Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 2
Observing Earth through a
Scientific Lens
In This Chapter
Finding your inner scientist
Applying the scientific method
Distinguishing scientific laws from scientific theories
Understanding the language of geology
Geology is one of many sciences that study the natural world. Before moving on to the de-
tails of geologic science, I want to spend a little time sorting out what exactly science is
and does. In this chapter I describe the elements of science and the scientific method,
and I explain how you do science every day without even realizing it!
Realizing That Science Is Not Just for
Scientists
Science is not a secret society for people who like to wear lab coats and spend hours
looking into microscopes. Science is simply the asking and answering of questions. Any
time you make a decision by considering what you know, collecting new information,
forming an educated guess, and figuring out if your guess is right, you participate in acts
of science.
Take a very simple example: choosing a shampoo. You've probably tried different types
or brands of shampoo, observed how each one leaves your hair looking and feeling, and
then decided which shampoo you wanted to purchase the next time. This process of ob-
servation, testing, and decision-making is all part of the scientific approach to problem-
solving. You follow this process every day in multiple situations as you make decisions
about what to buy, what route to take in your car, what to eat for dinner, and so on.
