An Overview of Physical Geology—Important Concepts 11. Internal Processes:
How the Earth's Internal Heat Engine. Works 13. Earth's Interior 13. The Theory of
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Chapter
1
Introducing Geology, the Essentials of Plate Tectonics, and Other Important Concepts 3
Chapter
2
Atoms, Elements, and Minerals
Chapter
3
Igneous Rocks, Intrusive Activity, and the Origin of Igneous Rocks
Chapter
4
Volcanism and Extrusive Rocks
Chapter
5
Weathering and Soil
Chapter
6
Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks
Chapter
7
Metamorphism, Metamorphic Rocks, and Hydrothermal Rocks
Chapter
8
Time and Geology
Chapter
9
Mass Wasting
29
83
113 137
193
221
Chapter 10
Streams and Floods
Chapter 11
Ground Water
Chapter 12
Glaciers and Glaciation
Chapter 13
Deserts and Wind Action
Chapter 14
Waves, Beaches, and Coasts
Chapter 15
Geologic Structures
Chapter 16
Earthquakes
Chapter 17
Earth’s Interior and Geophysical Properties
Chapter 18
The Sea Floor
Chapter 19
Plate Tectonics
Chapter 20
Mountain Belts and the Continental Crust
Chapter 21
Geologic Resources
Chapter 22
The Earth’s Companions
247
283 307 339 361
383
407 443
467 491 527
551 583
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Preface xii
The Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron 36 Nonsilicate Minerals 40
Variations in Mineral Structures and Compositions 40 The Physical Properties of Minerals 41
1
Introducing Geology, the Essentials of Plate Tectonics, and Other Important Concepts 3
Color 41 Streak 42 Luster 42 Hardness 42 External Crystal Form 44 Cleavage 46 Fracture 48 Specific Gravity 48 Special Properties 48 Chemical Tests 49
The Many Conditions of Mineral Formation 49
SUMMARY 51
Who Needs Geology? 4 Supplying Things We Need 4 Protecting the Environment 5 Avoiding Geologic Hazards 5 Understanding Our Surroundings 10
Earth Systems 11 An Overview of Physical Geology—Important Concepts 11 Internal Processes: How the Earth’s Internal Heat Engine Works 13 Earth’s Interior 13 The Theory of Plate Tectonics 14 Divergent Boundaries 14 Convergent Boundaries 15 Transform Boundaries 19 Surficial Processes: The Earth’s External Heat Engine 21
The Rock Cycle 56
Geologic Time 24
3
Igneous Rocks, Intrusive Activity, and the Origin of Igneous Rocks 55 A Plate Tectonic Example 57
SUMMARY 25
Igneous Rocks 58 Igneous Rock Textures 59 Identification of Igneous Rocks 59 Varieties of Granite 62 Chemistry of Igneous Rocks 62
Intrusive Bodies 65 Shallow Intrusive Structures 65 Intrusives that Crystallize at Depth 66
2
Abundance and Distribution of Plutonic Rocks 67 How Magma Forms 68
Atoms, Elements, and Minerals 29 Minerals 30 Introduction 30
Atoms and Elements 32
Bonding 34 Ions and Crystalline Structures 35
Heat for Melting Rock 69 Factors that Control Melting Temperatures 69
How Magmas of Different Compositions Evolve 70 Sequence of Crystallization and Melting 70 Differentiation 72 Partial Melting 72 Assimilation 73 Mixing of Magmas 73
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CONTENTS
Explaining Igneous Activity by Plate Tectonics 73 Igneous Processes at Divergent Boundaries 73 Intraplate Igneous Activity 75 Igneous Processes at Convergent Boundaries 76
SUMMARY 79
Effects of Weathering 116 Mechanical Weathering 116 Pressure Release 117 Frost Action 117 Other Processes 118
Chemical Weathering 118 Role of Oxygen 119 Role of Acids 120 Solution Weathering 121 Chemical Weathering of Feldspar 122 Chemical Weathering of Other Minerals 123 Weathering Products 123 Factors Affecting Weathering 124
Soil 124
4
Volcanism and Extrusive Rocks 83 Pyroclastic Debris and Lava Flows 84 Living with Volcanoes 84
Soil Horizons 125 Factors Affecting Soil Formation 127 Soil Erosion 128 Soil Classification 130
SUMMARY 133
Supernatural Beliefs 84 The Growth of an Island 87 Geothermal Energy 87 Effect on Climate 87 Volcanic Catastrophes 87 Eruptive Violence and Physical Characteristics of Lava 90
Extrusive Rocks and Gases 91 Scientific Investigation of Volcanism 91 Gases 91
Extrusive Rocks 92
6
Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks 137
Composition 92 Extrusive Textures 93
Sediment 139
Types of Volcanoes 95
Transportation 139 Deposition 140 Preservation 141 Lithification 141
Shield Volcanoes 98 Cinder Cones 99 Composite Volcanoes 100 Volcanic Domes 103
Types of Sedimentary Rocks 143 Detrital Rocks 143
Lava Floods 104 Submarine Eruptions 108
Breccia and Conglomerate 143 Sandstone 145 The Fine-Grained Rocks 146
Pillow Basalts 108
SUMMARY 109
Chemical Sedimentary Rocks 147 Carbonate Rocks 147 Chert 151 Evaporites 151
Organic Sedimentary Rocks 152 Coal 152
5
Weathering and Soil 113 Weathering, Erosion, and Transportation 114 Weathering and Earth Systems 114 Atmosphere 114 Hydrosphere 114 Biosphere 115
The Origin of Oil and Gas 152 Sedimentary Structures 153 Fossils 157 Formations 158 Interpretation of Sedimentary Rocks 159 Source Area 159 Environment of Deposition 160 Transgression and Regression 163 Plate Tectonics and Sedimentary Rocks 163
SUMMARY 165
How Weathering Changes Rocks 115
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CONTENTS Combining Relative and Numerical Ages 212 Age of the Earth 213 Comprehending Geologic Time 214
SUMMARY 216
7
Metamorphism, Metamorphic Rocks, and Hydrothermal Rocks 169 Introduction 170 Factors Controlling the Characteristics of Metamorphic Rocks 171 Composition of the Parent Rock 172 Temperature 172 Pressure 173 Fluids 174 Time 175
Classification of Metamorphic Rocks 175 Nonfoliated Rocks 175 Foliated Rocks 177
Types of Metamorphism 179
9
Mass Wasting 221 Introduction to Mass Wasting 222 Classification of Mass Wasting 223 Rate of Movement 223 Type of Material 223 Type of Movement 223
Controlling Factors in Mass Wasting 226
Contact Metamorphism 179 Regional Metamorphism 179
Plate Tectonics and Metamorphism 183 Foliation and Plate Tectonics 183 Pressure-Temperature Regimes 183
Gravity 226 Water 227 Triggering Mechanisms 228
Common Types of Mass Wasting 228
Hydrothermal Processes 185 Hydrothermal Activity at Divergent Plate Boundaries 186 Water at Convergent Boundaries 187 Metasomatism 187 Hydrothermal Rocks and Minerals 188
SUMMARY 190
Creep 228 Flow 230 Rockfalls and Rockslides 234
Underwater Landslides 237 Preventing Landslides 238 Preventing Mass Wasting of Soil 238 Preventing Rockfalls and Rockslides on Highways 242
SUMMARY 244
8
Time and Geology 193 The Key to the Past 194 Relative Time 195
Principles Used to Determine Relative Age 195 Unconformities 200 Correlation 202 The Standard Geologic Time Scale 205
Numerical Age 205 Isotopic Dating 206 Uses of Isotopic Dating 211
10
Streams and Floods 247 Earth Systems—The Hydrologic Cycle 248 Running Water 249 Drainage Basins 250 Drainage Patterns 250 Factors Affecting Stream Erosion and Deposition 251 Velocity 251 Gradient 253 Channel Shape and Roughness 253 Discharge 253
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Stream Erosion 254 Stream Transportation of Sediment 255 Stream Deposition 257 Bars 257 Braided Streams 260 Meandering Streams and Point Bars 260 Flood Plains 261 Deltas 263 Alluvial Fans 267
Flooding 267 Urban Flooding 270 Flash Floods 270 Controlling Floods 270 The Great Flood of 1993 272
12
Glaciers and Glaciation 307 Introduction 308 Glaciers—Where They Are, How They Form and Move 309
Stream Valley Development 272 Downcutting and Base Level 272 The Concept of a Graded Stream 275 Lateral Erosion 275 Headward Erosion 275
Distribution of Glaciers 309 Types of Glaciers 309 Formation and Growth of Glaciers 309 Movement of Valley Glaciers 312 Movement of Ice Sheets 314
Glacial Erosion 316 Erosional Landscapes Associated with Alpine Glaciation 317 Erosional Landscapes Associated with Continental Glaciation 321
Stream Terraces 276 Incised Meanders 276
SUMMARY 280
Glacial Deposition 322 Moraines 323 Outwash 326 Glacial Lakes and Varves 327
Past Glaciation 327 Direct Effects of Past Glaciation in North America 330 Indirect Effects of Past Glaciation 331 Evidence for Older Glaciation 334
SUMMARY 335
11
Ground Water 283 Introduction 284 Porosity and Permeability 284 The Water Table 285 The Movement of Ground Water 286 Aquifers 288 Wells 289 Springs and Streams 290 Contamination of Ground Water 292 Balancing Withdrawal and Recharge 296 Effects of Groundwater Action 297
Caves, Sinkholes, and Karst Topography 297 Other Effects 300
Hot Water Underground 300 Geothermal Energy 301
SUMMARY 303
13
