intro geology

• all sciences seeking to understand the earth & neighbors
• geology, oceanography, meteorology & astronomy

study of the earth split into physical and historical

materials comprising the earth and its processes

understanding the origin of the earth and its development through the 4.6 billion year history needed to understand the origin to understand the past

application of all sciences in comprehensive & interrelated study of ocean in aspects & relationships intergrates chemistry, physics, geology & biology

study of atmosphere & process that produce weather & climate

study of the universe

• hydrosphere (water)
• atmosphere (gaseous envelope)
• geosphere (solid earth)
• biosphere (life forms on earth)

• core - dense inner sphere
• mantle - less dense
• crust - light, very thin outer skin

rigid outer layer that includes the crust & uppermost mantle

beneath lithosphere & rocks are weak & able to slowly flow in response to uneven distribution of heat beneath the earth

group of interacting (independed) parts that form a complex whole

series of units dividing the 4.6 billion years into meaningful time frames to arrange the event of the past

encompasses water, air, soil and rock as well as conditions such as temperature, humitidity & sunlight

earth's resource that can be replaced over a short period of time (within years)

takes awhile to continue to form but process so slow that takes millions of years to accumulate significant deposits

• urban air pollution, acid rain, ozone depletion & global climate change
• loss of fertile soils due to erosion, toxic waste disposal & contamination & water resources depletion

• collect facts thru observation & measurement
• formation of questions related to the facts & develop 1+ working hypothesis
• development of observations & experiments to test each hypothesis
• accept, modify or reject the hypothesis based on extensive testing