Chapter 1 Introduction to Geology

Learning Objectives

After carefully reading this chapter, completing the exercises within it, and answering the questions at the end, you should be able to:

  • Explain what geology is, how it incorporates the other sciences, and how it is different from the other sciences
  • Discuss why we study Earth and what type of work geologists do
  • Define some of the properties of a mineral and explain the differences between minerals and rocks
  • Describe the nature of Earth’s interior and some of the processes that take place deep beneath our feet
  • Explain how those processes are related to plate tectonics and describe a few of the features that are characteristic of plate boundaries
  • Use the notation for geological time, gain an appreciation for the vastness of geological time, and describe how very slow geological processes can have enormous impacts over time

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Physical Geology Copyright © 2015 by Steven Earle is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book