Download Section 1: Science All Around

Earth Science
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Section 1: Science All Around
1. What is science?
Science is a process of observing, studying, and thinking about things in your world to gain
knowledge.
2. Define Earth Science: It is the study of Earth and space.
3. What topics do Earth scientists study?
Some Earth science topics include rocks, minerals, soil, volcanoes, earthquakes, maps,
fossils, mountains, climates, weather, ocean water, and objects in space.
4. Describe scientific methods?
Scientific methods are problem-solving procedures that can include identifying the problem
or question, gathering information, developing a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis,
analyzing the results, and drawing conclusions.
5. Steps in the
scientific method:
Identify a
problem
Repeat several
times to confirm
Hypothesize
& Predict
Test
Hypothesis
Modify/Revise
Hypothesis
Hypothesis supported
Analyze
Results
Draw
Conclusions
Communicate
Results
Hypothesis not supported
6. An educated guess is called a hypothesis.
7. Why must hypotheses be testable?
If the hypothesis can’t be tested, the answer to the question or problem cannot be
determined.
Ch.1 - The Nature of Science (pp. 4-31)
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Earth Science
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8. What are variables?
Variables are different factors that can be changed in an experiment.
9. An experiment should be designed so that only one variable at a time is being tested.
10. What is the difference between an independent variable and a dependent variable?
The independent variable is the factor that changes in the experiment (what is being tested)
and the dependent variable is the factor being measured in the experiment.
11. What are the constants in an experiment?
Constants are variables that do not change in an experiment.
12. Why is a control used in an experiment?
A control is a standard to which results can be compared.
13. When drawing conclusions, you determine whether or not your hypothesis is supported or
not.
14. If the hypothesis is supported, the experiment is repeated several times to confirm the
results.
15. If the hypothesis is not supported, the experiment is modified and the scientific method
process is repeated.
16. Why is it important that scientists perform an experiment more than one time?
Repeating an experiment confirms whether results are consistent and valid.
17. Why is it important to use constants in an experiment?
By using constants, only one variable is tested at a time.
18. Define technology: It is the use of scientific discoveries for practical purposes.
Ch.1 - The Nature of Science (pp. 4-31)
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Earth Science
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Name:
Date:
19. List several examples of technology used today as a result of scientific discoveries:
paper, can openers, buckets, aspirin, rubber boots, locks and keys, microfiber clothing,
ironing boards, bandages, scissors, robots, calculators, computers
20. What does transferable technology mean?
Transferable technology refers to the use of technology developed for one purpose that can
now be applied to new situations.
21. Give two examples of transferable technology.
Space technology (robotic parts, new fibers, and micro-miniaturized instruments) are being
used here on Earth and military technology (radar/sonar) have applications in the study of
space, weather, Earth’s structures and medicine.
Section 2: Scientific Enterprise
1. Thousands of years ago, people were fascinated by storms, erupting volcanoes, comets,
seasonal changes, and other natural phenomena. How did early people explain these
happenings?
Early people relied on mythology and believed that the mythological gods were responsible
for these observations.
2. What did early civilizations do that started to change science?
They began to record their observations. This led to the development of calendars and later
the creation of instruments.
3. Define meteorology.
Meteorology is the study of weather.
4. The rain gauge was probably the first weather instrument.
Ch.1 - The Nature of Science (pp. 4-31)
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Earth Science
____ Period
Name:
Date:
5. What instruments were developed in the 1600’s to study weather?
a. barometer: to measure air pressure
b. thermometer: to measure temperature
c. hygrometer: to measure water vapor in the air
d. anemometer: to measure wind speed
6. Benjamin Franklin was the first American to suggest that weather could be predicted.
7. Scientific knowledge continues to change as scientists develop better instruments and
testing procedures.
8. How can a scientific hypothesis become a scientific theory?
If repeated tests or experiments by many researchers yield results that support the
hypothesis, the hypothesis may become a theory.
9. What is a scientific law?
A scientific law is a rule that describes the behavior of something in nature. (It describes
what will happen in a given situation but doesn’t explain why it happens.)
10. Example of a scientific law:
Newton’s first law of motion: an object will continue in motion or remain at rest until it’s
acted upon by an outside force.
11. Ethics deals with moral values about what is good or bad.
12. There are limits to the kinds of questions and problems science can be used to answer and
solve.
Problems that deal with ethics and belief systems cannot be answered using
scientific methods.
13. Bias means personal opinion and they can affect observations in an experiment.
Ch.1 - The Nature of Science (pp. 4-31)
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