The 4 major branches of Earth

Science are:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Geology
Astronomy
Meteorology
Oceanography

1. Geology
study of the origin, history, and structure
of Earth and its processes that shape it.
includes things like volcanic eruption and
earthquake predictions.
study of Earths surface helps to map
other planets.
Geologists also study the interior of Earth.

2. Astronomy
This is the study of the universe beyond
Earth which include:
Planets
Moons
Stars
Other space objects (e.g.. Comets)

Some of the tools used to investigate

these objects include lunar explorers,
space probes, satellites, and telescopes.

3. Meteorology
The study of the atmosphere and weather
that it creates.
Areas linked to this are climate change
and environmental impacts due to
pollution.
Study & tracking of recent storms and
their severity are examples of what a
Meteorologist may do.

4. Oceanography
Oceanographers study:
the ocean, ocean floor, icebergs and
currents in the ocean.
marine life and the impact of climate
change on these species.
the effects of underwater earthquakes
and develop warning systems for coastal
regions.

Why Earth Science?

Video
https://youtu.be/jxbIJH4fTYo

Supplementary website
http://www.ck12.org/user%3AamVubml
mZXIuYXJ0aWJpc2VAZ21haWwuY29t/boo
/Earth-Science-11-Artibise/r10/sec
tion/1.0/Branches-of-Earth-Science
/

Assignment
Read pages 4-7
Complete questions 1,2,4,5

The Origin of Earth

The origin of Earth is a difficult question to answer.
One method used to explain this is called a
hypothesis which is an informed guess.
Information that should be considered for a
hypothesis regarding the origin of Earth include:
1.
2.
3.
4.

All planets revolve around the sun in the same direction.

The paths or orbits are nearly circular.
Most of the planets move on the same plane.
The axis that the sun turns on is similar to plane of the
planets.
5. Most of the planets rotate the same direction as the sun.
6. Seven of the planets have moons that rotate the same
direction that the planets revolve around the sun.

The Protoplanet Hypothesis

a) A great cloud of gas rotated
slowly in space.
b)Most of the material gathered
into the center as the cloud
shrank.
c) As the cloud shrank, it rotated
faster and compressed the
material into a star(sun).
d)Eddies formed causing
condensed masses called
Protoplanets which became
planets over time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Uhy1fucSRQI

Origins of the Oceans

As the Protoplanet became hotter, it
melted the iron which formed the core
of Earth.
As the melted iron sank, it partially
melted other materials which
separated into different layers.
Water and gases were released and
formed the oceans.

Origin of the Atmosphere

All life needs free oxygen, which is
oxygen that is not combined to any
other elements.
The breakup of water molecules
provided the needed free oxygen.
This allowed the emergence of
simple green plants which then
created more oxygen through
photosynthesis.

Structure of the Solid Earth

How The Continents Formed

One hypothesis indicates that as iron
and nickel melted, it forced lighter
material to the surface and created a
supercontinent.
Another hypothesis suggests that the
land masses were created by great
lava flows and volcanic eruptions.

Vocabulary
Astronomy:
Crust:
Geology:
Hypothesis:
Inner Core:
Mantle:
Meteorology:
Oceanography:
Outer Core:
Photosynthesis:
Protoplanet:
Protoplanet Hypothesis:

Assignment
Intro to Earth Science and Chapter 1
Questions handout
Read pages 8-12, complete section
1.2 Review (pg 12)

Monday Sept. 14, 2015

Go over Earth Science Introduction and
Chapter 1 questions
How does Earth Science affect us?
Earths Rotation and Revolution (rvw Ch 4) https
://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaG70cJ8vDE

Time to work on textbook section review 1.2

(on page 12)
Read chapter 5.1 matter and atoms (Sc10
rvw)
Coming up Rocks and Minerals!

Earth Science Intro and Ch. 1

Questions
1)
Geology the study of earths surface
and interior
Astronomy the study of the
universe
Meteorology the study of the
Earths Atmosphere
Oceanography the study of the
oceans

2) Define &Describe geology &

geologists
Geologists are scientists who study the origin, history, and

structure of Earth and the processes that shape its surface.

