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1 Introduction To Geology

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Chapter 1
Introduction

© NASA

What is geology? 

Geology
(Greek γῆ, gê, "earth" and λόγος, logos, "study")

the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and


 

history of the Earth


(plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, past climates)

first used by Ulisse Aldrovandi in 1603

, ,
hazards; environmental issues and problems;
climate change; geotechnical engineering;
academic discipline; hobby
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology
N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction
 

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Branches of  geology 

Main divisions of geology

Physical geology
examines Earth’s composition and processes occurring on
and beneath its surface

Volcanology, Seismology, Environmental Geology, Engineering Geology,


Mining Geology, Petroleum Geology, Mineralogy, Petrology,
Geomorphology, Geophysics, Geochemistry, Planetary Geology

Historical geology
  , ,
Earth and life through time; deals with the layered rock
record and fossils

Paleontology, Stratigraphy, Geochronology

N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction

What does a geologist do? 

What does
What  does a geologist do?

N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction


 

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Prof. Trevor Anderson


Dr. Josh Keyes Rusty Ryan Journey to … (2008)
The Core (2003) Ocean’s 13 (2007)

Rockhound
 Armageddon (1998)

Dr. Alan Grant Dr. Adrian Helmsley


Randy Marsh Jurassic Park (1993) 2012 (2009)
South Park
N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction

What does a geologist do? 

N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction


 

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Theories on the evolution of the Earth

THEORIES ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE EARTH: History


(372-287 BC) Theophrastus (Peri lithon, On Stones ) - interpretation of fossils

(1031-1095, China) Shen Kua - land formation: erosion of the mountains and by deposition of silt.

(1494-1555) Georg Agricola (De re metallica libri XII, 1556) - first systematic treatise about mining and
 

(1638-1686) Nicolaus Steno - three defining principles of stratigraphy

(1700s) Jean-Etienne Guettard and Nicolas Desmarest - geological maps; first observation of the volcanic
origins of parts of France.

(1769-1839) William Smith - ordering rock strata (layers) by examining the fossils contained in them.

James Hutton (Theory of the Earth, 1785 ) - first modern geologist


Plutonism (James Hutton) - rocks were formed by emplacement and solidification of lava from volcanoes
e pu ns m ra am erner - roc s a se e ou o a arge ocean w ose eve gra ua y roppe over
time

(1811) Georges Cuvier  and Alexandre Brongniart - stratigraphic succession of earth layers

Sir Charles Lyell (Principles of Geology, 1830)  – Uniformitarianism

(1912) Alfred Wegener  and Arthur Holmes – continental drift


(1960’s) Harry Hess – seafloor spreading

N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction

Theories on the evolution of the Earth

CATASTROPHISM
the Earth has been affected in the past by sudden, short-lived, violent
events, possibly worldwide in scope

 
Biblical events such as the Noachian Flood

coined by William Whewell, proposed by Baron Georges Cuvier 

© Wikiped ia © Ge mini Observato ry, Lynette Coo k

N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction


 

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Theories on the evolution of the Earth

UNIFORMITARIANISM
assumption that the same natural laws and processes that operate in the
universe now, have always operated in the universe in the past and apply
everywhere in the universe: “The present is the key to the past.”

coined by William Whewell, formulated by James Hutton (Father of Modern


Geology), and popularized by Sir Charles Lyell in Principles of Geology (1830)

The frontispiece from Principles of Geology


© Wikipedia

N. Ramos | Geology 11 Principles of Geology Lecture Notes: Introduction

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