1. What is Science? Science  to better know and
understand the world around us
What is Science?
 Science assumes the natural world is
• consistent
• predictable
 Goals of science are
• to discover patterns in nature
• to use the knowledge to predict

2. What Is Earth Science? Earth Science study of the physical
Earth and Earth’s place in the universe
What Is Earth Science?

3. What Is Earth Science? Overview of Earth Science
 Earth science includes
1. Geology - the study of the solid Earth
2. Oceanography - the study of the ocean
3. Meteorology - the study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather and climate
4. Astronomy - the study of the universe
5. Ecology – study of how organisms interact with each other and their environment

7. The Nebular HypothesisC D E B

8. What Is Earth Science? Formation of Earth  Nebular Hypothesis
• The nebula was composed mostly of hydrogen and helium.
• About 5 billion years ago, the nebula began to contract.
• It assumed a flat, disk shape with the protosun (pre-Sun) at the center.

9. What Is Earth Science? The Sun
• Provides most of the energy (nuclear fusion) that supports the Earth systems.
• Composed mostly of hydrogen and helium.
• Produces energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

11. What Is Earth Science? The Solar System
• Aside from the sun, it consists of eight planets and their moons.
• Dwarf planets (Pluto).
• Asteroids, meteoroids and comets.

12. A View of Earth Earth's Major Spheres 1. Hydrosphere
• Oceans are the most prominent feature of the hydrosphere.
- Oceans cover nearly 71% of Earth's surface
- Holds about 97% of Earth's water
• Also includes fresh water (3%) found in streams, lakes, and glaciers, as well as all of the groundwater

14. A View of Earth Earth's Major Spheres 2. Atmosphere 3. Biosphere
• Thin blanket of air
• Made mostly of nitrogen and oxygen
3. Biosphere
• Includes all life forms
• Concentrated from the ocean floor upward for several kilometers into the atmosphere

18. A View of Earth Earth's Major Spheres 4. Geosphere
• Based on compositional differences, it consists of the crust, mantle, and core.
- Crust—the thin, rocky outer layer of Earth.
- Mantle—the 2890-kilometer-thick layer of Earth located below the crust.
- Core—the innermost layer of Earth, located beneath the mantle.

19. Earth’s Layered Structure

24. A View of Earth Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonics is the theory that proposes that Earth’s outer shell consists of individual plates that interact in various ways and thereby produce earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and Earth’s crust itself.

25. Key Principles of Earth Science
Hypothesis and Theory
Key Principles of Earth Science
 An idea can become a
hypothesis—tentative or untested explanation
theory—tested, confirmed, supported hypothesis

26. Key Principles of Earth Science
Scientific Method
Key Principles of Earth Science
Question
Gather Information
Formulate a Hypothesis
Test your Hypothesis
Analyze your Results
Conclusion
Retest

27. Key Principles of Earth Science
Density
Key Principles of Earth Science
A ratio of a material’s mass to volume
D = m/v
Density plays a very important role in the geological systems on earth.
Lighter crust floats higher on the mantle than heavy crust.

28. Key Principles of Earth Science
Convection Currents
Key Principles of Earth Science
A type of heat transfer within a fluid: liquid or gas
Density plays a very important role in the ocean, atmosphere and plate tectonic systems.
Hot rises – cold sinks

29. Key Principles of Earth Science
Determining Location
Key Principles of Earth Science
Latitude and longitude are lines on the globe that are used to determine location.
Latitude is distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees.
Longitude is distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees.

31. Key Principles of Earth Science
Topographic Maps
Key Principles of Earth Science
 Topographic maps represent Earth’s surface in three dimensions; they show elevation, distance directions, and slope angles.
Contour lines are lines on a topographic map that indicate an elevation.
Contour interval is the distance in elevation between adjacent contour lines.

32. Mercator Projection Map

33. Robinson Projection Map

35. Key Principles of Earth Science
Why Should I Care?
Key Principles of Earth Science
This is a question that I want everyone to ask themselves throughout the semester.
It is very important for you to understand your role in the earth system and how your actions affect it.

36. Earth System Science What Is a System?
 A system is any size group of interacting parts that form a complex whole.
 Closed systems are self contained (e.g., an automobile cooling system).
 Open systems allow both energy and matter to flow in and out of the system (e.g., a river system).

37. Earth System Science Earth as a System
 Earth is a dynamic body with many separate but highly interacting parts or spheres.
 Earth system science studies Earth as a system that is composed of numerous parts, or subsystems.

