Earth Science

Catalog description

In this course, students will learn how and why Earth is the way it is, and why humans should care. Asystems-based approach to Earth Science will be utilized which incorporates components of geology (such as the rock cycle and plate tectonics), meteorology (including winds and weather), the hydrosphere (water in the geosphere, atmosphere and oceans), astronomy (the sun and Earth’splace in space), and climatology. Students in ES 101 will use the tools of science to find patterns in nature, which is useful when considering how humans interact with and are affected by our natural world. Students will analyze climate change, our need and use of natural resources (possibly including water, mineral, and energy resources), and causes and impacts of natural hazards (possibly including flooding, earthquakes, volcanoes, and severe storms).