Astronomy/Geology 1070: Earth: Its Physical Environment

University of Wyoming

First Homework Assignment, Due September 3, 2009

To receive credit, your completed assignment must be submitted to me by the beginning of class on Thursday, September 3.

Part 1

This part deals with the process of science. You have read the essay on the nature of science by Neil de Grasse Tyson, and you are preparing for a semester studying earth and space science.

Do one, and only one, of the following:

1. Explain the evidence.

Give an example of anything that is known to scientists and the evidence for it. Explain how and why the evidence is sufficient to convince scientists. (It does not need to be an earth or space science topic.)

2. Question the conclusion.

Give an example of something you believe is known to scientists, but of which you are not personally convinced. Describe the supporting evidence that you are aware of, and explain why it does not suffice to convince you. Is the evidence insufficient? Do you believe that other evidence contradicts it? What additional evidence would it take to convince you? (It does not need to be an earth or space science topic.)

3. Analyze the essay.

The essay about the scientific method addressed many topics. Did any of the points made in the essay strike you as something you hadn’t thought of before, or did anything seem wrong? If you found something interesting, surprising, or noteworthy in the essay, tell me about it. Identify what it was, why it struck you, and tell me your further thoughts about it.

4. Your own question.

Do you have a question about geology, meteorology, or astronomy? Explain what your question is, what you already know about the topic, and what you would like to learn.

Part 2

We have begun studying geology. In particular, we have explored how rocks attain complex shapes, and how complex terrain can be communicated by topographic maps.

Do one, and only one, of the following:

1. Topographic map.

Draw a sketch of what a topographic map of one of the following familiar objects would look like:

• a car
• a shoe
• a backpack
• a telephone (any design)
• an open book (remember books? People used to read books)
• a hat (any kind)
• a beetle (any species)
• a dog dish
• another object of your choice, just clear it with me first

Accompany the sketch with a written description identifying its features and correlating them to the components of the depicted object.

2. Telling things apart.

On a topographic map, how can you distinguish the following pairs of features?

• A dome from a depression?
• A U-shaped valley from a V-shaped valley?
• A flat plain from a tilted plain?
• A steep slope from a gradual slope?
• A ridge from a valley?
• A level valley from a plunging valley?
3. Explain the maps.

You have a topographic map of an area where you plan to hike. Your roommate, who has never seen a topographic map before, asks you about it. What does it show? How do you read it? Write the script of the dialogue between you and your roommate as you teach how to read the map. Be sure to explain to your roommate how you can tell what the shapes of the landscape features are, how big they are, and how steep they are. Make sure your roommate understands you!

Take your choice of one task from part 1 and one task from part 2. Your answers should thoroughly address all points of the questions. Adequate answers will be clear and several paragraphs long.

I implore you: Do not turn in paper that has ragged edges! If you write your work in a spiral-bound notebook, trim the edge before submitting it. Papers with ragged edges will be returned unmarked. (That means zero credit.)