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