Introduction to Earth & Environmental Science

1. Introduction to Earth & Environmental Science Or, How The Earth Works

2. What is Science? • Science is a process that uses observations and investigation to gain knowledge about events in nature. • Life Science: focuses on livings things • Earth Science: focuses on Earth & Space • Physical Science: focuses on matter and energy; comprised of 2 main areas: Chemistry and Physics

3. Earth Science • There are _____ major areas in Earth Science. __________ is the study of space. ____________ is the study of the Earth’s atmosphere. ______________ is the study of the Earth’s oceans. The study of Earth’s surface, materials, and processes is ________. four Astronomy Meteorolgy Oceanography Geology

4. Astronomy • In astronomy we will study such topics as the sun and other stars, planets and other objects in our solar system, lunar phases, tides, and eclipses.

5. Meteorology • Here we will take a look at cloud and precipitation types, storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes, and fronts, pressure systems, and weather maps.

6. Oceanography • We will explore our four major oceans, the properties of seawater, ocean floor and coastline features, ocean sediments, and major ocean currents.

7. Geology • Here we tackle a variety of topics including minerals and rocks, volcanoes, earthquakes, faults and folds, soils, erosion, mountains, plate tectonics, and geologic history.

8. Earth Systems • Although we study four branches of earth science, there are many interactions between earth’s systems. You are standing on the ______sphere. You are breathing in part of the ______sphere. If you went to the beach or canoed down the James river you where visiting the ______sphere. And you and all the other living things on earth make up the _____sphere. litho atmo hydro bio

9. Earth Systems • Scientists who study Earth have identified four main Earth systems: the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, the atmosphere, and the biosphere • Earth’s lithosphere is the rigid outer shell of the planet and includes the crust and the solid, uppermost part of the layer below the crust, the mantle.

10. Earth’s Structure

11. Earth Systems • The hydrosphere consists of the water in Earth’s oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and glaciers, as well as the water in the atmosphere. • About 97 percent of Earth’s water exists as salt water; the remaining 3 percent is freshwater contained in glaciers, in lakes and rivers, and beneath Earth’s surface as groundwater.

12. Earth Systems • The atmosphere is the blanket of gases that surrounds our planet. • Earth’s atmosphere is necessary for respiration by most living things, protects Earth’s inhabitants from harmful radiation from the Sun, and helps to keep the planet at a temperature suitable for life.

13. Earth Systems • The biosphere includes all organisms on Earth as well as the environments in which they live. • With some exceptions, most organisms exist within a few meters of Earth’s surface.

14. Introduction to the Scientific Method

15. The Scientific Method • An organized set of investigation procedures is called a scientific method. • By using the following procedures, one can investigate a certain problem or phenomena. • The scientific method is the repeatable process by which we do science.

16. The Scientific Method cont. • Step Step 1: Define and state the problem after asking yourself why or how the problem occurs. • Step 2: Research and gather information concerning the scientific laws, the dangers, and the success and failures of others. • Step 3: Form a hypothesis statement, a testable prediction.

17. The Scientific Method cont. • Step 4: Test the hypothesis by conducting an experiment. • Step 5: Analyze the experiment by recording observations and organizing the test data. • Step 6: Draw a conclusion from the test data to determine if hypothesis is correct or incorrect. If incorrect, modify the hypothesis and repeat procedure again

18. Scientific Method

19. Scientific Method Terminology • Variableis any measurable factor (characteristic or attribute) that can have more that a single value. • Independent variableis the factor you manipulate or change during your experiment. It is what you do to the experimental group. Plot on the x-axis. • Dependent variableis what happens to the independent variable as a result the factor you manipulated (changed). It is what you are measuring. Plot on the y-axis.

20. Scientific Method Terminology cont. • Hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work based upon what you know and observe. It is a statement that can be experimentally shown to be true or false. "If I open the faucet [faucet opening size is the independent variable], then it will increase the flow of water [flow of water is the dependent variable]. "Raising the temperature of a cup of water [temperature is the independent variable] will increase the amount of sugar that dissolves [the amount of sugar is the dependent variable]."

21. Scientific Method Terminology cont. • Constant variable is a factor that does not change when other variables change. • Observationis using one’s senses to gather information. • Control group receives no manipulation. It therefore is the standard by which the test results can be compared. • Experimental groupreceives some kind of manipulation or change in condition.

22. Scientific Method Terminology cont. • Procedures are the steps used during the experiment. • Conclusion is the summarization of the experiment and results. • Graphs are visual displays of information that help communicate the results of the experiment. • Data is the information collected during the experiment.

23. Line Graphs y axis x axis

24. Scientific Method Terminology cont. • A bias occurs when the expectation of the scientist change how the results of an experiment is viewed. • A model is something which represents a concept which is either very small (the atom), very large (the solar system), or difficult to access the real thing (an eyeball).

25. Scientific Theories and Laws • A scientific theory is an explanation of things or events based on knowledge gained from many observations and investigations. It is not a guess. • Theories can be modified if new information becomes available. • Example: Evolution is just a Theory. • A scientific Law is a statement about what happens in nature that seems to be true all the time. • Example: The Law of Gravity

26. SI Measurements • A standard is an exact quantity that people agree to use to compare measurements. • International Standard of Units (SI) • Each SI unit is composed of either a base unit or a prefix and a base unit Why are standards important? Give an example.

27. SI Base Units • Length = meter (m) • Mass = kilogram (kg) • Volume = liters (L) • Time = second (s) • Temperature = Kelvin (K) • Electric current = ampere (A) • Amount of substance = mole (mol) • Intensity of light = candela (cd)

28. SI Prefixes to Know • Kilo (k) – 1000 x the base unit • Hecta (h) – 100 x the base unit • Deka (da) – 10 x the base unit • Base Unit • Deci (d) – 1/10 x the base unit • Centi (c) – 1/100 x the base unit • Milli (m) – 1/1000 x the base unit

29. SI Base Units A base unit is any unit of measurement that is based off The main SI base units are:

30. SI Metric Prefixes We can tell the size of a number in the metric system by the prefix it has.

31. Length • The distance between two points • In this class length is only measured in metric units, all English must be converted • 1 meter = 39.37 inches • Important to choose the appropriate unit in order to avoid large numbers or lots of decimal places. Example: We would never measure the distance from NC to CA in centimeter- Why?

32. Volume The amount of space occupied by an object is its volume measured in Liters (L) using a graduated cylinder Volume for rectangular is calculated by : Length x Width x Height (units3) Water displacement is used to measure the volume of irregular objects 1mL = 1cm3 = 1cc

33. Mass • The measurement of the quantity of matter in an object. • Usually measured with a triple beam balance or an electronic balance. • Just because an object is large, it doesn’t have to have a lot of matter – think of a balloon

34. Temperature • Kelvin is the SI unit (NOT DEGREES KELVIN!!) • Absolute zero is the lowest possible temperature (0 K) • Use thermometers to measure temperature in Celsius and convert to Kelvin by adding 273. • °C + 273 = K

35. Time Time is the interval between two events often measured in seconds (s)

36. Density Density is the mass per unit of volume of a material. Density = mass/volume Units are g/mL or g/cm3 Different materials have different densities. 25 grams of water takes up 25 mL of space, so what is the density of water?