EAS100 Study Guide - Final Guide: Acasta Gneiss, Apparent Polar Wander, Supercontinent

• School: University of Alberta
• Department: Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
• Course: EAS100
• Professor: Jeffrey Kavanaugh

Document Summary

Foundation of the earth: components of the integrated earth system. Systems, cycles and budgets (understand application of terms) Scientific methods and the study of the earth. Earth science is primarily an observational science, though experiments are also used. It can be tested against observation or experiment. Testing of hypotheses and formation of a theory. Make new observations -> experiments -> form hypothesis -> test hypothesis: does not support hypothesis -> restart, multiple tests by many scientists to support hypothesis -> hypothesis becomes theory. If it"s on top, its younger than shift on bottom. An exception: overturned strata in mountain belts. Proposed by james hutton in 1795 -- theory of the earth. Ancient features of the earth are best interpreted in terms of processes that operate at the present day. Today"s processes used to explain features of the past. The present is the key to the past .