Name ___________________________ Class ___________________ Date _____________

Chapter 1 Introduction to Earth Science

Section 1.1 What Is Earth Science?

This section explains what Earth science is and what Earth scientists study.

Reading Strategy
Categorizing As you read about the different branches of Earth
science, fill in the column with the name of each branch and list some
of the things that are studied. For more information on this Reading
Strategy, see the Reading and Study Skills in the Skills and
Reference Handbook at the end of your textbook.

geology a. Earth, earthquakes, mountains, volcanoes, Earth’s history

b. oceanography c. composition and movements of seawater, coastal processes, seafloor

topography, marine life
d. meteorology e. atmosphere, weather, climate

f. astronomy g. universe, solar system

Overview of Earth Science

1. Circle the letters of the topics studied in Earth science.
a. Earth’s atmosphere
b. Earth’s surface
© Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.

c. Earth’s neighbors in space

d. Earth’s interior
2. What are some of the subdivisions of Earth science? The subdivisions of Earth science
include geochemistry, geophysics, geobiology, paleontology, oceanography, meteorology,
and astronomy.

3. What does the word geology mean? The word geology means “study of Earth.”

4. Is the following sentence true or false? Geology is divided into two broad areas—
physical geology and historical geology. true

5. What do physical geologists study? Physical geologists study the materials that make up
Earth and the processes that shape our planet.

6. Rocks and minerals form in response to Earth’s

internal and external processes.

Earth Science Guided Reading and Study Workbook ■ 1

Name ___________________________ Class ___________________ Date _____________

Chapter 1 Introduction to Earth Science

7. What do historical geologists study? Historical geologists try to establish a timeline of the
vast number of physical and biological changes that have occurred in the past.

8. Circle the letter of each science that is integrated into

oceanography.
a. chemistry b. biology
c. physics d. meteorology

9. What do oceanographers study? Oceanographers study the composition and movements

of seawater, as well as coastal processes, seafloor topography, and marine life.

10. The study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce
weather and climate is meteorology .

11. The science of astronomy is the study of the universe.

Formation of Earth
12. The nebular hypothesis suggests that the bodies
of our solar system evolved from an enormous rotating cloud
called the solar nebula.
13. Is the following sentence true or false? The solar nebula is made up
of mostly carbon and iron. false

14. Look at the diagram. Describe what is occurring in the first two
stages of the formation of the solar system according to the nebular

© Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
hypothesis.

An enormous cloud of dust and gases made up mostly of hydrogen and helium with a small
percentage of heavier elements coalesced. The cloud or nebula started to rotate and collapse
toward the center of the cloud. Heat was generated at the center, which eventually formed the sun.

Earth Science Guided Reading and Study Workbook ■ 2