Lecture note 1.

Introduction to Earth Science

1. Nature of Science

The second word in the term “Earth science” is just as important to us as the first. Much of what
you learn in college about science will happen in this and perhaps one other course. Therefore,
we want you to have a firm understanding of what science is—and what it is not. There are
several correct answers to the question “What is Sciene”. One of the answer is “Science is a way
to answer questions and solve problems”. Science uses a disciplined process to answer questions.
In science, “disciplined” means following orderly steps in order to come up with the best
answers. Science involves observing, wondering, categorizing, communicating, calculating,
analyzing, and much more. Science fiction stories extend and expand on all the ideas of science
and technology in creative ways.

The scientific method is not a list of instructions but a series of steps that help to investigate a
question. By using the scientific method, we can have greater confidence in how we evaluate that
question. Sometimes, the order of the steps in the scientific method can change, because more
questions arise from observations or data that we collect. The basic sequence followed in the
scientific method is illustrated in Figure beside.

The scientific method almost always begins with a question that helps to focus the investigation.
What are we studying? What do we want to know? What is the problem we want to solve? The
best questions for scientific investigation are specific as opposed to general, they imply what
factors may be observed or manipulated. We answer scientific questions & solve problems with
2 types of research: Descriptive research and experimental research.

After you have researched the topic, you can make an educated guess or explanation to the
question. This is your hypothesis. The best hypothesis is directly related to the question and is
testable, so that you can do experiments to determine whether your hypothesis is correct.

Not all questions can be tested by experimentation. However, many questions present us with
ways to test them that give us the clearest conclusions. When we design experiments, we select
the factor that will be manipulated or changed. This is the independent variable. We will also
choose all of the factors that must remain the same. These are the experimental controls. Finally,
we will choose the factor that we are measuring, as we change the independent variable. This is
the dependent variable. We might say that the dependent variable “depends” on the independent
variable.

During an experiment, we may make many measurements. These measurements are our
observations that will be carefully recorded in an organized manner. This data is often
computerized and kept in a spreadsheet that can be in the form of charts or tables that are clearly
labeled, so that we won’t forget what each number represents. “Data” refers to the list of
measurements that we have collected. We may make written descriptions of our observations but
often, the most useful data is numerical. Not all data is quantified, however. Our written
descriptions are qualitative data, data that describes the situation observed. In any case, data is
used to help us draw logical conclusions.

After you have summarized the results of the experiments and presented the data as graphs,
tables and diagrams, you can try to draw a conclusion from the experiments. You must gather all
your evidence and background information. Then using logic you need to try formulate an
explanation for your data. What is the answer to the question based on the results of the
experiment? A conclusion should include comments about the hypothesis. Was the hypothesis
supported or not? Some experiments have clear, undeniable results that completely support the
hypothesis. Others do not support the hypothesis. However, all experiments contribute to our
wealth of knowledge. Even experiments that do not support the hypothesis may teach us new
information that we can learn from. In the world of science, hypotheses are rarely proved to one
hundred percent certainty. More often than not, experiments lead to even more questions and
more possible ways of considering the same idea.

2. Earth Science and Its branches

Earth is a complex system of interacting rock, water, air, and life where the components and
interactions cycle energy and mass throughout the system. Earth science can be broadly defined
as the investigation of interactions among the four parts of the earth system— the atmosphere
(air, weather), hydrosphere (water, ice), biosphere (plants, animals), and geosphere (land, rocks).
In addition, the sun and assorted features from space, collectively termed the exosphere, interact
with the earth system and are sometimes considered a fifth earth system component. So we can
say that Earth Science is the study of the Earth and its neighbors in space. It is an exciting
science with many interesting and practical applications. Some Earth scientists use their
knowledge of the Earth to locate and develop energy and mineral resources. Others study the
impact of human activity on Earth's environment and design methods to protect the planet. Some
use their knowledge about Earth processes such as volcanoes, earthquakes and hurricanes to plan
communities that will not expose people to these dangerous events.

Because the Earth is so large and science is so complex, Earth scientists specialize in studying
just a small aspect of our Earth. Since all of the branches are connected together, specialists work
together to answer complicated questions. Many different sciences are used to learn about the
earth, however, the four basic areas of Earth science study are: geology, meteorology,
oceanography and astronomy. A brief explanation of these sciences is provided below.

