Study the Characteristics and Processes of the Eart - What is Earth Science?

Earth science is a general term that is used to describe a field of study that examines the Earth, its features and its phenomenon. This term is used to describe introductory level coursework of the earth sciences. More advanced courses in earth science will focus on specific fields of study such as geology, paleontology, meteorology and geography.

Geology

Geology is perhaps the most well known subjects in earth science. This subject deals with the history of the Earth, as it has been recorded in rock formations. Classes in geology will involve the identification of various types of rocks and minerals, the eras of geological formations and the geological processes that relate to the sculpting of the Earth's surface over time.

Paleontology

Paleontology is closely related to geology, in fact it is often considered a sub-field of study within the realm of geology. Paleontology is the study of rocks, however, the rocks that are studies in this field were created by the mineralization of the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals. This field can be further dissected into specializations like paleobotany and paleomicrobiology.

Meteorology

Meteorology is another popular field in earth science. This field of study examines atmospheric phenomenon. This means that meteorologists study weather patterns and systems. Courses in meteorology will focus on the understanding of the various types of weather systems that exist, the flow of energy in the atmosphere, the make up of the atmosphere and weather prediction software. It may also include field work where scientists can observe tornadoes, thunderstorms and hurricanes.

Oceanography and Limnology

Oceanography is the study of the physical and biological systems and structures in the world's oceans. Limnology, on the other hand, is the study of the physical and biological systems and structures in fresh water systems. Both of these courses can be taken as a part of a biology degree program or as a part of an oceanography degree program.

Geography

Geography is another very commonly studied topic in earth science. It deals with the study of the surface of the Earth. It is very common to study topography, which is the study of the various elevations and declinations of the Earth's surface, while studying geography. Courses in geography also tend to include modules that deal with natural resource distribution, population distributions and country borders and boundaries. Geography used to be a core subject for high school students, but it has been eliminated in most school districts as a separate subject. Instead geography is integrated into social studies and history courses.

Natural Science

Natural science is another name used for earth science. This is a subject that explores the physical world that exists here on the planet Earth. It is a general subject that can be taken in high school or college as an entry level science course.

Conclusion

Earth science is basically a study of the planet Earth and what makes this planet special. It can be divided into several sub-topics, each of which examines one portion or element of the Earth. Earth science is considered to be one of the core science courses for those high school students interested in attending college. However, in order to impress a college entrance board it is a good idea to take one of the more advanced earth science course like geology, as opposed to taking the basic earth science course in high school.

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