The Changing Earth

by Monroe, James S.; Wicander, Reed

• ISBN13: 9780314028334
• ISBN10: 0314028331
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1994-01-01
• Publisher: West Group

Summary

THE CHANGING EARTH is the first text specifically written for the combined physical and historical geology course. The content is based on the best-selling texts PHYSICAL GEOLOGY: EXPLORING THE EARTH and HISTORICAL GEOLOGY: EVOLUTION OF EARTH AND LIFE THROUGH TIME both written by James Monroe and Reed Wicander. Many of the same features pervade in this edition including a strong emphasis on student relevance and comprehension. The authors lively writing style and abundant use of analogies draw students' into the material, while a completely integrated pedagogical structure enhances comprehension of important concepts. Throughout, the text emphasizes the connections between the content and students' own lives, allowing them to learn more easily and develop a greater appreciation for physical geology.

Author Biography

James S. Monroe is professor emeritus of geology at Central Michigan University where he taught physical geology, historical geology, prehistoric life, and stratigraphy and sedimentology since 1975 Reed Wicander is a geology professor at Central Michigan University where he teaches physical geology, historical geology, prehistoric life, and invertebrate paleontology

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xix
Developing Critical Thinking and Study Skills	p. xxiv
Understanding Earth: An Introduction	p. 2
Prologue	p. 3
Introduction to Earth Systems	p. 3
What is Geology?	p. 4
Geology and the Human Experience	p. 6
How Geology Affects Our Everyday Lives	p. 6
The Origin of the Solar System and the Differentiation of Early Earth	p. 10
Earth as a Dynamic Planet	p. 11
Geology and the Formulation of Theories	p. 12
Plate Tectonic Theory	p. 13
The Rock Cycle	p. 15
Organic Evolution	p. 18
Geologic Time and Uniformitarianism	p. 19
Chapter Summary	p. 20
Important Terms	p. 20
Review Questions	p. 21
Points to Ponder	p. 21
Additional Readings	p. 22
World Wide Web Activities	p. 22
Minerals	p. 25
Prologue	p. 25
Introduction	p. 26
Matter and Its Composition	p. 26
Minerals	p. 30
Mineral Diversity	p. 32
Mineral Groups	p. 32
Physical Properties of Minerals	p. 35
Rock-Forming Minerals	p. 38
Mineral Resources and Reserves	p. 42
Chapter Summary	p. 43
Important Terms	p. 43
Review Questions	p. 44
Points to Ponder	p. 45
Additional Readings	p. 45
World Wide Web Activities	p. 45
Igneous Rocks and Intrusive Igneous Activity	p. 46
Prologue	p. 47
Introduction	p. 48
Magma and Lava	p. 48
Igneous Rocks	p. 49
Intrusive Igneous Bodies: Plutons	p. 59
Mechanics of Batholith Emplacement	p. 61
Chapter Summary	p. 62
Important Terms	p. 63
Review Questions	p. 63
Points to Ponder	p. 64
Additional Readings	p. 64
World Wide Web Activities	p. 65
Volcanism	p. 66
Prologue	p. 67
Introduction	p. 68
Volcanism	p. 69
Distribution of Volcanoes	p. 84
Plate Tectonics and Igneous Activity	p. 84
Chapter Summary	p. 88
Important Terms	p. 89
Review Questions	p. 89
Points to Ponder	p. 90
Additional Readings	p. 90
World Wide Web Activities	p. 91
Weathering, Soil, Sediment, and Sedimentary Rocks	p. 92
Prologue	p. 93
Introduction	p. 94
Mechanical Weathering	p. 95
Chemical Weathering	p. 97
Soil	p. 100
Weathering and Mineral Resources	p. 104
Sediment	p. 106
Sedimentary Rocks	p. 108
