| A | B |
|---|
| Earth Science | Study of Earth & universe and interatctions between systems |
| Why study Earth Science | to understand natural events, disasters, natural resources and pollution |
| branches of Earth Science | geology, oceanography, meteorology, astonomy, ecology, environmental science, and engineering |
| geology | study of Earth's crust/solid part; coal, oil, gas and resources |
| oceanography | study of oceans, freshwater, and hydrosphere |
| meteorology | study of weather and atmosphere |
| astronomy | study of outer space |
| environmental science | study of human involvement (living/non-living) in Earth science |
| engineering | application of science to solving problems |
| ecology | living and non-living without human interaction |
| goal of science | to explain natural phenomenon, including human causes and effects |
| why science is "dynamic" | it is always changing, background depends on perspective of person |
| parts of scientific method | problem, hypothesis, experiement, conclusion, publish/peer review |
| what is scientific method | an organized method/pattern to study something |
| observation | information gathered using senses and instruments/tools |
| inference | using observations to make conclusions |
| measurements | using instruments to improve senses, and gather data |
| instruments | things used to extend our senses |
| five senses | touch, sight, hearing, smell, taste |
| independent variable | variable we control |
| dependent variable | variable controlled/measured by independent variable |
| control group | "normal" situation used for comparison |
| exponential or scientific notation | large numbers written in mathematical shorthand |
| percent deviation | percent error/way of comparing a measurement to an accepted value |
| coordinate system | graphing using x and y axis |
| density | a property of matter; ratio of mass to volume |
| mass | quantity of matter in an object |
| volume | amount of space an object takes up |
| variables | factors that changed and observed in an experiment |
| accuracy | accepted answer "bull's eye"; right answer every time |
| precision | same answer each time (grouping) off by same amount each time |
| percent deviation formula | %error = accepted value-measured value/accepted value X 100 |
| scientific models | representations of objects, events or processes |
| physical models | 3-D: look like real thing; scaled up or down |
| conceptual models | verbal/writtend or graphical model showing how something workds or is organized |
| mathematical models | equations and formulas |
| computer models | models that show things on computer, how things fit, easy to manipulate |
| hypothesis | used to prove or disprove something; sometimes can't be proven 100% |
| theory | summarize hypothesis; supported by repeated testing; can be disproved |
| law | accepted "truth" because it has no known exceptions |