They explore the Earths crust to locate and identify new
sources of oil, uranium, and geothermal power.
They search for deposits of important metallic and
nonmetallic minerals.
They help plan water supply systems for towns and cities.
They do researching and preparation for natural disasters
(flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes.
They make topographic maps showing details of the Earths
surface and geological maps to show Earths rock structure.
Using the observations made by space crafts, they can
make maps of the moon and nearer planets.

3) How do astronomers obtain their info.

and what materials do they study?
They use telescopes, satellites, lunar
explorers and space probes.
They study radiations sent out by
objects in space and learn about the
stars and planets from these radiations.
They study the planets and their
moons, comets, life-cycles of stars,
whether life exists on other planets or
anywhere else in the universe.

4) Describe the work and activities of

meteorologists and oceanographers.
weatherman/woman, but there are many others who study effects
of solar energy in changing the weather, air pollution, changes in
climate or long term weather, and research hurricanes,
thunderstorms, tornadoes, and long-range forecasting.
Oceanographers work from special research ships to measure
ocean depths and map the ocean floor. They drill into the ocean
floor to study its rocks and its history. They locate deposits of
valuable minerals. They track and map ocean currents, chart
movements of icebergs that break off from the glaciers of
Greenland and Antarctica. They study the plant and animal life of
the deep sea and surface waters. They research the effects of the
ocean on weather and climate
By studying the great ocean waves and undersea earthquakes
they are able to develop warning systems for threatened coastal
regions.

5) Define hypothesis and list some facts

that a hypothesis of the origin of a solar
system must explain.
an informed guess that tries to explain how or why an event
occurs.
Every hypothesis around the origin of the solar system has to
consider the following:
1. All planets move around the sun (revolve) in the same direction
2. The paths, or orbits, of the planets around the sun are all nearly
circular
3. Most of the orbits are in nearly the same flat surface (plane)
4. The sun turns on its axis (rotates) in almost the same plane as
the planets and in the same direction that the planets revolve
5. Most of the planets rotate in the same direction as the sun and,
6. Seven of the nine planets have moons. Most of the moons
revolve around the planets in the same direction that the planets
revolve around the sun.

6) Describe the origin of the solar system

according to the protoplanet hypothesis.
about 5 bya, a great cloud of gas and dust rotated slowly in space.
The cloud was at least 10 billion kilometres in diameter.
As time passed, the cloud shrank under the pull of its own gravitation
or was made to collapse by the explosion of a passing star. Most of
the clouds material gathered around its own center. Its shrinking
made it rotate faster, like a spinning whirlpool.
The compression of its material made its interior so hot that a
powerful reaction, hydrogen fusion, began and the core of the cloud
blazed into a newborn sun.
About 10 percent of the material in the cloud formed a great platelike disk surrounding the sun far into space.
Friction within the disk caused most of its mass to collect in a number
of huge whirlpools or eddies. These eddies shrank into more compact
masses called protoplanets and later formed plantets and moons.
Some uncollected material remains even today as comets,
meteoroids, and asteroids.

7) Discuss the origin and characteristics of

Earths oceans, atmosphere, internal
structure, and continents, and describe
Earths internal structure

Oceans: As the protoplanet changed to the planet Earth, it grew

hotter. There were three sources of heat: compression, radioactive
minerals, and bombardment by showers of meteorites.
Radioactive minerals are natural sources of energy, much of which
becomes heat energy. Meteorites produce heat both by friction
and by impact.
When Earth became hot enough, the common element iron
melted. The molten iron sank toward the center of Earth, forming
a dense core. As the molten iron sank, it partially melted other
earth materials that it touched.
Water and gases that had been trapped in those materials were
released. The molten earth materials separated into layers.
As the materials separated, the steam and gases that they had
held escaped to the surface in volcanic eruptions. The steam that
escaped condensed into water that slowly accumulated as oceans.

