Earth and Life Science Notes

What is Science?

  • Science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge. This system uses observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena.

  • The term science also refers to the organized body of knowledge people have gained using that system.

  • Characteristics of science:

    • Systematic

    • Comprehensive investigation & exploration of nature

    • Focus on causes and effects

Branches of Science

  • Natural Science

  • Formal Science

  • Social Science

Social Science

  • The branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies.

  • Social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that focus on how individuals behave within society.

Formal Science

  • A branch studying formal language disciplines concerned with formal systems, such as logic, mathematics, statistics, theoretical computer science, and artificial intelligence.

Natural Science

  • A branch concerned with the description, prediction, and understanding of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation.

Natural Science Subfields

  • Physical Science

    • Chemistry

    • Physics

  • Earth Science

    • Climatology

    • Meteorology

    • Petrology

    • Oceanography

    • Geography

    • Paleontology

  • Life Science

    • (The slide lists multiple letters as a placeholder; the intent is to indicate Life Science as a subfield of Natural Science.)

Earth and Life Science: Scope and Learning Area

  • This learning area is designed to provide a general background for the understanding of Earth Science and Biology.

  • It presents the history of the Earth through geologic time.

  • It discusses the Earth’s structure, composition, and processes.

  • Issues, concerns, and problems pertaining to natural hazards are included.

  • It also deals with the basic principles and processes in the study of biology.

  • It covers life processes and interactions at the cellular, organism, population, and ecosystem levels.

  • It covers all aspects of life on earth including the solid Earth, oceans, atmosphere, the natural world, and organisms including humans.

Topics in Earth and Life Science

  • Earth and Life Science includes Geology, Meteorology, Climatology, Hydrology, Astronomy, Paleontology, Oceanography, Physics, and Chemistry, as well as numerous other specialized sciences.

  • Life science is the study of all living things, past and present, and how life has evolved and is evolving on Earth.

  • Life processes and interactions occur at cellular, organismal, population, and ecosystem levels.

I. Our Place in the Universe

  • Origin of the Universe

  • Galaxies

  • Gravitation forces

  • Rotation and Revolution

  • Solar System

  • Inner Planets

  • Outer Planets

  • Earth’s Seasons

  • Asteroids and Comets

  • Moon

  • Space Exploration

  • People in Space

II. Geologic History

  • Linking Past to Present

  • Earth's Age

  • Fossils

  • Records in Rocks

  • Geologic Time

  • The HISTORY of life on EARTH: The story of evolution on our planet

III. Rocks and Minerals

  • Identifying Minerals and Crystals

  • Igneous Rocks

  • Sedimentary Rocks

  • Metamorphic Rocks

  • The Rock Cycle

IV. Plate Tectonics

  • Center of the Earth

  • Continental Drift

  • Seafloor Spreading

  • Plate Tectonics

  • Convection

  • Plate Boundaries

  • Plate map references include major plates such as Pacific Plate, Eurasian Plate, North American Plate, African Plate, and others; the map also indicates plate interactions and a scale related to seismic activity (Probable Intensity) over a period (50 years) on the legend.

V. Air, Weather, and Climate

  • Layers of the Atmosphere

  • Conduction, Convection, Radiation

  • Daily Weather

  • Air Masses

  • Meteorology

  • Weather and Climate

  • Factors Affecting Weather and Climate

VI. Energy and Earth Resources

  • Energy Resources

  • Fossil Fuels

  • Consumption and Environmental Effects

  • Alternative Energy Resources

  • Resource Management

Additional Context and Clarifications

  • The content emphasizes that Earth and Life Science encompasses both descriptive and predictive aspects of natural phenomena, grounded in empirical evidence.

  • The material links core concepts across disciplines, such as how plate tectonics relates to the formation of rocks, mountains, and seismic activity; how atmospheric processes drive weather and climate; and how energy resources and environmental considerations intersect with human activity.

  • The overview also highlights the educational goal of connecting geology, biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science to understand the Earth as an integrated system.