Earth science is one of the major branches of science that studies the complexities of planets in the universe. The four main areas of earth science are geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy. Geology is the primary earth science that studies the solid matter of Earth, such as rocks, minerals, mountains, and canyons. Within geology, there are specialists in areas like volcanology, seismology, paleontology, and planetary geology. Oceanography studies everything in the ocean environment, including physical, geological, and chemical aspects. Meteorology and climatology involve the study of the atmosphere, weather, climate, and how climate may change over time. Astronomy examines physical phenomena beyond Earth using various instruments to observe

1. EARTH SCIENCE
-one major branches of science.
-explains the complexities of the planets in
the universe.
-The four basic areas of Earth Science study
are: geology, meteorology, oceanography
and astronomy. Geology is the primary
Earth science
Branches:
 Geology
- the study of the solid matter that
makes up Earth. Anything that is
solid, like rocks, minerals,
mountains, and canyons is part of
geology.
-Geologists study the way that
these objects formed, their
composition, how they interact with
one another, how they erode, and
how humans can use them.
- volcanologist braves the high
temperatures and molten lava of volcanoes.
- Seismologists monitor earthquakes
worldwide to help protect people and
property from harm.
-Scientists interested in fossils are
paleontologists, while scientists who
compare other planets’ geologies to that of
the Earth are called planetary geologists.
-There are geologists who only study the
Moon. Some geologists look for petroleum,
others are specialists on soil.
Geochronologists study how old rocks are
and determine how different rock layers
formed.
 Oceanography
- is the study of everything in the
ocean environment. More than 70%
of the Earth’s surface is covered with
water. Most of that water is found in
the oceans.
- Some people call the ocean the
last frontier. But it is a frontier
already deeply influence by human
activity.
- Climatologists help us understand the
climate and how it will change in the future
in response to global warming.
- Oceanographers study the vast seas and
help us to understand all that happens in the
water world.
- Physical oceanography is the study of
the processes in the ocean itself, like waves
and ocean currents.
- Marine geology uses geology to study
ocean earthquakes, mountains, and trenches.
- Chemical oceanography studies the
natural elements in ocean water and
pollutants.
 Climatology and Meteorology
- Meteorologists don’t study
meteors | they study the atmosphere.
- Meteorology includes the study
of weather patterns, clouds, hurricanes, and
tornadoes.
- They use modern technology
like radars and satellites, meteorologists
work to predict or forecast the weather.
- Because of more accurate
forecasting techniques, meteorologists can
help us to prepare for major storms, as well
as help us know when we should go on
picnics.
- Climatologists and other atmospheric
scientists study the whole atmosphere,
which is a thin layer of gas that surrounds
the Earth. Most of it is within about 10 – 11
kilometers of the Earth’s surface.
- Climatologists can help us better
understand the climate and how it may
change in the future in response to different
amounts of greenhouse gases and other
factors .
 Astronomy
- Astronomers have proven that
our Earth and solar system are not
the only set of planets in the
universe.
- Astronomers use resources on
the Earth to study physical things

2. beyond the Earth. They use a variety
of instruments like optical telescopes
and radio telescopes to see things far
beyond what the human eye can see.
- Strong bursts of energy from the
sun, called solar flares, can knock
out a power grid or disturb radio,
television or cell phone
communications.
 Astronomers-Scientists who study
the universe, galaxies, and stars.
 Geology-The study of the rocks,
processes, and history of Earth.
 Meteorology-Study of the
atmosphere, weather, and storms.
 Oceanography-Study of the ocean
realm in all its aspects.
 Atmospheric science- the study of
the atmosphere and its variations.
Includes meteorology and aeronomy.
 Ecology-the study of the life forms
that inhabit Earth, their history, and
their interaction with the above.
DISTRIBUTION OF ACTIVE
VOLCANOES
 According to PHILVOLCS
(Phillipines Institute of Volcanology
and Seismology) a volcanbo is
considered active when:
-the volcano has erupted within
historical times.
-there are documentations of the
eruption of the volcano.
-The volcano has erupted at least
once within 10,000 years.
 There are two types of volcanoes
POTENTIALLY ACTIVE
-Morphologically young-looking
-No historical recods of eruption
INACTIVE
-No historical records of eruption
-Erupted a millions years ago
 Philippine have 200 volcanoes 23 of
the are active and the rest are
inactive of potentially active.
(Ex. Of most active volcanoes in the
Philippine; -Mayon in Legazpi,Albay
-Taal in Batangas
-Kanlaon in Negros
Occidental)
PLATE BOUNDARIES
 Divergent boundaries -where new
crust is generated as the plates pull
away from each other.
- occur along spreading centers
where plates are moving apart and
new crust is created by magma
pushing up from the mantle.
- Slowly moving
- occurs when two tectonic
plates move away from each other.
- earthquakes are common and
magma (molten rock) rises from the
Earth’s mantle to the surface,
solidifying to create new oceanic
crust.(ex. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
 Convergent boundaries -where crust
is destroyed as one plate dives under
another.
- The impact of the colliding
plates can cause the edges of one or
both plates to buckle up into a
mountain ranges or one of the plates
may bend down into a deep seafloor
trench.(ex. Pacific Ring of Fire)
- The size of the Earth has not
changed significantly during the past
600 million years, and very likely not
since shortly after its formation 4.6
billion years ago.
- called by some a very slow
"collision" -- that takes place
between plates depends on the kind
of lithosphere involved.
-Oceanic-continental
convergence.
 Transform boundaries -where crust is
neither produced nor destroyed as the
plates slide horizontally past each
other.
- between two plates sliding
horizontally past one another.
- originated with Canadian
geophysicist J. Tuzo Wilson, who
proposed that these large faults or

3. fracture zones connect two spreading
centers.
- Most transform faults are
found on the ocean floor.
- One of the most famous
transform plate boundaries occurs at
the San Andreas fault zone, which
extends underwater.
SEISMIC WAVES
- Seismologists use seismographs to record
the amount of time it takes seismic waves to
travel through different layers of the Earth.
- As the waves travel through different
densities and stiffness, the waves can be
refracted and reflected.
Types of seismic waves
- There are three basic types of seismic
waves – P-waves, S-waves and surface
waves. P-waves and S-waves are sometimes
collectively called body waves.
 P-waves
- also known as primary waves or pressure
waves.
- travel at the greatest velocity through the
Earth.
- When they travel through air, they take the
form of sound waves – they travel at the
speed of sound (330 ms-1) through air but
may travel at 5000 ms-1 in granite.
- They differ from S-waves in that they
propagate through a material by alternately
compressing and expanding the medium,
where particle motion is parallel to the
direction of wave propagation.
 S-waves
- also known as secondary waves, shear
waves or shaking waves, are transverse
waves that travel slower than P-waves.
- S-waves cannot travel through air or water
but are more destructive than P-waves
because of their larger amplitudes.
 Surface waves
- are similar in nature to water waves and
travel just under the Earth’s surface.
- They are typically generated when the
source of the earthquake is close to the
Earth’s surface.
- travel more slowly than S-waves.
- they can be much larger in amplitude and
can be the most destructive type of seismic
wave.
There are two basic kinds of surface waves:
 Rayleigh waves, also called ground
roll, travel as ripples similar to those
on the surface of water. People have
claimed to have observed Rayleigh
waves during an earthquake in open
spaces, such as parking lots where
the cars move up and down with the
waves.
 Love waves cause horizontal
shearing of the ground. They usually
travel slightly faster than Rayleigh
waves.