1. Welcome to Earth Science!

2. Chapter 1: The Nature of Science
BIG Idea: Earth Scientists use specific methods to investigate Earth and beyond.

5. What is Earth Science?
the study of the Earth and the universe around it…
the study of Earth systems and systems in space; including weather and climate systems, and the study of nonliving things such as rocks, oceans, and planets.

6. A. The Scope of Earth Science:

7. 1. Astronomy: the study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
The oldest branch of Earth Science.

8. 2. Meteorology: the study of Earth’s atmosphere.
Weather Forecasters
Tornado Chasers

9. 3. Geology: the study of the origin, history, and structure of Earth.
The study of SOLID earth.

10. 4. Oceanography: the study of the life and properties of Earth’s oceans.
JACQUES COUSTEAU

11. How much of our Earth is covered by water?

12. almost three-fourths!

13. Of that water, how much is salt water?

14. about 97%

15. 5. Environmental Science: the study of the interactions of organisms and their surroundings.

16. B. Earth’s Systems

17. Geosphere: the area from the surface of Earth down to its center.
Three main parts:
Crust
Mantle
Core
Inner core
Outer core

18. Atmosphere: the blanket of gases that surrounds our planet.

20. Hydrosphere: all the water on Earth.

21. Biosphere: all organisms on Earth and the environments in which they live.

22. II. Methods of Scientists
Scientific Methods: series of organized problem-solving procedures that help scientists conduct experiments.
There are five (5) steps to the SCIENTIFIC METHOD:

23. 1. State the Problem, or…Ask a Question?
Observation: use of senses to gather information about the world.

24. 2. Gather Information
To investigate a problem, one must gather information…
Measurement: comparing some aspect of an object with a standard unit.
meters, inches, miles grams, ounces, pounds

25. 3. Form a Hypothesis
Hypothesis: a possible solution or answer to your problem or question; MUST be testable!
Can be proven
wrong.

26. 4. Test the Hypothesis
Experimentation: procedure carried out to prove or disprove a hypothesis.

27. (a) Independent Variable: variable that you, the experimenter, changes (the manipulated variable)
(b) Dependent Variable: variable that is affected by changes in the independent variable; factor being measured (the responding variable)
(c) Constants: things that never change during the experiment

28. (d) Control: duplicate setup of the experiment with everything the same except the variable you are testing.

29. 5. State a Conclusion
After many experiments and observations, the hypothesis is either proved or disproved…

30. Scientific Method Scenario:
David read that Fox brake pads and Best brake pads were the best on the market. He always used NAPA pads and believed they performed the best. He decided to test all three pads and determine which was the best. David used the same car for each set of pads. He drove 25 mph and applied the brakes at the same point on the track. David then measured how many feet the car took to stop after the brakes were applied.
1. The hypothesis: ____________________________________
2. The effects of the ________________(independent variable)
on the __________________________________ (dependent variable).
3. List three constants:
______________________________________

31. Scientific LAW: a statement of fact that is believed to be always true
STATES and describes behavior of natural phenomenon, does NOT explain them
a ‘rule of nature’
observable but not explainable

32. EXAMPLES of Scientific Laws:
Law of Inertia
Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion
Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation

33. Scientific THEORY:
an explanation based on many observations during repeated investigations
the best available explanation of a phenomenon
a hypothesis that is supported by the experiments
may change with the discovery of new data

34. EXAMPLES of Scientific Theories:
Heliocentric Theory
Theory of Evolution
Meteorite Impact Theory
Big Bang Theory

35. "Scientific laws are the evidence used to support a conclusion
"Scientific laws are the evidence used to support a conclusion.  Scientific theories are our best attempts at explaining the behavior of the world, in ways that can be tested by further experiment.  The facts (the scientific laws) must convince us that our theory is a good explanation for what happened."

36. Meteorite Impact Theory

37. Explains the extinction of the dinosaurs

38. Meteorite hit the earth 65 million years ago
The impact created so much dust it blocked out the sun
No sun, no plants…almost everything died

39. Proof:
Computer models
Deformed quartz
Iridium around the impact site

40. III. Communication in Science
lab reports
graphs
models