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Public Speaking 11th Edition

Earth science studies the planet Earth and its neighbors in space. It includes the fields of geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. The goals of earth science are to understand the features and evolution of Earth and use this knowledge to benefit humanity. Some of the earliest geological concepts were developed by ancient Greek and Roman scholars, while modern geology uses satellite images and a more integrative approach considering the atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere.

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32 views

Public Speaking 11th Edition

Earth science studies the planet Earth and its neighbors in space. It includes the fields of geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. The goals of earth science are to understand the features and evolution of Earth and use this knowledge to benefit humanity. Some of the earliest geological concepts were developed by ancient Greek and Roman scholars, while modern geology uses satellite images and a more integrative approach considering the atmosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere.

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animaprome21
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lesson 1

Introduction to Earth Sciences


ENV 1203
Fundamentals of Earth Science
Earth Science
• Earth science is the name for the group of
sciences that deals with Earth and its neighbors
in space.
• Encompasses all sciences that seek to
understand the Earth and Earth's neighbors in
space
• It includes-
– Geology
– Oceanography
– Meteorology and
– Astronomy
Aim of Earth Science
• To understand the present features and the
past evolution of the Earth
• To use this knowledge, where appropriate, for
the benefit of human kind.
• The basic concerns of the Earth scientist are to
observe, describe, and classify all the features
of the Earth.
Origin of Earth Science
• Some of the first geological thoughts were about
the origin of the Earth. Ancient Greece developed
some primary geological concepts concerning the
origin of the Earth. Additionally, in the 4th century
BC Aristotle made critical observations of the
slow rate of geological change.
• Much later in the Roman period, Pliny the Elder
produced a very extensive discussion of many
more minerals and metals then widely used for
practical ends.
Middle Ages
• Abual-Rayhanal-Biruni was one of the earliest
Muslim geologists, whose works included the
earliest writings on the geology of India,
hypothesizing that the Indian subcontinent was
once a sea
• Shen Kuois one of the first naturalists to have
formulated a theory of geomorphology. This was
based on his observations of sedimentary uplift,
soil erosion, deposition of silt, and marine fossils
found in the Taihang Mountains, located
hundreds of miles from the Pacific Ocean.
Modern Geology
• In recent years, geology has continued its tradition as
the study of the character and origin of the Earth, its
surface features and internal structure.
• What changed in the later 20th century is the
perspective of geological study?
• Geology was now studied using a more integrative
approach, considering the Earth in a broader context
encompassing the atmosphere, biosphere and
hydrosphere.
• Satellites located in space that take wide scope
photographs of the Earth provide such a perspective.
1. Geology
• Geology is the study of the Earth, including
the materials that it is made of, the physical
and chemical changes that occur on its
surface and in its interior, and the history of
the planet and its life forms.
Branches of Geology
❑Mineralogy ❑Structural Geology
❑Petrology ❑Tectonics
❑Igneous ❑Paleontology
❑Metamorphic ❑Stratigraphy
❑Sedimentology ❑Petroleum geology
❑Volcanology ❑Hydrogeology
❑Geomorphology ❑Engineering geology
❑Hydrology ❑Mining
❑Glaciology ❑Economic geology
2. Oceanography
• Oceanography is the study of the Earth’s
oceans, as well as coastal processes, sea floor
topography, and marine life.
• Oceanography
– Marine geology
– Biological oceanography
– Physical oceanography
– Chemical oceanography
3. Meteorology
• Meteorology is the science that deals with the
Earth’s atmosphere.
• Meteorology is concerned with the
composition and structure of the atmosphere.
• It is also concerned with the many changes
that are constantly taking place in the
atmosphere.
4. Astronomy
• Astronomy is the study of the universe
• Astronomers are interested in outer space and
the physical bodies beyond the Earth. They
use telescopes to see things far beyond what
the human eye can see.
• Astronomers help to design space craft that
travel into space and send back information
about far away places or satellites.
Scope of Earth Science
• Understanding climate change and its
dramatic consequences.
• Monitoring geo-hazards and predicting
volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
• Discovering and managing the world’s
resources: hydrocarbons and precious
minerals.
• Managing groundwater and ensuring
pollution-free water supplies.
Scope of Earth Science
• Planning for environmental sustainability e.g. carbon
capture and storage.
• Investigating the strength of bedrock, to support roads,
dams, power stations and tunnels
• There are many challenges facing humanity—dwindling
energy and mineral resources, changing climates,
water shortages—directly relating to the Earth
sciences.
• Earth’s systems have had profound influences on
human societies and the course of civilization.
Understanding these systems and how they interact
with us is vital for our survival.
Relationship between Earth and
Environment Science
• Environment and earth science study the
interactions of four major systems or “spheres”.
• The geosphere consists of the core, mantle and
crust of the Earth.
• The atmosphere contains all the Earth’s air and is
divided into troposphere, stratosphere,
mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere.
• The hydrosphere contains all the solid, liquid and
gaseous water on Earth, extending from the
depths of the sea to the upper reaches of the
troposphere where water is found.
Relationship between Earth and
Environment Science
• Ninety seven percent of the hydrosphere is found
in salty oceans, and the remainder is found as
vapor or droplets in the atmosphere and as liquid
in groundwater, lakes, rivers, glaciers and
snowfields.
• The biosphere is the collection of all Earth’s life
forms, distributed in major life zones known as
biomes: tundra, boreal forest, temperate
deciduous forest, temperate grassland, desert,
savannah, tropical rainforest, chaparral,
freshwater, and marine.

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