Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: __________________ Period: ______
Chapter 1: The Nature of Science
1.1 Earth Science
Main Idea: Earth science encompasses five areas of study: astronomy, meteorology, geology, oceanography, and
environmental science.
“Earth science is a combination science that draws upon all other sciences to unlock Earth’s mysteries.”
Five Areas of Study
Astronomy
Study of objects beyond Earth’s atmosphere
Geology
Study of materials that make of Earth and the processes that form
and change these materials
Oceanography
Study of Earth’s Oceans
Meteorology
Study of weather-producing forces in the atmosphere
Environmental Science
Study of the interactions of Earth’s organisms and their surroundings
Earth’s Four Systems
 All four of Earth’s systems are
Biosphere
all organisms on Earth as well as the
environments in which they live
Geosphere
area from the surface of Earth down to its center
Hydrosphere
all the water on Earth, including the water in the
atmosphere and geosphere
Atmosphere
the blanket of gases surrounding Earth
unique and interdependent.
 Changes to one affect the other three.
 Interaction between systems is
happening constantly in many
different ways.
Technology: the application of scientific discoveries used to make life easier, safer, or more efficient.
1.2 Methods of Scientists
Main Idea: Scientists use scientific methods to structure their experiments and investigations.
Scientific Method(s): Problem-solving procedure that scientists use to conduct experiments.
1) Form a Purpose/Question/Problem based on observations.
2) Research the problem by collecting information, making observations,
asking questions, using prior knowledge, and reviewing related research.
3) Form a hypothesis, which is a testable explanation of a situation that can
be supported or disproved by careful procedures.
4) Conduct an experiment to test the hypothesis (repeated multiple times).
5) Analyze the results after organizing them and identifying possible errors.
6) Draw a conclusion. Explain whether the hypothesis was supported or not
and communicate the results.
The Nature of Scientific Investigations
Independent variable: in an experiment, this is the factor that is changed by the experimenter.
Dependent variable: factor that is affected by changes in the independent variable.
Constant: factors that do NOT change during an experiment
Control: used to show that the results of an experiment are a result of the condition being tested.
* An investigation involves observation and collecting data but does NOT include a control.
Le Système International d’Unités (SI) is a modern version of the metric system based on a decimal system.
Measurement
Definition
SI Unit
Length
distance from one end of something to the other end
meter (m)
Mass
amount of matter in an object
kilogram (kg)
Weight
gravitational force on an object
newton (N)
Area
amount of surface included within a set of boundaries
square meters (m2)
Volume
amount of space occupied by an object
Cubic meters (m3)
Density
amount of matter that occupies a given space (Mass / Volume)
g/cm3, g/mL, or Kg/m3
Time
interval between two events
second (s)
Temperature
average kinetic energy of the particles that make up a material
kelvin (K)
In scientific notation, a number is expressed as a value between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10.
The number of grains of sand on Earth is approximately 4,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 and would be written
as 4  1021. The mass of Earth at 5,974,200,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg would be written as 5.9742  1024 kg.
1.3 Communication in Science
Main Idea: Precise communication is crucial for scientists to share results effectively with each other and society.
Lab Report: a written account of a lab.
In line graphs, the independent variable is plotted on the horizontal (x) axis, and the
dependent variable is plotted on the vertical (y) axis.
Circle graphs show a fixed quantity using slices representing parts of the whole.
Bar graphs represent quantitative data using bars.
Scientific model: idea picture, system, or mathematical expression that represents the concept being explained.
Scientific theory: explanation based on many observations during repeated investigations.
Scientific law: principle that describes the behavior of a natural phenomenon.