Transcript What is Earth Science

What is Earth
Science
August 9, 2012
Earth Science is the study of the Land, Water, Air of Earth,
and the space surrounding it.
The “Four Biggies” of Earth Sciences
Astronomy ~ The study of the “Astros”. Some
people call this Cosmology, or the study of the
“Cosmos”. Americans have astronauts, the
Russians have cosmonauts and the Chinese have
talkonaughts.
Meteorology ~ The study of the air. That is why
rocks falling through the air are called Meteors.
These same things are Meteorites AFTER they hit
the ground (assuming they do hit the ground and
do not burn up), and meteoroids when they are in
space.
Geology ~ The study of the Earth crust to core.
The Earth is about 4.6 billion years old, and
geologists try to determine how it got here,
what it is doing, and what will happen in the
future.
Oceanography ~ The study of the oceans. The
oceans cover roughly ¾ of the Earth, and more
people have been on the MOON than on the
bottom of the ocean. The oceans account for
most of our oxygen production, and much of the
world’s energy production, food production and
transportation needs.
The oceans are also the number one location of
our trash disposal and waste remediation. If you
throw a cigarette butt into the street, the chances
are very, very good that it will end up in the
Atlantic Ocean.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.
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The countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea
dump 30-50 million tons of untreated or partially
treated urban wastes and sewage into coastal
waters every year.
Calcutta and Mumbai (Bombay), India, dump 400
million and 365 million tons, respectively, of raw
sewage and other municipal wastes into coastal
waters every year.
The four main spheres of Earth Science
Lithosphere ~ Litho roughly means “rock”.
Lithosphere, therefore, roughly means all the
things that are made up of solid rock.
Continental crust is that part of the lithospheric
crust that continent float on.
Granite, pinkish and not really dense
Oceanic crust is that part of the lithoshperic crust
that oceans float on.
Basalt, dark and very dense
Hydrosphere ~ Hydro roughly means “water”. If
it has water, it is part of the hydrosphere. The
hydrosphere has about 97% of the in the form of
seawater. Frozen water accounts for about 2%,
and the last 1% is fresh, with a VERY small
amount of the total being evaporated gas in the
atmosphere.
Atmosphere ~ This is the layer of gas surrounding
the Planet, and extending far, far out into space. It
is about 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, and 1%
everything else. This ratio is not unchanging. In
the equatorial rainforest, just before it rains, the
atmosphere may be as much as 4% water vapor.
Water vapor is a very powerful greenhouse gas.
Biosphere ~ Bio roughly means “life”, so this is
the stuff on Earth that is alive. The biological
action of things on Earth has changed the
atmosphere is a dramatic way (we now have
oxygen). Living organisms have also changed
the Lithosphere and the Hydrosphere, but to an
obviously lesser degree.
Vocabulary words you should know
Astronomy
Meteorology
Geology
Oceanography
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Earth Science
Earth System
Earth
Science
Earth
Science
Meteorology
Geology
Astronomy
Oceanology
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere