Laboratory manual. Introductory geology / Пособие по лабораторным занятиям. Введение в геологию

The average introductory geology student’s perception of geology normally involves the memorization of rocks and discussions of  natural disasters, but Geology contains so much more. Geology is the study of our planet, which is vital to our everyday lives from the energy we use, to the growing of the food we eat, to the foundations of the buildings we live in, to the materials that are used to make everyday objects (metals and plastics). The ideal place to start this course is discussing the methods that are used to better understand our planet, the processes that shape it, and its history.
Science is not a set of facts to remember. Instead it is a method to discover the world around us. You are likely already familiar with the Scientific Method, but it is worthwhile to review the process. The first step of the scientific method is making an observation or learning the background surrounding the question in which you are interested. This can be done by taking classes on a subject matter as you are doing presently in geology or by simply taking careful notes about your surroundings. Based on your knowledge and observations, you can then make a hypothesis, which is a testable prediction on how something works. A hypothesis should be framed in a way that is easy to test and prove wrong. This might sound odd, but science works to rigorously disprove a hypothesis and only those that withstand the tests become accepted. The wonderful aspect of this definition of a hypothesis is that the testing results in a brand new observation that can then be used to formulate a new hypothesis. Therefore, whether the hypothesis is verified or rejected it will lead to new information. The next step is communication to other scientists. This allows other scientists to repeat the experiment as well as alter it in new and unthought-of ways that can then expand on the original idea. These few steps encompass the vast majority of the scientific method and the career of any individual scientist. As hundreds of related observations and tested hypotheses accumulate scientists can formulate a theory <...>