Transcript Chapter 1 Introduction to Earth Science

Chapter 1
Introduction to Earth Science
1.What Is Earth Science?
2.A View of Earth
3.Representing Earth’s
Surface
4.Earth System Science
5.What Is Scientific Inquiry?
1. Observing: What features can you identify in the photo?
2. Inferring: Where do you think this photograph came from?
3. Designing Experiments If you were an Earth scientist, how
could you use this photograph in your work?
Section 1 What Is Earth
Science?

Key Concepts
What is the study of Earth
science?
2. How did Earth and the
solar system form?
1.
Earth science
 the
name for all the sciences
that collectively seek to
understand Earth; It includes
_______, ____________,
__________, and _________.
Geology
the
science that
examines ____, its form
and ____________, and
the changes it has
undergone and is
undergoing
What are the two areas of
Geology?
•Physical Geology
•Historical Geology
Physical geology:
The examination of the materials that make
up Earth and the possible explanations for
the many processes that shape our planet.
What are some of the processes which can shape our
planet?
Historical geology
To
establish a timeline
of the vast number of
physical and biological
changes that have
occurred in the past.
Oceanography
• The scientific study of the ______
and oceanic phenomena.
• Oceanography integrates the sciences of
chemistry, physics, geology, and biology.
Oceanographers study the composition
and movements of seawater, as well as
coastal processes, seafloor topography,
and marine life.
_______________
•the scientific study of the
atmosphere and atmospheric
phenomena; the study of
weather and climate.
_______________
the
scientific study of the
universe; It includes the
observation and
interpretation of celestial
bodies and phenomena.
Formation of Earth
 The
nebular hypothesis suggests
that the bodies of our solar
system evolved from an
enormous rotating cloud called
the solar nebula. It was made up
mostly of hydrogen and helium
with a small percentage of
heavier elements.

Why does Earth have little hydrogen and helium but
large amounts of heavier elements?
Layers Form on Earth
Why
does Earth have
layers?
Where did the oceans and
atmosphere come from?
Earth’s Place in the Universe
Section 2
A View of Earth
Key Concepts
 What are the four major
spheres into which Earth
is divided?

Section 2
A View of Earth

Key Concepts
What defines the three
main parts of the solid
Earth?
 Which model explains the
position of continents and
the occurrence of
volcanoes and
earthquakes?

Earth’s Major Spheres

__________: the water
portion of Earth; one of
the traditional
subdivisions of Earth’s
physical environment
Earth’s Major Spheres

_________: the gaseous
portion of a planet; the
planet’s envelope of air;
one of the traditional
subdivisions of Earth’s
physical environment
Earth’s Major Spheres

___________: layer of
Earth under both the
atmosphere and the
oceans; It is composed
of the core, the mantle,
and the crust.

Because the
geosphere is not
uniform, it is divided
into three main parts
based on differences
in composition—the
____, the _____, and
the ______.
Geosphere

______: the innermost
layer of Earth, located
beneath the mantle; The
core is divided into an
outer core and an inner
core.
Geosphere
_________: the 2890kilometer-thick layer of
Earth located below the
crust
 ______: the thin, rocky
outer layer of Earth

Earth’s Major Spheres

__________: all life on
Earth; the parts of the
solid Earth,
hydrosphere, and
atmosphere in which
living organisms can be
found.
Plate Tectonics

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
the crust itself.
Section 3
Representing Earth’s Surface
Key Concepts
 What lines on a globe
are used to indicate
location?

Section 3
Representing Earth’s Surface
Key Concepts
 What problems do
mapmakers face when
making maps?
 How do topographic maps
differ from other maps?

Determining Location


Global Grid
Latitude: the distance
north or south of the
equator, measured in
degrees, circles running
around the globe east to
west.
Determining Location


Global Grid
Longitude: the distance east
or west of the prime
meridian, measured in
degrees, lines running north
and south around the Earth.
Global Grid
Global Grid


Equator – line running around
the middle of the globe, at 0
degrees latitude.
Prime Meridian – line of
longitude that marks 0 degrees
longitude.
Global Grid

Hemispheres – the equator divides
the Earth into to halves the Northern
Hemisphere and the Southern
Hemisphere. The Prime Meridian
and the 180 degree meridian divide
Earth into the Eastern and Western
Hemispheres.
Global Grid
Maps & Mapping

No matter what kind of map is made,
some portion of the surface will
always look either too small, to big,
or out of place. Mapmakers have,
however, found ways to limit the
distortion of shape, size, distance,
and direction.
Maps and Mapping

The Mercator Projection
• Sizes & distances distorted
• Directions shown accurately
Maps and Mapping

Robinson Projection Map
• Most widely used
• Show distances, sizes and shapes
accurately
• Distortions around edges
Maps and Mapping

Conic Projection Map
• Accurate along the line of latitude
• Distortion away from this latitude
Maps and Mapping

Gnomonic Projection Map
• Accurately show the shortest distance
between two points
• Distances and directions are distorted
Topographic Maps

a map that represents
Earth’s surface in three
dimensions; It shows
elevation, distance,
directions, and slope
angles.
Topographic Map
Topographic Maps


Contour Line: line on a topographic
map that indicates an elevation;
Every point along a contour line has
the same elevation.
Contour Interval: on a topographic
map, tells the distance in elevation
between adjacent contour lines.
Geologic Maps

Map that shows the type and age of
the rocks that are exposed, or crop
out, at the surface.
Advanced Technology

Today’s technology provides us with
the ability to more precisely analyze
Earth’s physical properties.
• Remote sensing - using satellites and
computers to send and receive data
from a distance
• Examples: Global Positioning Systems
(GPS) for directions, identifying
location, speed, direction, elevation
1.4 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, energy
may be exchanged but matter doesn’t enter
or leave. (jar of tea, ocean submersible).
 Open systems allow both energy and matter
to flow in and out of the system
(open jar of tea, a river system, island).
1.4 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.
 Earth is considered a closed system, but
not entirely.
1.4 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
1.4 Earth System Science
Earth as a System
 Consists of a nearly endless array of
subsystems (e.g., hydrologic cycle)
Humans are part of the Earth system.
Our actions produce changes in all of the
other parts of the Earth system.
1.4 Earth System Science
People and the Environment
 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.
1.4 Earth System Science
People and the Environment
 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, fuels)
1.4 Earth System Science
People and the Environment
 Population
• Population of the planet is growing rapidly
• Use of minerals/energy has climbed more
rapidly than the overall growth of population
Growth of World Population
1.4 Earth System Science
Environmental Problems
 Local, regional, and global
 Caused by people and societies
•
•
•
•
Urban air pollution
Acid rain
Ozone depletion
Global warming
 Caused by natural hazards
• Earthquakes
• Landslides
1.5 What Is Scientific Inquiry?
Science
 Science assumes the natural world is
• consistent
• predictable
 Goals of science are
• to discover patterns in nature
• to use the knowledge to predict
1.5 What Is Scientific Inquiry?
Hypothesis and Theory
 An idea can become a
• ____________:tentative or untested explanation
• ________:tested, confirmed, supported hypothesis
 Scientific Method
• Gather facts through observation
• Formulate hypotheses
• Test hypotheses to formulate theories
1.5 What Is Scientific Inquiry?
Science Methods
 Scientific knowledge is gained through
• following systematic steps
1. Identify the problem
2. Collecting facts
3. Developing a hypothesis
4. Conducting experiments
5. Reexamining the hypothesis and accepting,
modifying, or rejecting it
• theories that withstand examination
• totally unexpected occurrences