the nature of science introduction to earth science
TRANSCRIPT
THE NATURE OF SCIENCE
Introduction to Earth Science
WHAT IS EARTH SCIENCE?
What do you wonder about?
SCIENCE
Science is all around you! It is such a common part of your life that you probably take it for
granted. Have you ever wondered why there are seasons, why volcanoes erupt, or whether
life exists on other planets? Do you wonder how people find the answers to these and other
questions?
They use Science!
• Science- a process of observing and studying things in our world
• Many observations can’t be explained easily and present problems, so science tries to solve these problems
• Every time you try to find out how and why things look and act the way they do, you are a scientist
Collecting Scientific Knowledge
• Scientific knowledge has accumulated since people first began observing the world around them.– Early humans had their senses for observations– Now we have instruments to help us
• Microscopes• Satellites• Telescopes• Computers
• Today we are learning more information faster and so there are more new inventions and discoveries than ever before!
The Major Sciences• Four Main Areas:
1. Chemistry2. Physics3. Life Science4. Earth Science
How are they different?
• Chemistry: basic concepts of matter– Atoms, elements, mixtures, chemicals
• Life Science: study of organisms in earth’s history and environment– Plants, animals, humans
• Physics: concerned with properties of matter and energy– Mechanics, heat, light, radiation, sound,
electricity, magnetism
Earth Science• Earth Science is the study of
Earth and space– Transfer of energy in Earth’s
atmosphere– Evolution of landforms– Patterns of change that cause
weather– Scale and structure of stars– Interactions that occur among
the water, atmosphere and land
Main Types of Earth Science
1. Geology- study of Earth, its matter, and the processes that form and change Earth– Explore volcanoes, earthquakes, maps, fossils,
mountains, land use– Geologists search for oil, study volcanoes, identify
rocks and minerals, study fossils and glaciers, and determine how mountains form.
Main Types of Earth Science
2. Meteorology- study of weather and the forces and processes that cause it
– Explore storm patterns, climates, and what factors cause our daily weather
– Meteorologist is a scientist who studies weather patterns in order to predict daily weather
Main Types of Earth Science
3. Astronomy- Study of objects in space, including stars, planets, and comets.– Before telescopes, this branch mainly dealt
with descriptions of the positions of stars and planets
– Today, astronomers seek evidence about the beginning of the universe
Main Types of Earth Science
4. Oceanography- Study of Earth’s oceans– Oceanographers conduct research on the
physical and chemical properties of ocean water.
– They study the processes that occur within oceans and the effects humans have on these processes
APPLYING EARTH SCIENCE TO
TECHNOLOGY
Has technology helped or hurt society?Pros• Products and Services
• Less Work
• Better Living
Cons• Environmental Pollution
• Using Natural Resources
• Causing Unemployment
• Ethical Problems
SOLVING PROBLEMS
Problem-Solving Strategies
Soccer practice, dinner, homework, chores, watching your favorite
television program…how will you squeeze them all in tonight? Is this
a problem you are facing? There are many methods you can use to find solutions to problems. These
are called strategies.
Approach #1
Step 1: Identify the Problem
Step 2: Collect information about the problem
Step 3: Create a Solution
Other Approaches
• Eliminating Possibilities– Try options until you find the one that works!
• Patterns– Organizing data in a table or drawing can help you
recognize patterns.– For example, suppose 3 of your friends became sick
because of something they ate. You could use a table of what each had recently eaten to look for patterns.
• Solve a related problem or use a model, drawing, or graph to help you visualize
Critical Thinking
Imagine yourself mowing the lawn. Suddenly, you come to the edge of a slope, and you
discover a large hole where the soil has sunk several feet. The whole wasn’t there last week when you mowed the grass. What
caused the hole? Where did all the soil go? After thinking a bit, you remember that there was a severe thunderstorm a few days ago.
Perhaps the rain had something to do with the formation of the hole. Maybe the water
running down the slope carried away the soil. You may not be aware of it, but you are using
critical thinking skills!
Critical-Thinking Skills
• Process that uses certain skills to solve problems
• In the scenario before, you…– Identified the problem– Separated important information from
unimportant information– Analyzed your conclusion
• By using these three skills, you may have solved the problem!
Improving Your Critical-Thinking Skills
• FLEX YOUR BRAIN– Start with what you know about a topic and move
on to new conclusions and new awareness.– You end by reviewing and discussing the steps you
took
1. Topic: – Baking
2. What do I already know?– Brownies are made of chocolate– Cupcakes and cakes usually have icing on top– Cake Pops and Oreo Balls should be frozen before
you cover them with chocolate– Many people like my chocolate chip cookies– Pies are best when made with homemade crust
3. Ask a Question:– How long should you wait before putting icing on
a cake or cupcake?
4. Guess an Answer:– I think that you should wait at least 30 minutes
before icing a cake or cupcake.
