Mr. GiftEarth/Environmental Science

INTRO TO EARTH SCIENCE

WHAT IS EARTH SCIENCE?• The study of the earth and the universe

(multiverse) around it

• Multiverse? – our universe is only one of multiple universes

• Several different branches of Earth Science in order to cover all aspects

LITHOSPHERE (GEOLOGY)• Origin, history, and structure of the solid earth• Natural resources• Forces within earth• Fossils to learn about earth’s past

HYDROSPHERE (OCEANOGRAPHY)

• Study of earth’s water (3/4 of earth’s surface)• Oceans, rivers, groundwater, water vapor• Oceanography – study of oceans and life in

oceans

ATMOSPHERE (METEOROLOGY)• Study of Earth’s gases• Weather patterns• Weather forecasts• Climate Change

BIOSPHERE (ECOLOGY)• Study of the complex relationships between

living things and the environment• Balancing the environment• Pollution and its affects on the planet• Ecosystem – community of organisms and the

environment they inhabit• Biosphere – all life on earth and physical

environment which supports it

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES• All of these branches of Earth science have

environmental issues• We will be studying the following:• Water shortages/pollution• Climate Change• Species degradation/extinction• Overpopulation/Ecological Footprint

ASTRONOMY• Study of universe beyond earth• Oldest branch• Ancient Babylonians charted planet positions

4,000 years ago

THE BEGINNING...• ...of the universe• Time and matter• What is matter• What is the difference/similarities of matter

and energy• What is time?

BIG BANG THEORY• EXPANDING Universe – rewind

it...what happens• Lead scientists to believe Universe was

together at one time

BIG BANG THEORY• All matter and energy compressed into

extremely small volume• 14 billion years ago (??) sudden event (big

bang) sent all matter and energy hurling outward

• As cloud expanded, matter gathered into clumps and evolved into galaxies

The Size of our Universe and Our Place in the Cosmos

OUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE

WHERE DO WE LIVE?• We obviously live on the planet earth• Earth Revolves around our start called the Sun• One of multiple planets in our solar system

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM• Earth is the 3rd planet from the Sun in

our SOLAR SYSTEM• Approximately 100 billion stars in our galaxy

OUR GALAXY• Our Solar System is located in the Milky Way

Galaxy• Galaxy - a large system of stars held together

by mutual gravitation and isolated from similar systems by vast regions of space

• Approximately 100-200 billion galaxies in the universe

LOCAL GROUP• Cluster of Galaxies in a “smaller” area• Ours includes 54 galaxies (including our

own)

UNIVERSE• Totality of existence,[including planets, stars,

galaxies the contents of intergalactic space, and all matter and energy.

SIZE OF OUR UNIVERSE• On Earth, we use miles or km for

measurement • Earth’s circumference at the equator is

24,901 miles (40,075 km)

SIZE OF OUR UNIVERSE• In our solar system, we use Astronomical Units

(AU)• 1 AU is approximately 150 million km• Earth is 1 AU from the sun• Neptune is 30.07 AU from the sun (4.5

billion km)

SIZE OF OUR UNIVERSE• In the Universe we use light years (ly)

• Light year – How far light can travel in one year• Light travels 300,000 m/s• 1 light year (ly) = 9.46 trillion km• Ex: the Milky Way is between 100,000 and

120,000 light years across

http://scaleofuniverse.com/