1. The Nature of Science Chapter 1
Earth Science
The Nature of Science Chapter 1

2. Let’s talk Earth Science.. What is it?
Astronomy
Meteorology
Geology
Oceanography

3. The study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Astronomy
The study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

4. Meteorology
The branch of Earth Science that studies the air that surrounds our planet.

5. Geology
The study of materials that make up Earth and the processes that form and change these materials.

6. The study of the Earth’s oceans, which cover nearly ¾ of the planet.
Oceanography
The study of the Earth’s oceans, which cover nearly ¾ of the planet.

7. Earth’s Systems The Lithosphere The Hydrosphere The Atmosphere
Scientists who study Earth have identified 4 main Earth systems:
The Lithosphere
The Hydrosphere
The Atmosphere
The Biosphere

8. The Lithosphere
It’s the rigid outer shell of the planet and includes the crust and the solid, uppermost part of the layer below the crust, the mantle.

9. The Hydrosphere
The water in the Earth’s oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and glaciers, as well as the water in the atmosphere, makes up the hydrosphere.

10. The Atmosphere
The blanket of gases that surrounds our planet. Protects us from the sun and keeps the planet at a temperature suitable for life.

11. The Atmosphere contains:
78% Nitrogen (N)
21 % Oxygen (O)
The remaining 1 % of gases in the atmosphere include water vapor, Argon, Carbon Dioxide, and other trace gases.

12. The Biosphere
Includes all organisms on Earth as well as the environments in which they live.

13. Methods of Scientists
Are you a scientist? Have you ever picked up a rock and peered at it for clues about it’s origin?
Have you ever made a decision about what to wear after having observed the clouds in the sky?
Have you wondered where your cellphone comes from?

14. You have thought like a scientist
If you answered yes,
You have thought like a scientist

15. Scientists use the Scientific Method
The scientific method is a planned, organized approach to solving a problem. It contains steps.

16. Step 1
Observation:
Seeing, hearing, touching

17. Step 2
Ask a question:
Why or how?

18. Step 3
Make a HYPOTHESIS: Educated guess. What causes something to happen?
A good scientific experiment tests only one variable, or changeable factor at a time.
The INDEPENDENT variable in an experiment is the factor that is manipulated by the experimenter.
The DEPENDENT variable is the factor that can change if the independent variable is changed.

19. Controlled experiment
Where only one variable changes at a time (it is controlled.)

20. Predict, test and Conclude
During an experiment, all data, including measurements and observations are carefully recorded. You may use graphs, tables, or charts. Once that is finished, you analyze your data so a conclusion can be drawn.