Chapter 1

EARTH SCIENCE DESCRIBED

Goals: Upon completion of this chapter, the student will be
able to:
1. define earth science,

2. discuss earth science concept (geologic time scale; plate

tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanism; seasons; solar

intensity and latitude),
3. discuss the importance of the study of earth science,
4. enumerate the branches of Earth Science,
5. state the steps in scientific method,
6. describe a laboratory,
7. discuss the importance of scientific model,
8. enumerate common laboratory apparatus and
equipments in the study of earth science,
9. define and discuss measurements, and
10. list down two systems of measurement.

Earth Science Defined

Earth Science is a study of the Earth
and the universe. It includes
geology, meteorology,
oceanography and astronomy.
Earth Science or Geoscience is an allembracing term referring to the
fields of science dealing
with planet Earth or with one or
more of its parts (Merriam-Webster,
2014).

Concepts of Earth Science

Earth scientists are using tools from
physics, chemistry, biology,
chronology, and mathematics to
build a quantitative understanding of
how the Earth system works, and
how it evolved to its current state.
The formal discipline of Earth science
may include the study of the
atmosphere, hydrosphere, oceans
and biosphere, as well as the solid
earth (Smith, 2006).

Concepts of Earth Science

Geologic time scale

Plate tectonics
Earthquakes
Volcanisms
Seasons
Solar intensity
Latitude

Geologic Time Scale

Importance of Earth Science Study

The study of Earth Science will help

us understand Earth as a dynamic
planet consisting of four interacting
systems: the biosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere and lithosphere.
This will also help us understand that
Earth Science knowledge has
developed over time and it is used in
a variety of contexts and influences,
and is influenced by social, economic,
cultural and ethical considerations.

Branches of Earth Science

The four major branches of earth

science are
(1) geology,
(2) meteorology,
(3) oceanography, and
(4) astronomy.
Other fields include physical
geography, geophysics, geochemistry,
soil science, hydrology, glaciology,
and atmospheric sciences.

Scientific Method

Every scientific inquiry involves

scientific method.
Scientific method is an organized way of
figuring something out. The following
are the scientific method steps:
(1) make an observation,
(2) ask a question,
(3) form a hypothesis,
(4) conduct an experiment, and
(5) make a conclusion.

Scientific Method

Laboratory

Laboratories are facilities that provide the

necessary conditions, controlled or otherwise,
which is suitable for technological or scientific
research and/or experiments. They may vary with
regards to the equipment that they contain or the
purpose that they serve depending on the specific
conditions that they were built for. They may
either be built for particle physics, chemistry
among other disciplines and applications (Pearce,
2012).
In the study of earth science, the whole Earth is
the laboratory.

Laboratory Safety

Safety is one of the most

important aspects that a student
should observe in conducting
laboratory activities. They must
observe
good
laboratory
practices.

Laboratory Safety

Scientific Model

A scientific model is a representation of an

idea, an object or even a process or a
system that is used to describe and explain
phenomena that cannot be experienced
directly.
Models are a mentally visual way of
linking theory with experiment, and they
guide research by being simplified
representations of an imagined reality
that enable predictions to be developed
and tested by experiment.

Characteristics
of Scientific Model
1. It is changeable.
2. It is observable.
3. It is doable.
4. It is proportion to the real

situation.

Common Laboratory Apparatus and

Equipments in the Study of Earth Science

The most common laboratory

apparatus is the microscope.
microscope
This includes optical microscope,
transmission electron microscope,
scanning electron microscope,
acoustic microscope, scannedprobe microscope, scanning
tunneling microscope, and atomic
force microscope.

Measurement

Measurement is an important aspect

in the study of earth science
because this will deal with the idea
of studying things to see how they
change quantitatively and also
understand the relationships.
Two systems of measurements:
Metric and English

Measurement

The seven basic quantities:

Measurement

The common prefixes:

Plate No. 1
Note:
Short bond paper
Black ink

Plate No. 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

What is Earth Science?

What are the major branches of Earth Science?
Why is Earth Science important for you to study?
How does an earth science laboratory differ from typical
science laboratory?
Give at least five things that are done in a science
laboratory.
Give at least five safety procedures for the laboratory.
Why do scientists use models?
Why is metric system considered more convenient to use
than English System?
Why is measurement important to every scientist
specifically earth scientist?
Enumerate the basic quantities of Metric System and their
base units.

Thank You!