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What is Earth Science?
The sun rises and sets as we watch clouds during the day and stars at night. We go to the beach and listen to the wind and waves as they hit the sandy shore. We are awe struck by TV reports of tsunamis, tornados and active volcano eruptions, or scratch our heads with discussions about plate tectonics. The Grand Canyon, Crater lake, hot springs in Yellowstone, even the location of earth in our solar system … these and much more are all earth science related topics.
Although there may not be total agreement on where earth science ends and other disciplines begin, we will keep with the general consensus that in earth science – four branches are usually considered:
• Geology
• Astronomy, or Space Sciences
• Metorology
• Oceanography
Wikipedia, Wiki answers and Yahoo answers expand on these four branches to include study areas like:
• Geomagnetics – Studying the earth’s magnetic field
• Geophysics – Exploring earth through its physical properties
• Mineralogy – Examining physical properties of minerals
• Paleontology – Looking at the history of life on earth
• Soil Science – Both by quantizing soil, and as it effects living things
• Tectonics – Study of a planet’s outer crust, earth in our context.
• Volcanology – Volcanoes, magma, ash, eruptions and more
• Hydrogeology – Looking at water in rocks and soil
• Hydrology – Distribution and properties of water itself
• Limnology – The study of lakes, streams and rivers
• Marine Biology – The study of life in the oceans
• Geography – Where things are on earth
• Glaciology – Studying glaciers
• Atmospheric Sciences, including weather, chemistry of the atmotshpere, climatology and much more
We will be focusing on science projects on this site, but Wikipedia, Wiki answers and Yahoo answers are all excellent resources to dig deeper in any of the above subject areas. They can provide a large number of study directions for term papers, science projects, science fair projects, or simply interesting reading topics.
Let’s start with Volcanoes
A classic volcano science project is to make a volcano and then make it erupt. We start with a paper-mache model and use baking soda & vinegar, diet coke & mentos, as well as table salt & carbonated soda to simulate the lava eruption. There will be several other volcano model types added as time allows, so check back soon.
Additional Basic Earth Science projects coming soon!•