Geology Today: Understanding Our Planet

by Barbara W. Murck (Univ. of Toronto); Brian J. Skinner (Yale Univ.)

• ISBN13: 9780471167334
• ISBN10: 0471167339
• Edition: 1
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-01-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

This text is intended for Introduction to Physical Geology, a one-semester course offered at the freshman/sophomore level. It is non-quantitative in nature and is truly written for the audience of non-science students who take this course.Geology Today: Understanding Our Planet addresses the topic of physical geology from a "whole earth" perspective to show students how geologic processes are inter-related. The text is divided into 5 parts; each of the three middle parts highlights a cycle (plate tectonics, the rock cycle, hydrologic cycle) and places it into context of the beginning and ending parts.

Author Biography

As an undergraduate, Barbara Murck was a confirmed nonscientist, until an introductory geology course changed her plans. Since then her professional focus has ranged from igneous geochemistry and ore-deposit petrography to alternative energy sources and state-of-the-environment reporting. Her current work focuses primarily on environmental management training for decision makers in developing countries. Brian Skinner was born and raised in Australia on the edge of what is now called degraded land—some call it desert. That is where he gained his earliest interest in the complex interactions that make up our environment. He has been privileged to work on every continent and to be involved in the beginnings of what we now call the Space Age. His interests are most centrally involved with mineral and energy resources, but because these materials are found in a great many geological environments, his professional interests are diverse.

Table of Contents

PART ONE THE THIRD PLANET	1	(84)
Earth in Space: The Science of the Earth System	3	(26)
Earth's Materials: Atoms, Elements, Minerals, and Rocks	29	(28)
Earth in Time: The Rock Record and Geologic Time	57	(28)
PART TWO THE DYNAMIC EARTH	85	(102)
Plate Tectonics: A Unifying Theory	87	(30)
Earthquakes and the Earth's Interior	117	(32)
From the Earth's Interior: Volcanoes and Igneous Rocks	149	(38)
PART THREE THE CHANGING EARTH	187	(138)
Weathering and Erosion	189	(28)
From Sediment to Rock: Rocks That Form Near the Earth's Surface	217	(24)
Folds, Faults, and Geologic Maps	241	(30)
Metamorphism: Making New Rock from Old	271	(24)
The Rock Cycle Revisited	295	(30)
PART FOUR WATER WORLD	325	(108)
Water On and Under the Ground	327	(40)
Oceans, Winds, Waves, and Coastlines	367	(30)
Deserts, Glaciers, and Climatic Change	397	(36)
PART FIVE LIVING ON PLANET EARTH	433
A Brief History of Life on Earth	435	(34)
Earth Resources	469	(34)
The Role of Geoscientists in the 21st Century	503
Appendix
A Units and Their Conversions	A1
B Tables of the Chemical Elements and Naturally Occurring Isotopes	A7
C Tables of the Properties of Selected Common Minerals	A12
D Bowen's Reaction Series	A19
E Symbols Commonly Used on Geologic Maps	A22
Glossary	G1
Credits	C1
Index	I1