Earth Science

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Earth Science
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What is Earth Science?

• The scientific study of earth, its materials,
  processes, and place in the universe
• There are many branches therefore
• Geologyprocesses and structure of solid earth
• Oceanographyoceans, including water, floor, and
  organisms within
• Meteorologyatmosphere in relation to weather and
  climate
• Astronomythe universe and its structure
• Environmental scienceinteractions of the
  environment with the living things within

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Importance of Earth Science

• Since we live on this planet, the more we know of
  the structure and processes which occur, and the
  materials we can use, the better we will be
  prepared when a process threatens life and
  livelihood of people and animals on its surface
• We also can obtain and wisely use the natural
  resources available in the earth

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Goals of Science

• Science attempts to find the facts about natural
  processes and build upon our bank of truth about
  them
• Scientists start with the assumption that nature
  is understandable, predictable, and consistent
  that is natural processes will always do the same
  things given the same conditions. There is no
  randomness in the process, we can know what is
  going to happen if we measure the conditions and
  interpret them correctly.

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Classwork 1a / Homework 1

• Classwork p. 8 2, 3, 4, 5
• p. 18 9-13
• Homework Read and write 1 page of notes on the
  content of chapter 1due Thursday

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The Ways of Science

• Earth Science is the search for the truth about
  the world and how it works
• The way scientists work has many steps
• 1. Defining a problem by asking questions
• 2. Suggesting an answer, or hypothesis
• 3. Testing the possibilities, or experimenting
• 4. Drawing conclusions
• 5. Communicating results

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Defining Problems

• Scientists, in looking at the world, or making
  observations, see mysteriesthings not easily
  explained
• As they gather facts about these unexplained
  happenings, they come up with questions which can
  be investigated
• Usually, questions cause even more questions, and
  it is up to the scientist to get to the most
  basic ones to do his work

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How Did This Happen?
In the Racetrack Playa of California, large rocks
seemingly have moved on their own across the
plain. How could this happen?
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Suggesting Answers

• Sometimes the questions can be narrowed down and
  a possible explanation or hypothesis can be made
• This is not just a guess, but is based on
  previous information and science
• A good hypothesis can be tested, a bad one is
  untestable and possibly unrealistic

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Testing Hypotheses

• Experiments are done in science research labs to
  test ideas that have been given to explain
  happenings
• Sometimes experiments are done to verify past
  resultsthis is done because nature is supposed
  to be dependable and consistent,that is we should
  expect it to always work the same and get the
  same results if we follow the same steps

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Experiments

• Experiments are set up with care, in order to
  properly test the hypothesis
• In doing so, variables must be controlled so that
  they are testing only one factor at a time. The
  independent variable is the factor adjusted by
  the experimenter the dependent variable is the
  factor measured as it changes due to changes in
  the independent variable, the result of the
  experiment
• Such and experiment is said to be a controlled
  experiment.

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Drawing Conclusions

• The information from experiments helps to refine,
  adjust, or even discard hypotheses
• Information also leads us to decisions and
  judgments that guide in future study

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Drawing Conclusions

• When many results point to the same conclusion,
  that may be a scientific law , which tells us
  what will happen in a given circumstance
• When many results point to a particular
  explanation, that may become a theory, which may
  be able to help us predict future results

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Measurement

• Measurement has been important in communication
  and in commerce for a long time
• Measurement is especially important in science,
  so that our conclusions are reliable
• It has only been a few hundred years however,
  since the metric system was developed to be a
  standard unit system , one which can be used
  anywhere in the world

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Lab Measurements

• Mass
• the standard is the kilogram, but in chemistry
  this is often too much to use, so they use grams

Volume The standard is derived from length,
and is the cubic meter (m3), which is okay for
physics, but in chemistry it is 1000 times too
big, so they use the cubic decimeter, or liter

• Length
• the meter is the standard, but many times other
  units are needed (for bacteriamicron for
  roadskilometer for starslight years

Temperature Use the Celsius scale ONLY!!
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Precision and Accuracy

• Accuracy refers to the agreement of a particular
  value with the true value, it tells you how good
  a job you have done at measuring.
• Precision refers to the degree of agreement
  among several elements of the same quantity. It
  tells you that your measuring device is marked
  with many lines to make measurements with more
  significance.

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Types of Error

• Random Error (Indeterminate Error) - measurement
  has an equal probability of being high or low.
  Measurer is incompetent of doing the task.
• Systematic Error (Determinate Error) - Occurs in
  the same direction each time (high or low), often
  resulting from poor technique. Measurer may be
  doing well, but his equipment may be faulty.

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Models

• Maps are really only a partial representation of
  an area
• Any representation of an object or idea in a form
  easily handled is called a model
• Physical models are tangible(something we can
  handle) of a different size than the original
  object

Mental models are often descriptions of
properties of objects we have not observed, such
as atoms
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Models
Actual picture of Mt. Everest Model made
for climbing expeditions
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Communicating Results

• Only when scientists tell other scientists does
  knowledge grow
• Journals, papers, magazines, and internet sites
  make the results of scientific research known
  around the earth
• As more is known, more problems can be solved
  without wasting time on redoing old experiments
  to prove that which has already been found out

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Communication and Verification

• Once experimental results are published, other
  scientists can verify the results. This is
  called peer review, and makes sure that the
  results are valid. If they prove invalid, the
  experimenters must find out what happened if
  they prove valid, then we have gained another set
  of facts for mankind.

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Theories and Laws

• Once explanations for a large series of related
  phenomena have been obtained, an overall
  explanation, called a theory can be made. This
  is also subject to testing and adjustment if
  future observations conflict with parts of the
  theory.
• Scientific laws are statements explaining natural
  behavior which is consistent, and no exceptions
  have been found.

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Interdisciplinary Science

• Branches of science are not independent but are
  interlinked. Chemistry, biology, and physics all
  affect the measurements and interpretations of
  findings in earth science and help to explain the
  phenomenon more logically.

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Science and Society

• Science affects society in the building of
  understanding and the calming of fear of natural
  occurrences in the population. Science also
  helps develop the technologies we use to improve
  our lives.
• But we also must use science to improve
  technologies which could negatively affect our
  environment. Science is very involved in society
  today.

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Classwork 1b / Homework

• Classwork p. 16 2, 5 p. 18,19 14-19, 27, 28,
  37
• Homework Come up with an idea how the rock
  moved in the picture on page 4. Get two internet
  addresses which investigate this movement and
  summarize their ideas1 page side. Due Tuesday