Introduction to Earth Science
Scientific Method & the Metric System
Introduction to Earth ScienceIntroduction to Earth Science
Scientific Inquiry and the Nature of Technology
What is Science?
• A way of:– Learning about the natural world– Exploring problems and answering
questions about the natural world
• The goal is to understand the world around us
Thinking like a Scientist
• Observing – Using one or more of your senses to gather information (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) Qualitative observations- use senses Quantitative observations- include
numbers, often use tools
• Inferring –Explaining or interpreting
things you observe– Doesn’t mean guessing wildly– Based on reasoning from what you already know
Still Thinking Like a Scientist
• Predicting – Making a forecast of what will happen in the future based on past experience or evidence
• Scientific Attitudes – Includes curiosity, honesty, open-mindedness, skepticism, and creativity
Scientific Inquiry
Refers to the ways in
which scientists study
the natural world and
propose explanations
based on the evidence
they gather
Steps of Scientific Inquiry
Posing Questions- Often begins with a
problem or question about an observation
Steps of Scientific Inquiry
• Developing a Hypothesis – A possible explanation for a set of observations or answer to a scientific questions – Must be testable– Investigations and evidence will either support
or disprove
Steps of Scientific InquiryDesigning an Experiment
1.Controlled experiment – a test of a hypothesis under conditions established by the scientist
2.Variable – one of the factors that can change in an experiment
a) Manipulated variable – The variable that the scientist changes
b) Responding variable – The variable that changes because of the manipulated variable
Steps of Scientific Inquiry
Collecting and Interpreting Data
•Data – The facts, figures, and other evidence gathered through observations•After data has been collected it needs to be interpreted
– Graphs can help with interpreting data by revealing patterns and/or trends
Steps of Scientific Inquiry
Drawing Conclusions – A conclusion is a decision about how to interpret what you learned from an experiment
•Conclusions may:– Support a hypothesis– Show a hypothesis to be incorrect– Need more data before conclusions
can be reached
*Not always the endpoint…results often lead to new questions, new hypotheses, and new experiments
Steps of Scientific Inquiry
Communicating Results – The sharing of ideas and experimental findings with others through writing and speaking
Scientific Theories and Laws
Scientific Theory – A well tested scientific concept that explains a wide range of observations
– Has withstood repeated tests– Will be changed or abandoned if tests fail to
support
Scientific Theories and Laws
Scientific Law – A statement that describes what scientists expect to happen every time under a particular set of conditions
– Describes an observed pattern in nature but does not provide an explanation for it
Earth Science• Earth Science – Deals with the study of the Earth,
its history, changes, and its place in the Universe• Three guiding ideas:
1. Structure of the Earth System• Made up of four spheres
• Lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere
2. Earth History- constructive and destructive forces have changed the Earth’s surface over its 4.6 billion year history
3. Earth in the Solar System
Branches of Earth Science
• Geology – Study of the solid Earth and the forces that shape it over time
• Oceanography – Study of the Earth’s oceans• Meteorology – Study of the Earth’s atmosphere
and the weather occurring there • Astronomy - Study of the Universe beyond Earth• Environmental Science – Studies Earth’s
environment and resources, looking at the effects of human activity
Nature of Technology
What is Technology?
– Technology is how people change the world around them to meet their needs or to solve practical problems
– The goal of technology is to improve the way people live
– New technologies change society by changing how people live
Major Areas of Technology
• Manufacturing technology
• Communication technology
• Transportation technology
• Construction technology
• Energy & Power technology
• Biological & Chemical technology
How Science Relates to Technology
• Science is the study of the
natural world
• Technology aims to change
or modify the natural world to
meet human needs or solve
problems
How Science Relates to Technology
• People who develop technology are called engineers, not scientist
• An engineer is trained to use both technological and scientific knowledge to solve practical problems
• Scientist use scientific inquiry when looking for answers, while engineers use the engineering design process to solve problems