Science is a fascinating subject for any age because of how applicable the concepts are to our everyday life. There are several different categories associated with science including, earth science, life science, and physical science. We will be speaking specifically about earth science for now. Earth science deals with the many different processes that take place on our planet. Earth science is inescapable and ever-present (which is part of its appeal in many cases). Below are some examples of specialties that deal with earth science. You will find brief definitions as well as some of the sub-disciplines that are part of that area of study.
Geology – Geology describes the land or rocky parts of the Earth's crust and its development over time. Major sub-disciplines include: mineralogy and petrology, geochemistry, geomorphology, paleontology, stratigraphy, engineering geology and sedimentology.
Geodesy and Geophysics – these disciplines investigate the figure of the Earth. More specifically this means the study of the earth’s reaction to forces and its potential fields that involve both magnetism and gravity. Geophysicists explore the science deep inside the Earth's core and mantle.
Soil science – Soil is considered the outermost layer of the Earth's crust. A soil scientist investigates the formation processes of the soil. Major sub-disciplines include: edaphology and pedology.
Oceanography and Hydrology – Geology describes the land and oceanography describes the ocean. This includes all marine and freshwater parts of the Earth. Major sub-disciplines include: hydrogeology and physical, chemical, and biological oceanography.
Glaciology – If you know what a glacier is you can probably guess what a Glaciologist would study (here’s a hint: the icy parts of the Earth).
Atmospheric sciences – Earth is more than just land and sea, it is the parts that we don’t see as well. Atmospheric sciences cover investigation of the gaseous parts (a.k.a. the atmosphere) of the Earth. Major sub-disciplines are Meteorology, Climatology and Agronomy.
So you see that there is no where you can go on earth to escape science. It is in the ground that we walk on, in the water we swim in, and in the air that we breathe. Who wouldn’t want to know more about earth sciences?!
Earth sciences are not only interesting but they can be beautiful too. You can get your child more involved in earth sciences by showing him the beauty of nature. Whether your child’s interests lie with finding shinny rocks or mountain biking, there are ways to apply science to the things that they love to do outdoors.
Just Science Projects is a great source for ideas about science activities and experiments for kids. Whether you're looking to teach a child to learn to analyze from science experiments, science projects, or science fair ideas make it great fun. Visit JustScienceProjects.com or call us at 206-498-6502.