Download The Nature of Science

The Nature of Science
CHAPTER 1
PG.4-27
Earth Science
Sec. 1.1
OBJECTIVES:
1. COMPARE THE AREAS OF STUDY WITHIN
EARTH SCIENCE
2. IDENTIFY EARTH’S SYSTEMS.
3. EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG
EARTH’S SYSTEMS.
4. EXPLAIN WHY TECHNOLOGY IS
IMPORTANT.
The Scope of Earth Science
1. Astronomy:
~ The study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere
~ Study the universe, galaxies, stars, planets,
meteors, asteroids, aliens
~ describe the locations of objects in space in
relation to each other
~ astronauts, space center, satellite stations
The Scope of Earth Science
2. Meteorology:
~ The study of the forces and processes that cause
the atmosphere to change and produce weather
~ Forecast the weather
~ How changes in weather over time can affect
climate
~ Chasing the weather
~ Going to the coastal city that is about to be
smacked by a hurricane
The Scope of Earth Science
3. Geology:
~ The study of the materials that make up Earth
~ Processes that form and change these materials
~ History of the planet and its life-forms science its
origin.
~ Identify rocks
~ Study glacial movements
~ Determine how forces change our planet
~ Dig sites, mines, underground, canyons
The Scope of Earth Science
4. Oceanography:
~ The study of Earth’s oceans, which cover nearly
3/4ths of the planet
~ Study the creatures inhabiting the salt H2O
~ Measure the different chemical and physical
properties of the oceans
~ Divers, go to the water
The Scope of Earth Science
5. Environmental science:
~ The study of the interactions of organisms and
their surroundings.
~ How living life forms affect the environment
~ natural resources, pollution, alternative energy
sources
~ Impact of humans on the atmosphere
The Scope of Earth Science
***Subspecialties:
~ The study of our plant is a broad endeavor, and
as such each of the five major areas of Earth
science consists of a variety of subspecialties
~ Examples: pg.7 Table 1.1
4 Main Earth Systems
1. Geosphere:
~ The area from the surface of Earth down to its center.
~ Divided into 3 main parts:
a. Crust – rigid outer shell of Earth
- continental crust and oceanic crust
b. Mantle – just below the crust
- differs from crust by composition and behavior
- Temp from 100° C – 4000° C
c. Core – below the mantle (made of solid Iron)
Earth’s Systems Cont.
2. Atmosphere:
~ The blanket of gases that surrounds our planet
~ Clouds; gases and liquids
~ Contains 78% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen, and
1% water vapor, argon, carbon dioxide, and
other trace gases.
~ Protection from harmful radiation from the
Sun (blocks UV {ultra-violet} radiation)
~ Keeps planet temp suitable for life
Earth’s Systems Cont.
3. Hydrosphere:
~ All the water on Earth, including the water in the
atmosphere.
~ 97% Salt water
~ 3% Fresh water (glaciers, lakes, and rivers)
and ground water…only a fraction of water is
found in lakes and rivers
Earth’s Systems Cont.
4. Biosphere:
~ Includes all organisms on Earth as well as the
environments in which they live
~ All life forms require interaction with at least 1
other system
~ Most organisms live within a few meters of Earth’s
surface but some exist deep beneath the ocean’s
surface
Earth’s Systems Cont.
 All of Earth’s life-forms require interaction with at
least one of the other systems for their survival.
Ex: Figure 1.4 pg. 9
 Earth’s present atmosphere formed millions of years
ago through interactions with the geosphere,
hydrosphere, and biosphere.
 Organisms in the biosphere, including humans,
continue to change the atmosphere through their
activities and natural processes.
Methods of Scientists
Sec 1.2
OBJECTIVES:
1. COMPARE AND CONTRAST INDEPENDENT
AND DEPENDENT VARIABLES
2. COMPARE AND CONTRAST
EXPERIMENTATION AND INVESTIGATION.
3. IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
MASS AND WEIGHT.
4. EXPLAIN WHAT SCIENTIFIC NOTATION IS
AND HOW IT IS USED.
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Scientific Method
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What is the scientific method?
It is a process that is used to find
answers to questions about the world
around us.
Is there only one
“scientific method”?
NO, there are several versions of the scientific
method. Some versions have more steps, while
others may have only a few. However, they all
begin with the identification of a problem or a
question to be answered based on observations of
the world around us & provide an organized
method for conducting & analyzing an experiment.
What is a hypothesis?
It is an educated guess based on
observations & your knowledge of the
topic.
?
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What is data?
It is information gathered during an
experiment.
Independent Variable
~ What is being changed
~ What I am “tinkering
with” or “manipulating”
Ex: Gum
Dependent Variable
~ What is being measured
~ “Measured change”
Ex: Test Scores
Control Group
~ Stays the same
~ The comparison is being made to
them.
~ Does NOT receive
the IV.
Experimental Group
~ The group that the change is
occurring to
~ Receives the IV
Control
Group
Experimental
Group
Receives the IV
 Setting
 Setting
 Temp
 Temp
 Test
 Pencils
Constants
Constants
Doesn’t receive IV
 Test
 Pencils
 Lighting
 Lighting
 Desks
 Desks
Controlled Variables
All the elements in the experiment
that do not change
Y - axis
DV –
Dependent
Variable
X -axis
IV – Independent Variable
Measurement
Force
Newtons
Length
Meter (m)
Mass
gram (g)
Area
Square m (m²)
Volume
(m³)
Liters (L)
Density
(g/m³)
Time
sec.
Temp
K, °C, °F
Scientific Notation
 Shorthand; a number is expressed as a value between
1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10
 The power of 10 is the number of places the decimal
point must be shifted so that only a single digit
remains to the left of the decimal point
 If the decimal point must be shifted to the left, the
exponent of 10 is positive


