1.1 WHAT IS EARTH SCIENCE? AND 1.2 A VIEW OF EARTH

Biosphere

All life on Earth.

Earth Science

Earth Science is the name for the group of sciences that study Earth and its neighbors in space.

What are the fields of Earth Science?

Geology, astronomy, oceanography, and meteorology

What was the nebula that made the solar system composed of?

It was made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, with a small percentage of heavier substances.

Geosphere

One of Earth's spheres which is composed by the core, the mantle, and the crust.

What are the two main areas of geology?

Physical geology, the study of the materials and processes that make up the Earth and historical geology, the study of Earth's history.

Core

The Earth's innermost part. It is divided into the outer core and the inner core.

What are Earth's major spheres?

The hydrosphere, the atmosphere, the biosphere, and the geosphere.

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity.

Mantle

The mantle is a layer between the crust and the outer core. It is divided into the outer mantle and the inner mantle.

Explain what the nebular hypothesis is.

The nebular hypothesis suggests that the bodies of our solar system evolved from an enormous rotating cloud called a nebula.

Crust

The outermost solid shell of Earth.

Geology

The study of Earth.

Meteorology

The study of the atmosphere and the processes that produce weather and climate.

Oceanography

The study of the oceans. It encompasses the study of the composition and movements of sea water, as well as coastal processes, seafloor topography, marine life, and more.

Astronomy

The study of the universe.

Plate Tectonics

The theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle, the rocky inner layer above the core.

Hydrosphere

The total amount of water on a planet. The hydrosphere includes water that is on the surface of the planet, underground, and in the air.