Sedimentary Facies	p. 112
Environmental Analysis	p. 113
Sediments, Sedimentary Rocks, and Natural Resources	p. 118
Chapter Summary	p. 120
Important Terms	p. 121
Review Questions	p. 121
Points to Ponder	p. 122
Additional Readings	p. 122
World Wide Web Activities	p. 123
Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks	p. 124
Prologue	p. 125
Introduction	p. 126
The Agents of Metamorphism	p. 126
Types of Metamorphism	p. 130
Classification of Metamorphic Rocks	p. 132
Metamorphic Zones and Facies	p. 137
Metamorphism and Plate Tectonics	p. 139
Metamorphism and Natural Resources	p. 140
Chapter Summary	p. 141
Important Terms	p. 141
Review Questions	p. 142
Points to Ponder	p. 142
Additional Readings	p. 143
World Wide Web Activities	p. 143
Earthquakes and Earth's Interior	p. 144
Prologue	p. 145
Introduction	p. 147
Elastic Rebound Theory	p. 148
Seismology	p. 149
The Frequency and Distribution of Earthquakes	p. 150
Seismic Waves	p. 153
Locating an Earthquake	p. 154
Measuring Earthquake Intensity and Magnitude	p. 156
The Destructive Effects of Earthquakes	p. 158
Earthquake Prediction	p. 162
Earthquake Control	p. 163
Earth's Interior	p. 164
Earth's Core	p. 166
The Mantle	p. 168
Earth's Internal Heat	p. 169
Seismic Tomography	p. 169
Chapter Summary	p. 170
Important Terms	p. 171
Review Questions	p. 171
Points to Ponder	p. 172
Additional Readings	p. 173
World Wide Web Activities	p. 173
The Sea Floor	p. 174
Prologue	p. 175
Introduction	p. 176
Oceanographic Research	p. 176
Continental Margins	p. 179
Types of Continental Margins	p. 181
The Deep-Ocean Basin	p. 181
Deep-Sea Sedimentation	p. 187
Reefs	p. 188
Resources from the Sea	p. 189
Chapter Summary	p. 190
Important Terms	p. 191
Review Questions	p. 191
Points to Ponder	p. 192
Additional Readings	p. 192
World Wide Web Activities	p. 193
Plate Tectonics: A Unifying Theory	p. 194
Prologue	p. 195
Introduction	p. 197
Early Ideas About Continental Drift	p. 197
Alfred Wegener and the Continental Drift Hypothesis	p. 198
The Evidence for Continental Drift	p. 198
Paleomagnetism and Polar Wandering	p. 203
Magnetic Reversals and Sea-Floor Spreading	p. 204
Plate Tectonic Theory	p. 207
Plate Boundaries	p. 208
Plate Movement and Motion	p. 216
The Driving Mechanism of Plate Tectonics	p. 217
Plate Tectonics and the Distribution of Natural Resources	p. 219
Plate Tectonics and the Distribution of Life	p. 220
Chapter Summary	p. 221
Important Terms	p. 222
Review Questions	p. 222
Points to Ponder	p. 223
Additional Readings	p. 223
World Wide Web Activities	p. 223
Deformation, Mountain Building, and the Continents	p. 224
Prologue	p. 225
Introduction	p. 225
Deformation	p. 226
Mountains	p. 238
Microplate Tectonics and Mountain Building	p. 242
Composition and Structure of Earth's Crust	p. 243
The Principle of Isostasy	p. 244
Chapter Summary	p. 246
Important Terms	p. 246
Review Questions	p. 247
Points to Ponder	p. 248
Additional Readings	p. 248
World Wide Web Activities	p. 248
Mass Wasting	p. 250
Prologue	p. 251
Introduction	p. 252
Factors Influencing Mass Wasting	p. 252
Types of Mass Wasting	p. 258
Recognizing and Minimizing the Effects of Mass Movements	p. 269
Chapter Summary	p. 275
Important Terms	p. 276
Review Questions	p. 276
Points to Ponder	p. 277
Additional Readings	p. 277
World Wide Web Activities	p. 277
Running Water	p. 278
Prologue	p. 279
Introduction	p. 281
The Hydrologic Cycle	p. 281
Running Water	p. 283
Stream Erosion	p. 285
