MARINE SCIENCE

CHAPTER 1 NOTES

nThe Scientist in You

What is a scientist?

nSomeone who uses the processes of
science to find answers about how
and why things work…

…in the world.

…in the observable universe.

nThis is what makes science an
adventure full of discovery and
wonder.

nScience is about facts and how
you analyze those facts. Doing this
analysis is called the “scientific process”
and when you use it, you are a scientist.

nThe Ocean Planet

nThe oceans produce two influences Important to life on Earth.

ØWeather and world climate patterns dictate how warm, cold, wet, or dry it will be. This largely determines where humans live on land.

nIn addition, the oceans provide three important marine resources:
Food • Oxygen • Natural Resources (such as oil)

nHumans have seen all of the Earth’s surface, but there’s far more to discover below than on it.

nHumans increasingly change the oceans; pollution
and overfishing have caused serious damage, coral
reefs are dying off, and there’s more.

nWhat you learn here about the science of investigation
and problem-solving, regardless of your final career
choice, benefits you by making you a more capable
person who contributes to society.

nThinking About the Process of Science
in a Concept Map

nMarine Science

nMarine Science – the process of discovering the facts,
processes, and unifying principles that explain the
nature of the oceans and their associated life forms.

nOceanography – the science of recording and
describing the ocean’s contents and processes.

nThere are four main branches of oceanography.

ØBiological oceanography – studies life in the ocean.

ØChemical oceanography – studies the chemistry of seawater.

ØGeological oceanography – studies the geology of the ocean.

ØPhysical oceanography – studies the physics within the
marine environment.

nTechnology has made marine exploration and
its associated careers possible. It is through
technology that true marine exploration has
become possible.

nIntegrating the Sciences

nMarine Science – draws on research from all three of the traditional sciences to understand what is observed in the ocean. Marine science is truly an interdisciplinary course of study. Most marine scientists have training in all three of the traditional science disciplines.

Ø1. Physical Science – study of matter and energy and their interactions.

Ø2. Life Science – study of living things and their interactions with their environments.

Ø3. Earth and Space Science – study of the physical Earth, the solar system, the universe and their interrelationships.

Studying Science Itself

nMarine science involves four study areas beyond traditional science disciplines:

Ø1. Science as Inquiry – applying science as a way of solving problems, answering questions.

Ø2. Science and Technology – learning how science advances technology and vice-versa.

Ø3. Science in Personal and Social Perspectives – how science affects you and society.

Ø4. Historical Nature of Science – understanding how science evolved as a discipline.

nSituatedness is the explanation of when, where, and why a concept came about.
It is important to marine scientists because in oceanography, they may apply established scientific concepts that they will never personally demonstrate or observe. Situatedness gives scientists some basis for judging the validity of scientific concepts.

nCross-Disciplinary Nature of Marine Science

nMany sciences, professions, and careers draw on basic marine science. These disciplines include: atmospheric science, astronomy, ecology, biomedical research, environmental science, etc.

nCross-discipline areas of study include:

ØMath - Mathematics is the universal “language” that helps you explain
the physical nature of the oceans.

ØHistory – A historical review provides insight to the past, present, and
future of our oceans. A historical background provides a context of how
and why the study of oceanography has changed over time.

ØTechnology - Some say technology causes problems, some say it
increases our knowledge. It is really the advances in technology that
has made modern oceanography possible.

ØSocial Sciences - Decisions about the environment may affect the
life of others on the planet.

ØLiterature - Announcing scientific findings to others requires using
literary and artistic forms.

ØArts - The method of experimentation may be in the form of videography
or ethnography rather than the typical experiment.

nWhat is Science – a Definition…

nScience is a body of knowledge and an organized method used to gain knowledge about the observable universe.

…Technology – A Benefit and a Burden

nA technology is a material system that produces intended results or in a general sense, knowledge of those systems.

nTechnology has both improved and threatened daily life.

