Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________ Period: _______
Chapter 1.1: What is Earth Science?
1. Earth science is the study of the ____________ and of the
__________________ around it.
a. The study of ___________ science is based on the idea that
_____________ phenomena can be discovered through
careful ________________ and _______________________.
2. The Importance Of Earth Science
a. Many events take place _____, _____, and ______________
the earth that not only affect the Earth, but also the
___________ on Earth.
b. By understanding how _____________ forces ____________
the environment around us, Earth scientists can better
_____________ natural disasters such as _______________
_____________, _______________, _______________, and
______________ to help save lives and property.
c. The _________________ made by Earth scientists have
contributed greatly to the __________________ of the world
around us and how it can impact us, _________________, or
__________________.
d. While the ____________ can generate different forms of
natural _____________, it can also provide people with
many forms of useful ___________ and resources such as
_____________, ______________, and _________ products
like paper.
3. Branches of Earth Science
a. Because the field of Earth science covers everything between
the Earth’s __________ and depths of ______________,
Earth science has been broken down into __________ main
Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________ Period: _______
fields, which are then broken down into fields that are more
specific.
b. The four main fields of Earth science are:
i. _______________________: The Solid Earth
ii. _______________________: The Oceans
iii. _______________________: The Atmosphere
iv. _______________________: The Universe
4. Geology
a. The study of the _________, __________, and ___________
of the solid Earth and the processes that shape it is called
______________.
b. The field of geology covers areas including but not limited
to:
i. The Earth’s Crust: Scientists who study the Earth’s
crust may be in search of resources such as ______,
_____, and _____.
ii. Forces Within the Earth: Scientists who study forces
within the Earth may be researching to better
understand _____________ and ______________
________________.
iii. Fossils: Scientists who study fossils may be researching
the Earth’s ______________.
c. Geology will be the main focus of this course.
5. Oceanography
a. The study of the Earth’s oceans is called ________________.
b. Oceans cover nearly _________ ___________ of the Earth’s
surface.
c. The study of oceanography covers areas including but not
limited to:
i. Working on research ships to study the _______.
Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________ Period: _______
ii. Studying __________, __________, and ___________
currents.
iii. Studying the ocean ________ for clues to the Earth’s
__________ and to locate ______________ deposits.
iv. Studying ____________ plant and ____________ life.
d. We will focus on Oceanography during unit 6.
6. Meteorology
a. The study of the Earth’s _____________________ is called
__________________.
b. Meteorologists study the variations in __________________
conditions that produce ______________ using tools such as
______________, _________, and other modern technology.
c. The study of meteorology includes but is not limited to:
i. Observing weather to measure factors such as _______
speed, ______________, and _______________ to
generate detailed weather maps.
ii. Using weather _______, satellite images, and computer
data to make weather ___________________.
d. We will focus on meteorology during unit 7.
7. Astronomy
a. The study of the ______________ beyond the Earth is called
_________________.
b. One of the oldest branches of __________ science.
c. Around 4,000 years ago, the ancient Babylonians charted the
positions of the ______________ and ____________.
d. The study of astronomy may include by not be limited to.
i. Using Earth-based and space-based ________________
and other instruments to study the ________________.
Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________ Period: _______
ii. Using space _________ such as Pioneer 10, Voyager 2,
Galileo, Ulysses, and Cassini have provided much
useful data.
e. We will focus on astronomy during unit 8.
8. Ecology
a. This is a branch of science is made up of _______ separate
branches: ___________ science and _____________.
b. The study of the complex _____________________ between
living things and their ________________ is called
__________________.
c. A __________________ of organisms and their environment
they inhabit is called an ______________________.
i. Ecosystems are physically __________, self-________
systems.
ii. An ______________ can be as large as an __________
or __________, or as small as a _______ pool or
_________ log.
iii. The largest ecosystem is the _____________________.
The biosphere includes all ______ on ________ and the
physical __________________ that supports it. The
biosphere extends from the ____________ depths to the
Earth’s ___________________.
iv. Ecosystems can exist within ecosystems.
1. For example: A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem
that exists within the ______________.
2. What other ecosystems can you name?
____________________________ _____________________________
____________________________ _____________________________
____________________________ _____________________________
9. Environmental Pollution
Name: _______________________________ Date: ______________________ Period: _______
a. Each _____________ including the biosphere works properly
because it is ________________.
b. When an ecosystem is thrown _______ balance then it is
__________________, including the ________ and
________________ that live in it.
c. A current threat to the biosphere and the ecosystems within it
is ____________.
i. Pollution is a __________________ of the environment
with _________ products or ______________.
d. ____________________ waste can be broken down by
microorganisms into _____________ substances that can
then be used by other organisms.
e. Non-biodegradable waste _________ be broken down by
microorganisms into harmless substances and ___________
the balance of the ecosystem in which they are ___________.
f. Because of the high __________ that pollution poses to our
ecosystems, many ________________ work together to
decrease these risks.
g. For example: In the 1970’s meteorologists found that the
level of ____________ in the Earth’s atmosphere was
decreasing. Meteorologist, ecologists, and Earth scientists
worked together to understand ______ and ______ to fix this
problem. Through their ___________ studies, they found that
chlorofluorocarbons (_________) were the culprit (CFC’s
were commonly used in aerosol sprays such as hair spray).
To reduce this threat, nations around the world agreed to
limit the production and use of ozone depleting materials.