Transport of Sediment Load	p. 285
Stream Deposition	p. 286
Drainage Basins and Drainage Patterns	p. 294
Base Level	p. 296
The Graded Stream	p. 297
Development of Stream Valleys	p. 298
Superposed Streams	p. 299
Stream Terraces	p. 300
Incised Meanders	p. 300
Chapter Summary	p. 302
Important Terms	p. 302
Review Questions	p. 303
Points to Ponder	p. 304
Additional Readings	p. 304
World Wide Web Activities	p. 304
Groundwater	p. 306
Prologue	p. 307
Introduction	p. 308
Groundwater and the Hydrologic Cycle	p. 308
Porosity and Permeability	p. 308
The Water Table	p. 309
Groundwater Movement	p. 310
Springs, Water Wells, and Artesian Systems	p. 310
Groundwater Erosion and Deposition	p. 314
Modifications of the Groundwater System and Their Effects	p. 320
Hot Springs and Geysers	p. 325
Chapter Summary	p. 331
Important Terms	p. 332
Review Questions	p. 332
Points to Ponder	p. 332
Additional Readings	p. 333
World Wide Web Activities	p. 333
Glaciers and Glaciation	p. 334
Prologue	p. 335
Introduction	p. 336
Glaciers and the Hydrologic Cycle	p. 337
The Origin of Glacial Ice	p. 337
Types of Glaciers	p. 337
The Glacial Budget	p. 339
Rates of Glacial Movement	p. 340
Glacial Erosion and Transport	p. 341
Glacial Deposits	p. 346
Glaciers and Isostasy	p. 351
Causes of Glaciation	p. 351
Chapter Summary	p. 355
Important Terms	p. 355
Review Questions	p. 356
Points to Ponder	p. 356
Additional Readings	p. 357
World Wide Web Activities	p. 357
Work of Wind and Deserts	p. 358
Prologue	p. 359
Introduction	p. 361
Sediment Transport by Wind	p. 361
Wind Erosion	p. 361
Wind Deposits	p. 364
Air Pressure Belts and Global Wind Patterns	p. 370
The Distribution of Deserts	p. 371
Characteristics of Deserts	p. 372
Desert Landforms	p. 376
Chapter Summary	p. 380
Important Terms	p. 381
Review Questions	p. 381
Points to Ponder	p. 382
Additional Readings	p. 382
World Wide Web Activities	p. 383
Shorelines and Shoreline Processes	p. 384
Prologue	p. 385
Introduction	p. 386
Shoreline Processes	p. 386
Shoreline Deposition	p. 391
Shoreline Erosion	p. 398
Rising Sea Level and Coastal Management	p. 400
Types of Coasts	p. 403
Chapter Summary	p. 405
Important Terms	p. 405
Review Questions	p. 405
Points to Ponder	p. 406
Additional Readings	p. 406
World Wide Web Activities	p. 407
Geologic Time: Concepts and Principles	p. 408
Prologue	p. 409
Introduction	p. 410
Early Concepts of Geologic Time and the Age of Earth	p. 411
James Hutton and the Recognition of Geologic Time	p. 412
Relative Dating Methods	p. 413
Correlation	p. 421
Absolute Dating Methods	p. 425
Development of the Geologic Time Scale	p. 433
Stratigraphy and Stratigraphic Terminology	p. 433
Chapter Summary	p. 435
Important Terms	p. 435
Review Questions	p. 436
Points to Ponder	p. 436
Additional Readings	p. 437
World Wide Web Activities	p. 437
Fossils and Evolution	p. 438
Prologue	p. 439
Introduction	p. 440
The Evolution of an Idea	p. 440
Mendel and the Birth of Genetics	p. 443
The Modern Synthesis	p. 446
Evidence for Evolution	p. 450
Fossils and Fossilization	p. 454
Fossils and Evolution	p. 459
Chapter Summary	p. 460
Important Terms	p. 460
Review Questions	p. 461
Points to Ponder	p. 461
Additional Readings	p. 462
World Wide Web Activities	p. 462
A History of the Universe, Solar System and Planets	p. 464
Prologue	p. 465
Introduction	p. 466
Origin of the Universe	p. 466
Origin and Early Development of the Solar System	p. 467
Meteorites	p. 469
