The World of Earth Science
Branches of Earth Science
Branches of Earth Science
Geology is the study of the solid Earth
Anything and everything that has to do with the
solid Earth is part of geology
Most geologists specialize in a particular aspect
of the Earth
A volcanologist studies volcanoes
A seismologist studies earthquakes
A paleontologist studies fossils
Oceanography Water Water
Everywhere
Physical oceanographers study things like waves
and ocean currents
Biological oceanographers study the plants and
animals that live in the ocean
Geological oceanographers study the ocean floor
Robert Fronk is an oceanographer that studies
under water caves
Oceanography Water Water
Everywhere
When studying caves in Florida & the Bahamas
he found stalactites & stalagmites
This indicates that the caves were above sea level
at one time
Stalactites grow down from the top of cave from
dripping water
Stalagmites grow from the floor of the cave up
from the minerals in the water
Oceanography Water Water
Everywhere
John Trefry another oceanographer discovered
black smokers in a minisub called Alvin
Black smokers are a type of hydrothermal vent
which is a crack in the ocean floor that spews
super heated water & minerals from inside the
Earth onto the ocean floor
At one time it was believed that life could not
exist without sun light (but life thrives near Black
smokers)
Meteorology It’s a Gas
Meteorology is the study of the entire
atmosphere
Anytime you talk about the weather you are
discussing Meteorology
The most common career in meteorology is
weather forecasting
Astronomy Far Far Away
Astronomy is the study of all physical things
beyond the Earth
They study stars, planets, and moons
Early astronomers used only their eyes to
observe the stars and the moon
Only a couple of centuries ago they started using
optical telescopes
These days we observe stars using radio, x-ray,
inferred, ultraviolet, and gamma ray telescopes
Special Branches of Earth
Science
Sometimes Earth sciences find themselves in
careers that rely on life, chemistry, physics, and
other areas of science
Ecologists study ecosystems, an ecosystem is a
community of organisms and their nonliving
environment
Geochemists combines the studies of geology and
chemistry
Special Branches of Earth
Science
Environmental science is the study of how
humans interact with the environment
Geographers study the surface features of the
Earth
Cartographers make maps of the Earth’s features