Ex: 4,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 = 4 x 10²¹
Ex: 5,974,200,000,000,000,000,000,000 = 5.9742 x 10²⁴
 If the decimal point in a number must be shifted to
the right, the exponent of 10 is negative

0.0000000001 = 1 x 10 -¹º
Communication in Science
Sec 1.3
OBJECTIVES:
1. EXPLAIN WHY PRECISE COMMUNICATION
IS CRUCIAL IN SCIENCE.
2. COMPARE AND CONTRAST SCIENTIFIC
THEORIES AND SCIENTIFIC LAWS.
3. IDENTIFY WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO
USE A GRAPH OR MODEL.
Communicating Results
 Many ways to communicate info:
 Newspapers, magazines, TV, the Internet, and scientific
journals
 Even though you may use the same form of communication,
your description will be different than your lab partner.
 Scientists have the responsibility to truthfully and
accurately report their methods and results.

To keep them ethical, a system of peer review is used in which
scientists in the same field verify each other’s results and
examine procedures and conclusions for bias.
 It also allows others to learn of new discoveries and
conduct new investigations that build on previous
investigations.
Communicating Results
 Lab reports:
After you conduct Earth science investigations and experiments you
will be asked to record and analyze the info that you collect and to
draw conclusions based on that data.
 Models:

Scientific model – is an idea picture, a system, or a mathematical
expression that represents the concept being explained.

Ex: Figure 1.11
 Graphs:



By graphing data in a variety of ways, scientists can more easily show
the relationships among data sets.
Shows trends in the data
3 types
Line graphs
 Circle graphs
 Bar graphs

Examples:
Lab Report
Model
Graphs
 Line graphs:
 A visual display that shows how two variables are related
 Independent variable is plotted on the horizontal (x) axis and
dependent variable is plotted on the vertical (y) axis
 Circle graphs (Pie chart):
 To show a fixed quantity
 Circle represents the total and the slices represent the different
parts of the whole.
 Bar graphs:
 To represent quantitative data; use rectangular blocks called
bars.
 Length of bar is determined by the amount of the variable
measured and the scale of the bar graph.
Line Graphs
Circle Graphs (Pie Chart)
Bar Graphs
Scientific Theory
vs.
Ex: Theory
of Relativity
Explanation
based on
experimentation
Make predictions
that can be tested
Simple
explanations
Can be modified
w/ new data or
new technology
Scientific Law
Describe the
behavior of natural
phenomenon
Both are
involved in
scientific
investigation
Basic rule of
nature Ex: law of
Inertia
Both are
involved w/
observation
Events are
observed to be the
same every time
Ex: planets
staying in orbit