5. How sure am I?– 4
6. How can I find out?– Test my hypothesis by making cupcakes and trying to
icing one every five minutes.– Read a cook book.– Make a cake and at 30 minutes try to put icing on it.– Ask a baker in my town.– Do a survey to ask people who bake how long they
wait before icing a cake.
Now it’s your turn!
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
A Scientific Method
1. Determine the problem.2. Make a hypothesis.3. Test your hypothesis.4. Analyze the results.5. Draw conclusions.
What is a hypothesis?
• Hypothesis- prediction about a problem that can be tested– Examples:
• 1. If I replace the battery in my car, then my car will get better gas mileage.
• 2. If I eat more vegetables, then I will lose weight faster.• 3. If I add fertilizer to my garden, then my plants will grow faster.• 4. If I brush my teeth every day, then I will not develop cavities.• 5. If I take my vitamins every day, then I will not feel tired.• 6. If 50 mL of water are added to my plants each day and they
grow, then adding 100 mL of water each day will make them grow even more
What is a variable?
• Variable-changeable part of an experiment– Independent- changed by the scientist– Dependent- changed by the independent
variable• Example:– An experiment tests three fertilizers to
see which one makes plants grow tallest. This experiment has two variables. They are the fertilizer used and the height of the plants.
What is a control?
• Control-the part of the experiment that always stays the same
Let’s try an experiment!
• What is your hypothesis?• What is the independent variable?• What is the dependent variable?• What are the controls?• What is your conclusion?
Can we design our own experiment?
• Question• Hypothesis• Materials• Procedure
MEASUREMENT AND SAFETY
Measurement
How could you measure the size of the floor of a cave without a ruler or measuring tape? You might count your steps across the cave floor. You could then say that the cave is 25 steps by 30 steps. But this step measurement wouldn’t meant he same thing to your friends because
their steps would be different from yours. Because of this problem, there are standard
units used for measurement.
International System of Units (SI)
• Measuring system used by most people around the world
• Modern version of the metric system• Based on a decimal system that uses the
number 10 as the base unit
Length
• SI Standard Unit: Meters– About the length of a guitar
Mass
• SI Standard Unit: Kilogram– Mass of one bagel is about 57 grams
• Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object.– It depends on the number and kinds of atoms
that make up an object
Weight
• SI Standard Unit: Newton– A medium-sized apple weighs
about 1 newton• Weight is a measure of
gravitational force on a mass.• Gravity is an attractive force
that exists between all objects
Area
• SI Standard Unit: Centimeters• Area is the amount of surface included
within a set of boundaries
Volume
• SI Standard Unit: – Solids- Meters– Liquids- Liters and milliliters
• Volume is a measure of how much space an object occupies– Need to know length, width and depth to
calculate
A wood block has dimensions of 2 cm, 1.5 cm, and 3 cm. What is its volume in cubic centimeters?
Density
• SI Standard Unit: Cubic Centimeter– Materials of lower density
float on other materials of greater density. You can easily float in the more dense water.
• Density is a measure of the amount of matter that occupies a particular space
Temperature
• SI Standard Unit: Kelvin– Can be measured with a thermometer
• Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold something is.
Degrees Celsius + 273.16= Kelvin
Calculations
• Area = Length x Width• Density = mass / volume• Kelvin = Degrees Celsius + 273.16
LAB SAFETY
How do you practice safety in the lab?
• THINK BEFORE YOU ACT• Always check with your teacher if you are
unsure about something• Make sure you know where the safety
equipment is– Eyewashes– Thermal Mitts– Fire Extinguisher
What are some good safety habits?
1. Find and follow all safety symbols before you begin an investigation.
2. Always wear an apron and goggles to protect yourself from chemicals, flames, and pointed objects.
3. Keep goggles on until activity, cleanup, and hand washing are complete.
4. Always slant test tubes away from yourself and others.5. Never eat, drink, or put on makeup in the lab.6. Report all accidents to your teacher.7. Always wash your hands after working in the lab.
How do you practice safety in the field?
• What happens when you aren’t in a laboratory, but still need to be safe during investigating?– Streams, farm fields
• Always wear eye goggles and bring other safety equipment you need
• Never reach into holes or under rocks
• Always wash your hands after you are done
Why have safety rules?
• Experiments can be dangerous and accidents can happen!
• Think of a person taking a trip in a car. Most of the time the person is not in a car accident. However, to be safe, drivers and passengers must wear their safety belts. Wearing safety gear in the lab is like wearing a safety belt in a car.
Safety Poster
• Choose one of the following safety rules.• Design a poster to show other students the
rule.• Include the rule, important illustrations, and
any relevant lab symbols.
1. Before beginning any lab, understand all safety symbols.
2. Wear goggles and a safety apron whenever an investigation involves heating, pouring, or using chemicals.
3. Never eat or drink in the lab.4. Know what to do in case of a fire.5. Report any accident or injury to your teacher.6. Always wash your hands thoroughly after
working in the lab.
