What Are the Main Branches of Earth Science?

Earth science is both easy and difficult to sum up. On the one hand, it is simply any kind of science having to do with the Earth itself. On the other hand, that includes everything from explaining how the earth formed, to analyzing changes in the atmosphere, to surveying a region to determine if there might be valuable resources underground.

There are two major schools of thought when it comes to studying the earth sciences. One method is to take a holistic view of the Earth, regarding everything as part of one large, integrated system. The other viewpoint is to take the different disciplines of earth science and study them as separate entities. For earth science fair projects it is best to narrow your focus to just one very small aspect of the earth sciences.

One field of study that many people think of when they think about Earth science is geology. This is the study of the Earth's crust. This can mean anything from rocks and gems to looking at how the tectonic plates that the continents are sitting on are moving. Highly trained geologists are often highly sought after by mining or oil companies because they can often predict the locations of oil or minerals under the ground by studying the various features of a site.

The atmospheric sciences are something many people are familiar with, since it is this branch of Earth science that helps bring us our daily weather reports. Also, atmospheric science is often in the news with new research on the ozone layer, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and other effects associated with global warming.

The third major branch of Earth science is oceanography, or the study of the watery places of the Earth. Scientists working in this field often look at questions of ocean warming and cooling, currents and wave formation. Although technically separate branches, the three main topics are often interwoven, since changes in ocean temperature often affect atmospheric temperatures and visa versa, and geological phenomena like earthquakes can cause tsunamis, which falls under the branch of oceanography.

Earth science is something with an appeal to almost anyone, and why not, considering it is very connected with our every day lives. Understanding Earth science can help you understand news reports on global warming or aid in recognizing the geological history of your local area. The environment and global warming is a very important focus right now. To get a realistic picture of what is happening around you and the air you breathe is to do environmental pollution science fair projects.