7) Discuss the origin and characteristics of

Earths oceans, atmosphere, internal
structure, and continents, and describe
Earths
structure
Atmosphere:
78% freeinternal
nitrogen and
21 % free oxygen,
remaining 1%=argon, carbon dioxide, helium, and trace
amounts of other gases.
Water vapor is in the atmosphere too, but the amount
varies with weather and climate.
The atmosphere has changed over timeoriginal would
have been (scientists hypothesize) from volcanoes (50%
water vapor with large amounts of CO 2 and sulfur gases)
This mixture contained no free oxygen!
Scientists believe the oxygen came from the breakup of
water molecules by sunlight in the upper atmosphere and
by photosynthesis. In photosynthesis more than half of the
oxygen present in the carbon dioxide and water is not used.
This excess oxygen is released into the atmosphere as free
oxygen.

7) Discuss the origin and characteristics of

Earths oceans, atmosphere, external
structure, and continents, and describe
Earths internal structure

External Structure and Continents: One hypothesis

suggests that when the melted iron and nickel
sank into Earths core, it forced out enough light
rock to form an immense single continent.
Another suggestion is that the continents were
formed by great lava flows from erupting
volcanoes over hundreds of millions of years. In
either case continents have changed!
Mountains and seas form from shifting tectonic
plates

7) Discuss the origin and characteristics of

Earths oceans, atmosphere, external
structure, and continents, and describe
Earths internal structure

Internal structure: The center is nearly 6400 km from the surfacemost of the model
is based on indirect evidence. At its center is a spherical inner core 1200 km in
diameter. The inner core is made of solid iron and nickel.
Surrounding the inner core is an outer core about 2250 km thick made of liquid iron
and nickel. Then comes a 2900 km thick layer of heavy rocks rich in compound of
iron, magnesium, and silicon-Mantle-reaches almost to the Earths surface.
The mantle is covered by a lighter layer of rocks-Crust. The crust ranges in thickness
from about 10 km below the ocean basins to about 65 km below the continents.
Original earth was probably not like this. IF the protoplanet theory is correct it
looked like the moon.
The Earth developed its layers or core, mantle, and crust through temperature/heat.
As the temperature of the newly formed Earth increased, large quantities of iron and
nickel in its rocks melted. Great streams of these hot, heavy liquids flowed toward
Earths center. On their way down they melted lighter rock materials and forced
them up to the surface. At the surface the light rock became solid and formed
Earths crust. The mantle formed between the crust and the core.
The layers of the earth http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/earths-layers-lesson- 1

How does Earth Science Affect Us?

Geology
If it cant be farmed on land, or caught in the
sea, it was probably mined.
determines where oil, coal, and mineral
deposits are located, can predict
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
An incomplete list of petroleum products http
://www.ranken-energy.com/products%20from%20petroleum.htm

Careers: exploration or petroleum geologist,

seismic interpreter, wellsite geologist

For more information, visit: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/

wellsite_geologist_job_description.htm

Astronomy
seeks to satisfy our curiosity How was the
universe created?
X-rays, gas chromatographs (airports),
iPhone cameras, MRI & CAT scan
technology, remote sensing
Careers: astronomers median annual
salary in 2012 was $96,460

For more information, visit:

http://www.universetoday.com/106302/how-astronomy-benefits-soci
ety-and-humankind
/

Meteorology
it can help save lives
Track severe storms, evacuate areas,
doppler radar
Redbull storm chase - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
juIM8TdrTBw

Careers: weatherman, develop radar or

weather models

Oceanography
has saved the world
Food products (icecream has algae),
anti-cancer drugs, cold water
detergent
Careers: oceanogaphers $48125,000

For more information, visit:

http://www.yearofscience2009.org/themes_ocean_water/200
9/02/
savedtheworld.html

Monday Sept. 14, 2015

Earths Rotation and Revolution (rvw Ch
4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
JaG70cJ8vDE

Time to work on textbook section review

1.2 (on page 12)
Read chapter 5.1 matter and atoms
(Sc10 rvw)
Coming up Atoms, Minerals, and
Rocks!