Geol 100: Earth System Lecture 1

Study Notes

Earth science encompasses the study of Earth and its neighboring celestial bodies.
Major branches include geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy.

Geology: Examines Earth's structure, materials, processes, and history.
Oceanography: Focuses on the oceans, including their composition, movement, and ecosystems.
Meteorology: Studies the atmosphere and weather-related phenomena.
Astronomy: Investigates celestial objects and the universe at large.

Physical Geology: Investigates Earth's materials and the processes shaping its surface and interior.
Historical Geology: Explores Earth's origins and its evolutionary timeline.

Ancient Greeks, including Aristotle, documented early observations of fossils and natural disasters.
17th-century scholar James Ussher calculated Earth’s creation date as 4004 BC.
Catastrophism (17th-18th century): Proposed major landscape changes were due to catastrophic events.
Birth of modern geology occurred in 1795 with Uniformitarianism, championed by James Hutton and later popularized by Charles Lyell, stating "The present is the key to the past."

John McPhee likens geologists to detectives who interpret rock formations and earth materials to reconstruct geological history.

Essential for understanding natural events, informing economic and political decisions, and guiding sustainable development initiatives.

Scientific Inquiry: Includes diverse methods for studying natural phenomena and forming explanations.
Scientific Method: Systematic approach using observations, experiments, and analysis to understand the universe.

Fact: Observable and measurable characteristics, e.g., "The sea is blue."
Hypothesis: A tentative explanation derived from facts, e.g., "The Earth is billions of years old."
Theory: Well-tested concept explaining multiple observations, e.g., Big Bang Theory.
Law: Established principles about the universe, e.g., Law of Gravitation.

Involves asking questions, collecting data, proposing a hypothesis, testing it, and analyzing results.
Iterative cycle: refine hypotheses based on findings until results align or do not align.

An interdisciplinary approach considers Earth as an integrated system composed of interrelated components.

Climate System: Encompasses long-term patterns of temperature and precipitation.
Plate Tectonic System: Internal processes driven by Earth's heat affecting crust movement and geological activity.