Welcome to Earth Science

Take a moment to stop and look around you. Almost everything you see, from the minerals in your electronics and the water you drink, to the clothes that you are wearing and the lights that you are using, is impacted by Earth science. Earth science is the name for all of the sciences that work towards understanding Earth’s complex systems, as well as Earth’s place in the universe. Earth science includes aspects of geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. In this Earth science course, you will explore Earth’s systems and how they interact with one another. You will also examine how human resource use and environmental issues impact the planet. In this online course, you will gain an understanding of Earth Science through media-rich interactivities, videos, collaborative discussions, hands-on applications, scientific investigations, and real-world projects.

Some of the topics you will explore include:

• Scientific investigation;
• Maps and mapping;
• Cosmology;
• The Solar System;
• Stars;
• Rocks and minerals;
• Plate tectonics;
• Geologic time
• Fossils;
• Weathering and erosion;
• Surface and ground water;
• Karst topography;
• Renewable and nonrenewable resources;
• Fossil fuels;
• Ocean circulation;
• Ocean life and geology;
• Tides;
• Earth’s atmosphere; and
• Weather.

Get ready to see the planet around you like never before!