Notes

~Earth Science~ Basics of Earth Science
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~Earth science- is the study of Earth and its processes. Earth scientists also study Earth relative to other objects in the solar
system. The four main branches of Earth science are geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy.
~Geology means- “study of the earth.” Geologists study the materials that make up the earth, such as rocks and minerals.
~Oceanography- is the study of Earth’s oceans and the organisms that live in them. Oceanographers analyze the composition and
movement of ocean waters and study how ocean waters affect weather and climate.
~Meteorology- is the study of Earth’s atmosphere, or the mass of air that surrounds Earth. Processes in Earth’s atmosphere are
responsible for the weather and climate that occur on Earth’s surface.
~Astronomy- is the study of celestial objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The reason these astronomical objects are important to
earth science is that they affect systems and processes on Earth.
~The scientific method- is a systematic method of research that includes specific steps to test a hypothesis. The scientific method
involves carefully going through these steps to find an answer to a problem. The scientific method was first documented by
England’s Sir Francis Bacon (1561–1626). The scientific method is an organized process by which anyone can solve a problem.
The method includes seven steps:

Make observations
State the problem
Identify variables
Create a hypothesis
Design an experiment
Collect data
Draw a conclusion
~The control group- is a group that continues under normal conditions.
~The experimental group- is exposed to something that’s being tested in the experiment.
~A variable- is a factor, condition, or relationship that can be changed in an experiment.
~The factors or conditions in the experiment that don’t change are called - controlled variables. Don’t confuse a controlled
variable with the control group.
~A variable that you purposely change between the control group and the experimental group is - called the manipulated or
independent variable. It’s important during an experiment to test only one independent variable at a time.
~The result of the change in the experimental group as a result of the manipulated variable is - called the responding or
dependent variable.
~A hypothesis- is a possible explanation for the problem being studied. It’s often written as an if/then statement. The hypothesis
combines information about the variables to be used in an experiment.
~A procedure- is the step-by-step directions for the experiment.
~These observations, called data, are written down. Data can be quantitative or qualitative.
~Observations that are made or measured using numbers are called - quantitative data. An example of quantitative data
includes an object’s measured mass or temperature.
~Data that describes observations is called - qualitative data. Qualitative data would involve using the five senses to make
observations—describing what you see, hear, taste, feel, and smell.
~An inference- is a logical explanation based on an observation. For example, you might observe that the grass grows after it
rains. And you might observe that the grass dies when it doesn’t rain. You might make a logical conclusion, or inference, that
the amount of rain impacts how much the grass grows.
~Most scientific papers follow a similar format and include these sections:
1. Abstract: A brief (usually 100–200 words) summary of the entire paper
2. Introduction: Identifies the problem or question scientists intended to solve or answer through their research, describes
background information on similar studies, and states the hypothesis
3. Materials and Methods: Describes the materials used and explains the steps scientists followed to perform the experiment or
study
4. Results: Presents the data scientists collected without any interpretation of that information; typically includes graphs,
charts, and/or tables of data
5. Discussion/Conclusions: Includes the scientist’s interpretation of the data; explains how the data relate to the problem,
question, or hypothesis; and offers the scientist’s final thoughts as to why the results may have occurred
~A bar graph- has horizontal or vertical bars. Each bar represents a numerical value—the higher the value, the higher or longer
the bar. Bar graphs are very helpful for comparing categories of information. Information is charted along a horizontal x-axis
and a vertical y-axis.
~A pie chart- is a circular chart divided into slices, each representing a proportion of the whole, or a percentage. Pie charts are
helpful in presenting statistical data showing percentages of a whole.
~A line graph- features a series of points connected by lines. Some line graphs have a single line. Others feature multiple lines that can be compared. Line graphs are especially helpful in showing changes over time.
~On a scatterplot- each piece of data is represented by a dot. Scatterplots are used to find the relationship between two or
more variables. Scatterplots make it easy to identify outliers in data.
~Outliers- are values that are very different from the rest of the data.
~A timeline- lists events in the order in which they occurred. Scientists often use timelines to identify significant moments in
Earth’s history, such as the first appearance of plant life or the disappearance of dinosaurs.
~A table- arranges data into vertical columns and horizontal rows. The point at which a row and a column intersect is known as
a cell. Scientists may include text and/or numerical data in tables.
~The outermost electrons in atoms play an important role in bonding between atoms. Elements that have a full outer shell are
inert.
~A physical property- is a characteristic of matter not associated with a change in its chemical composition.
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