38. Earth System Science Earth as a System  Sources of Energy
• Sun —drives external processes such as weather, ocean circulation and erosional processes
• Earth’s interior —drives internal processes including volcanoes, earthquakes and mountain building

39. Earth System Science Water Cycle
 The endless circulation of water through the Earth’s hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere and biosphere.
• Evaporation – liquid to a gas
• Condensation – gas to a liquid
• Precipitation – any form of water that is produced by clouds and falls to earth

40. Earth System Science Carbon Cycle
 Carbon is present in all organic materials, including plants, animals and fossil fuels.
• CO2 is released into the atmosphere through volcanoes, decomposition of organisms, breathing, forest fires & burning fossil fuels
CO2 is removed through photosynthesis by plants and plankton in the oceans, dissolving in the oceans

41. Earth System Science Rock Cycle
 The continuous process by which rocks change and are recycled through the Earth.
• Types of Rocks
Sedimentary
Igneous
Metamorphic
Processes
Melting/Cooling
Compaction/Cementation
Heat and Pressure
Weathering

42. Environmental Science
People and the Environment
Environmental Science
 Environment
• Surrounds and influences organisms
Physical environment encompasses water, air, soil, and rock
The term environmental is usually reserved for those aspects that focus on the relationships between people and the natural environment.

43. Environmental Science
People and the Environment
Environmental Science
 Resources
• Include water, soil, minerals, and energy
• Two broad categories
1. Renewable —can be replenished (e.g., plants, energy from water and wind)
2. Nonrenewable —cannot be replenished in the near future (e.g., metals, fossil fuels)

44. Environmental Science
People and the Environment
Environmental Science
 Population
• Population of the planet is growing rapidly
World Population = 6.8 billion (2009)
US Population = 300 million (2009)
China = 1.3 billion (2009)
India = 1.1 billion (2009)
Estimated 9.5 billion by the year 2050
• Use of minerals/energy has climbed more rapidly than the overall growth of population

45. Growth of World Population

46. Water, Air and Land Resources
The Water Planet
Only 3% of the water on Earth is freshwater
Less than 1% of that is accessible to organisms
We need fresh water for drinking, cooking, bathing and growing food
Point Source Pollution – comes from a known source
i.e. leaking septic tank
Nonpoint Source Pollution – does not have a specific point of origin
i.e. runoff or acid rain

47. Water, Air and Land Resources
The Atmosphere
Provides breathable oxygen to organisms and protects us from harmful UV radiation (ozone)
Vital part of the water and carbon cycle
Greenhouse gases help maintain a warm temperature near Earth’s surface
About 50% of the pollution that is in our atmosphere comes from carbon monoxide created by transportation
Fossil fuel emissions are believed to be in direct relationship to global warming.
CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) have contributed to the loss of ozone but are now banned by the Clean Air Act.

48. Water, Air and Land Resources
Earth’s land provides soil and trees, as well as mineral and energy resources.
Mining – minerals, metals, fossil fuels
Dams – freshwater, irrigation
Deforestation – trees

49. Energy Coal, Oil and Natural Gas
A fossil fuel is any hydrocarbon that may be used as a source of energy.
Coal, Oil and Natural Gas
About 85% of the energy used in the US comes from fossil fuels
Burning fossil fuels releases CO2, which is a greenhouse gas.
Fossil fuel emissions are believed to be in direct relationship to global warming.

50. Energy Consumption in the US

51. Coal
Forms when heat and pressure transform plant material over millions of years.
Is actually a type of sedimentary rock that must be mined for either on the surface or underground
Most abundant fossil fuel
Creates the most pollution because it releases sulfur into the atmosphere, which can create acid rain.

52. Petroleum(Oil) and Natural Gas
Forms from the remains of plants and animals that were buried underwater millions of years ago
Pockets of oil and gas, or oil traps, can be found in between layers of rock.
Used to make many different products such as gasoline, plastics, asphalt and diesel.

53. Alternative Energy Solar Nuclear Wind Hydroelectric Tidal Geothermal
Any form of energy other than fossil fuels.
Solar
Nuclear
Wind
Hydroelectric
Tidal
Geothermal
Biomass

54. Protecting Resources Conservation – the careful use of resources
Starting in the early 1970s, the federal government passes several laws to prevent or decrease pollution and protect resources
Clean Air Act (1970)
Clean Water Act (1972)
Safe Drinking Water Act (1974)
Recycling – the collecting and processing of used items so they can be made into new products.