ØBenefit - health care, transportation, communication, agriculture and exploration.

ØBurden - issues such as pollution spills and global warming.

nThere are three broad actions that society can take with respect to the effects of science and technology on the environment:

Ø1. Consider the environment a lost cause and disregard the effects.

Ø2. Dismiss the effect as overstated by scientists and inconsequential.

Ø3. Prioritize the consequences in developing and applying technologies.

nWithout a doubt, the last broad action appears the most logical.

nThe Scientific Method

nThe formal, organized steps scientists follow in proposing explanations for their observations and then testing their explanations are called the scientific method.

nWhen you apply the scientific method, you apply scientific process skills (identifying the problem, classifying data, communicating findings, interpreting measurements, predicting outcomes, and recording data).

The Five Basic Steps to the scientific method include:

1. Identify the problem (or question)

2. Make a hypothesis – making an educated guess you can test about the answer.

ØYou use inductive reasoning to propose a process that explains the facts you observe.

ØYou use deductive reasoning to propose what you would observe should a known process take place.

3. Test the hypothesis

4. Interpret and analyze results – if the data support your hypothesis, you have a theory.

5. Report results, procedures and conclusions –

ØReporting results is important because it allows other scientists to verify your work and conclusions, and It allows other scientists to build on what you’ve learned.

nThe Progress of Science

nBecause science is a process, it changes.

nScience progresses through the revision of theories in the light of new evidence or better explanations of existing evidence.

nJust because there is a new theory and new evidence it does not mean things
change overnight.

nScientific progress also has social and scientific influences. Often, it takes acceptance by prominent scientists with noted credibility before the new theory replaces the old.

Staying Current with Science

nKeeping up with current trends, findings, and developments benefit you:

ØYou can anticipate changes caused by science and technology, prepare, and advance your career with them or …. you can disregard them and spend time trying to catch up with those who don’t.

ØBy being current you can help society handle the effects of science.

ØYou can base your ethical evaluations, estimates, and other potential effects on accurate information.

ØYou can then vote and voice opinions based on reality rather than on misconceptions.

nStudy Elements and Visual References

nThere are six basic study elements (units) in Life on an Ocean Planet that divide marine science into meaningful segments. These units are:

ØUnit 1: Importance of Ocean Exploration

ØUnit 2: The Foundation of Life in the Ocean

ØUnit 3: A Water World

ØUnit 4: The Motion of the Ocean

ØUnit 5: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

ØUnit 6: The Present and Future of the Marine Environment

nThese units cover a broad spectrum of marine science fundamentals, which helps you prepare for a career in or related to marine science.

ØThe six units show you the various marine sciences.

ØThis covers what related careers involve. One goal being to help you find what areas of marine science fit best with your interests and desires.

ØMost important, however, is your desire, passion, and interest in that career.

nVisual References to Focus Study

nHeadings (black) and subheadings (blue) divide each chapter.

Paying attention to these helps to organize the materials.

nLearning Objectives are green: found under subheadings.

IMPORTANT: as you read, find the answers

to each of the learning objective questions.

nRelevant supplement information: found

in the purple-boxed sidebars.

nPhotos and illustrations are red. These provide important

visual information to illustrate what you’re reading.

nQuick Quiz is found at the end of a main

subject division. IMPORTANT: Review

the materials until you understand any

questions missed before moving on.

nReview questions are found at the end of each chapter.

nLearning Effectively with Life on an Ocean Planet

nThe first thing to do is survey this book. You do this by:

ØFirst, read the table of contents; note chapter titles and subheadings.

ØNext, go through from cover to cover. Pay attention to style and how it’s
laid out. Look for the pattern in identifying elements; the marine scientist profiles, quizzes, and reviews. Skim the glossary, index, and references.

nSurveying before reading makes learning more efficient and effective.
It does this by establishing your mental framework about marine science.

nAfter surveying the book
there are five study steps to
follow as you learn.