The Planets	p. 473
Origin and Differentiation of the Early Earth	p. 483
Origin of the Earth-Moon System	p. 484
Chapter Summary	p. 487
Important Terms	p. 487
Review Questions	p. 487
Points to Ponder	p. 488
Additional Readings	p. 488
World Wide Web Activities	p. 489
Precambrian Earth and Life History	p. 490
Prologue	p. 491
Introduction	p. 492
Shields and Cratons	p. 493
Archean Rocks	p. 494
Development of Archean Cratons	p. 494
Archean Plate Tectonics	p. 496
Proterozoic Crustal Evolution	p. 497
Proterozoic Super Continents	p. 502
Proterozoic Rocks	p. 503
The Archean Atmosphere and Oceans	p. 506
The Proterozoic Atmosphere	p. 507
The Origin of Life	p. 508
Archean Life	p. 510
Proterozoic Life	p. 511
Archean Mineral Deposits	p. 517
Proterozoic Mineral Deposits	p. 518
Chapter Summary	p. 519
Important Terms	p. 520
Review Questions	p. 520
Points to Ponder	p. 521
Additional Readings	p. 521
World Wide Web Activities	p. 522
Paleozoic Earth History	p. 524
Prologue	p. 525
Introduction	p. 525
Continental Architecture: Cratons and Mobile Belts	p. 526
Paleozoic Paleogeography	p. 527
Paleozoic Evolution of North America	p. 532
The Sauk Sequence	p. 533
The Tippecanoe Sequence	p. 533
The Kaskaskia Sequence	p. 539
The Absaroka Sequence	p. 544
History of the Paleozoic Mobile Belts	p. 549
Paleozoic Microplates and the Formation of Pangaea	p. 554
Paleozoic Mineral Resources	p. 554
Chapter Summary	p. 556
Important Terms	p. 556
Review Questions	p. 557
Points to Ponder	p. 562
Additional Readings	p. 562
World Wide Web Activities	p. 563
Paleozoic Life History	p. 564
Prologue	p. 565
Introduction	p. 565
The Cambrian Period and the Emergence of a Shelly Fauna	p. 566
Paleozoic Invertebrate Marine Life	p. 567
Vertebrate Evolution	p. 575
Fish	p. 577
Amphibians--Vertebrates Invade the Land	p. 581
Evolution of the Reptiles--the Land is Conquered	p. 582
Plant Evolution	p. 584
Chapter Summary	p. 589
Important Terms	p. 592
Review Questions	p. 592
Points to Ponder	p. 593
Additional Readings	p. 593
World Wide Web Activities	p. 593
Mesozoic Earth and Life History	p. 596
Prologue	p. 597
Introduction	p. 598
The Breakup of Pangaea	p. 598
The Mesozoic History of North America	p. 600
Mesozoic Mineral Resources	p. 612
Mesozoic Life	p. 612
Mesozoic Climates and Paleogeography	p. 624
Mass Extinctions--A Crisis in the History of Life	p. 625
Chapter Summary	p. 626
Important Terms	p. 627
Review Questions	p. 627
Points to Ponder	p. 632
Additional Readings	p. 632
World Wide Web Activities	p. 633
Cenozoic Earth and Life History	p. 634
Prologue	p. 635
Introduction	p. 636
Cenozoic Plate Tectonics and Orogeny	p. 636
The North American Cordillera	p. 637
The Interior Lowlands	p. 642
The Gulf Coastal Plain	p. 643
Eastern North America	p. 644
Pleistocene Glaciation	p. 645
The Effects of Glaciation	p. 646
Cenozoic Mineral Resources	p. 647
Cenozoic Life	p. 648
Pleistocene Faunas	p. 655
Primate Evolution	p. 655
Pleistocene Extinctions	p. 661
Chapter Summary	p. 661
Important Terms	p. 662
Review Questions	p. 662
Points to Ponder	p. 663
Additional Readings	p. 663
World Wide Web Activities	p. 664
English-Metric Conversion Chart	p. 665
Periodic Table of the Elements	p. 666
Mineral Identification Tables	p. 669
Topographic Maps	p. 673
Classification of Organisms	p. 677
Answers to Multiple-Choice Review Questions	p. 683
Glossary	p. 685
Credits	p. 699
Index	p. 707
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