suggest a hypothesis, suggested explanation for an observation. Stated in the form of a question that can be answered by the results of a test/experiment
Conduct an experiment, an organized procedure that involves making measurements and observations.

16. In an experiment
A good scientific experiment tests only one variable at a time.
Independent variable: the factor that is manipulated, or changed, by the experimenter
Dependent variable: factor that can change if the independent variable is changed
Constants: factors that do not change during an experiment
Control: used in an experiment to show that the results of the experiment are actually a result of the condition being tested
Mini Lab pg 12

17. Safety
When conducting any scientific investigation, it is important to use all the materials and equipment only as instructed.
Look at the safety rules on page 13
Remember in our labs, if you are misbehaving you will be dismissed from the lab and receive a zero.

18. Analysis and conclusion
Carefully record all data, including measurements and observations.
When the experiment is concluded, the data is formatted so that it can be studied and analyzed.
Graphs, tables, and charts are commonly used to format and display scientific data.
This data is then analyzed so that a conclusion can be drawn.
Sometimes a hypothesis is not supported by the experiment. In that case, the hypothesis is re-evaluated.

19. measurement
Remember a measurement includes both a number that identifies how many there are and a unit of measure.
Most scientific studies use a standard system of units called Le Systeme International d’Unites, or SI for short.
This system is based on a decimal system that uses the number 10 as a base unit

20. Measurement Length Weight and Mass Area and Volume Density Time
SI Unit: meter (m)
Broken down into 100 cm=1 m, 10mm=1cm So…How many centimeters are in 1 km?
Weight and Mass
Weight is a measure of the gravitational force on an object, usually measured with a scale. SI Unit: Newton (N)
Mass, does not vary with location like weight. It is the amount of matter in an object. SI Unit: kilogram (kg)
Area and Volume
Area: the amount of surface included in a set of boundaries and is expressed in square units of length (m2). A=L x W
Volume: amount of space occupied by an object. SI Unit: Cubic meter (m3), For liquids, volumes are usually in mL
Density
Measure of the amount of matter that occupies a given space. Calculated by dividing mass by volume. Expressed in g/cm3
Time
The interval between two events measured with a clock or watch. SI Unit: second (s)
Temperature
Measure of the average vibrations of particles that make up material. Measured on Celsius scale or Kelvin
Converting from Kelvin to Celsius, Celsius to Fahrenheit

21. Scientific notation
In science, numbers can be very small or very large
To conveniently express numbers, scientists use a shorthand call scientific notation to express the number as a multiplier and a power of 10.
Let’s practice!

22. 1.3 Communicating in science

23. Communicating results
Important goal in science: make results available to others
Lab Reports
Used when recording and analyzing information that you collected through your experiment
Used to draw conclusions based on your data
Can compare to classmates
Graphs
Visual used to show results of experiments
Line graph, bar graph, pie chart
Look at figure 1-13 on page 18, line graph comparing 2 variables. Which one is the independent? The dependent?
Complete Problem Solving Lab on page 18

24. Theories and laws
Theory: an explanation based on many observations during repeated experiments.
Valid only if it is consistent with observations, makes predictions that can be tested, and is the simplest explanation of observations
Law: basic principle that describes the behavior of a natural phenomenon
“rule of nature”
Events observed to be the same every time
Example: Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, an object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion, unless it is acted upon by an outside force