Geology: Science of the Earth

Geology is the primary Earth science. The word means "study of the Earth". Geology deals with
the composition of Earth materials, Earth structures, and Earth processes. It is also concerned
with the organisms of the planet and how the planet has changed over time. Geologists search for
fuels and minerals, study natural hazards, and work to protect Earth's environment.

Meteorology: Science of the Atmosphere

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and how processes in the atmosphere determine
Earth's weather and climate. Meteorology is a very practical science because everyone is
concerned about the weather. How climate changes over time in response to the actions of people
is a topic of urgent worldwide concern. The study of meteorology is of critical concern for
protecting Earth's environment.

Oceanography: Science of the Oceans

Oceanography is the study of Earth's oceans - their composition, movement, organisms and
processes. The oceans cover most of our planet and are important resources for food and other
commodities. They are increasingly being used as an energy source. The oceans also have a
major influence on the weather and changes in the oceans can drive or moderate climate change.
Oceanographers work to develop the ocean as a resource and protect it from human impact. The
goal is to utilize the oceans while minimizing the effects of our actions.

Astronomy: Science of the Universe

Astronomy is the study of the universe. Here are some examples of why studying space beyond
Earth is important: the moon drives the ocean's tidal system, asteroid impacts have repeatedly
devastated Earth's inhabitants and energy from the sun drives our weather and climates. A
knowledge of astronomy is essential to understanding the Earth. Astronomers can also use a
knowledge of Earth materials, processes and history to understand other planets - even those
outside of our own solar system.

3. Science and the Society

Why should you care about science—and earth science in particular?

The Importance of Earth Science

Today we live in a time when the Earth and its inhabitants face many challenges. Our climate is
changing and that change is being caused by human activity. Earth scientists recognized this
problem and will play a key role in efforts to resolve it. We are also challenged to: develop new
sources of energy that will have minimal impact on climate; locate new sources of metals and
other mineral resources as known sources are depleted; and, determine how Earth's increasing
population can live and avoid serious threats such as volcanic activity, earthquakes, landslides,
floods; identify and measure natural processes and phenomena; Understand the natural processes
involved; Monitor these variables over time and predict future trends or events; engage citizens
and their representatives in using this information to make effective decisions to meet
society’s needs, etc., These are just a few of the problems where solutions depend upon a deep
understanding of Earth science. 

Protecting Against Natural Hazards

Scientists play a vital role in understanding and determining the potential risks from natural
phenomena that may harm people and damage property. Natural processes such as earthquakes,
landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, and hurricanes are considered hazards when
they occur in populated areas. The detailed study of hazards in one area can help predict the
potential risks elsewhere.

Finding and Sustaining Earth’s Resources

Life on Earth requires the use of resources. The term resources cover everything we use,
including such basic assets as air, soil, timber, and water; fuel resources such as coal, oil, and
gas; and mineral resources, such as sand and gravel. These natural resources may be renewable
or nonrenewable. Renewable resources are replenished constantly (wind, soil), on short-term
timescales measured in months (crops) or over longer intervals of several years (timber).
Nonrenewable resources either are lost following consumption (fossil fuels) or may be recycled
to be used in other products (metals).

Protecting the Health of the Environment

The biosphere (plants, animals) has exhibited dramatic changes throughout Earth’s history, but
recent population growth has contributed to environmental change, albeit over a much shorter
timescale. Global population more than quadrupled since 1900, and we will add several billion
more people this century. As population has expanded, so has industrialization and consequently
pollution of land, air, and water. Human activities have the potential to endanger human life and
natural ecosystems.

Ensuring the Future of Human Life

The issues discussed so far occur at the local, regional, or national scale and involve events that
are significant on timescales measured in hours to years. However, if we take a more global
view, we can identify processes that have the potential to affect everyone, everywhere, for
decades and perhaps centuries to come: the impact of a large asteroid and the effects of global
climate change. Any program that attempts to address either asteroid impacts or global warming
would be both complex and expensive, requiring cooperation among many nations and
potentially taking decades to complete. Nevertheless, these threats cannot be ignored, and
science has the potential to show the way to effective solutions.