Welcome!
What are the Earth Sciences?
The
Earth
sciences, or geosciences, are the fields of scientific inquiry focusing
on our home planet--Earth. Earth scientists view our planet as a system
of interrelated "spheres," including the lithosphere (rock
sphere), hydrosphere (water sphere), biosphere (sphere of living things),
and
atmosphere (gas
sphere). At American River College (ARC), our geology courses focus primarily
on the rock sphere, and how it is influenced by the other three spheres.
Our
geography
courses focus on all four spheres, with particular attention to how they,
together with human beings, influence every aspect of our planet.
Our courses in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) focus on the use
of powerful
computing software to help map, analyze, and model the various earth
systems. Use the links to the left to learn more about Geology, Geography,
and GIS at American River College.
Earthrise:
a photo taken by Apollo 8 astronaut William A. Anders in 1968. One
of the first photographs of Earth from space, this image represents
our world as a small blue planet, with finite resources, in a sea
of darkness. Perhaps the most influential environmental image ever
captured, it has inspired countless Earth scientists in their endeavors
to understand complex Earth systems, with hopes of managing and sustaining
our planet for future generations.
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