Oceanography
•Literally- ‘The Mapping of the Ocean’
•Oceanology would be a ‘better’ term
Types of Oceanography
• Chemical Oceanography
– Chemistry of Seawater
• Geological Oceanography
– Geology of the Ocean Basins
• Physical Oceanography
– Physics of Seawater
• Biological Oceanography
– Distribution of Life in the Ocean
– Not really marine biology
The Scientific Method
Observation
• The main
steps of the Question
scientific
method Hypothesis
Prediction
Test does not Test supports
Test:
support hypothesis; hypothesis; make
Experiment or
revise hypothesis or additional additional predictions
pose new one and test them
observation
Figure 1.3A
• Deductive reasoning is used in testing
hypotheses
– If a hypothesis is
correct, and we test it,
then we can expect a
particular outcome
• Case study: flashlight
failure
Figure 1.3B
Scientific Theory
–An explanation of the cause or
causes of a range of related
phenomena.
–Scientific theories, unlike common
theories, have been rigorously tested
but are still open to testing, revision,
and tentative acceptance or rejection.