Deserts and Wind Action 339 Distribution of Deserts 340 Some Characteristics of Deserts 341 Desert Features in the Southwestern United States 344 Wind Action 349 Wind Erosion and Transportation 349 Wind Deposition 351
SUMMARY 358
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16
Waves, Beaches, and Coasts 361 Introduction 362 Water Waves 362 Surf 363
Wave Refraction 364 Longshore Currents 364 Rip Currents 364
Locating and Measuring Earthquakes 413 Determining the Location of an Earthquake 413 Measuring the Size of an Earthquake 416 Location and Size of Earthquakes in the United States 419
Beaches 366 Longshore Drift of Sediment 367 Human Interference with Sand Drift 368 Sources of Sand on Beaches 370
Coasts and Coastal Features 370
Tsunami 425
Earthquakes at Plate Boundaries 430 Subduction Angle 433
Earthquake Prediction and Seismic Risk 433
SUMMARY 380
SUMMARY 438
15
Geologic Structures 383 Tectonic Forces at Work 384
Stress and Strain in the Earth’s Lithosphere 384 How Do Rocks Behave When Stressed? 385
Structures as a Record of the Geologic Past 386 Geologic Maps and Field Methods 386
Folds 388 Geometry of Folds 389 Further Description of Folds 391
SUMMARY 403
Effects of Earthquakes 421 World Distribution of Earthquakes 428 First-Motion Studies of Earthquakes 428 Earthquakes and Plate Tectonics 428
Erosional Coasts 370 Depositional Coasts 372 Drowned Coasts 373 Uplifted Coasts 374 The Biosphere and Coasts 375
Joints 393 Faults 395
Introduction 408 Causes of Earthquakes 410 Seismic Waves 411 Body Waves 412 Surface Waves 413
Near-Shore Circulation 364
Fractures in Rock 393
Earthquakes 407
17
Earth’s Interior and Geophysical Properties 443 Introduction 444 Evidence from Seismic Waves 444 Earth’s Internal Structure 446 The Crust 446 The Mantle 447 The Core 449
Isostasy 452 Gravity Measurements 454 Earth’s Magnetic Field 455 Magnetic Reversals 457 Magnetic Anomalies 458
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Heat within the Earth 460
Paleomagnetism and the Revival of Continental Drift 496
Geothermal Gradient 460 Heat Flow 461
Recent Evidence for Continental Drift 497 History of Continental Positions 498
Seafloor Spreading 498
SUMMARY 463
Hess’s Driving Force 498 Explanations 499
Plates and Plate Motion 500 How Do We Know that Plates Move? 500 Marine Magnetic Anomalies 500 Another Test: Fracture Zones and Transform Faults 503 Measuring Plate Motion Directly 504
18
The Sea Floor 467 Origin of the Ocean 468 Methods of Studying the Sea Floor 468 Features of the Sea Floor 470 Continental Shelves and Continental Slopes 470 Submarine Canyons 472 Turbidity Currents 473
Passive Continental Margins 474 The Continental Rise 475 Abyssal Plains 475
Divergent Plate Boundaries 504 Transform Boundaries 509 Convergent Plate Boundaries 509 Ocean-Ocean Convergence 509 Ocean-Continent Convergence 511 Continent-Continent Convergence 511
The Motion of Plate Boundaries 512 Plate Size 515 The Attractiveness of Plate Tectonics 515 What Causes Plate Motions? 516 Mantle Convection 516 Ridge Push 517 Slab Pull 517 Trench Suction 517 Mantle Plumes and Hot Spots 517
A Final Note 518
Active Continental Margins 476 Oceanic Trenches 476
SUMMARY 522
Mid-Oceanic Ridges 477 Geologic Activity at the Ridges 477 Biologic Activity at the Ridges 479
Fracture Zones 479 Seamounts, Guyots, and Aseismic Ridges 479 Reefs 481 Sediments of the Sea Floor 483 Oceanic Crust and Ophiolites 483 The Age of the Sea Floor 486 The Sea Floor and Plate Tectonics 486
SUMMARY 487
20
Mountain Belts and the Continental Crust 527 Introduction 528 Characteristics of Major Mountain Belts 531
19
Plate Tectonics 491 The Early Case for Continental Drift 493
Skepticism about Continental Drift 495
Size and Alignment 531 Ages of Mountain Belts and Continents 531 Thickness and Characteristics of Rock Layers 532 Patterns of Folding and Faulting 533 Metamorphism and Plutonism 533 Normal Faulting 534 Thickness and Density of Rocks 535 Features of Active Mountain Ranges 536
Evolution of Mountain Belts 536 Orogenies and Plate Convergence 536 Post-Orogenic Uplift and Block-Faulting 541
The Growth of Continents 545 Displaced Terranes 545
SUMMARY 548
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Geologic Resources 551 Introduction 552 Energy Resources 552
Coal 553 Petroleum and Natural Gas 556 Coal Bed Methane 562 Heavy Crude and Oil Sands 562 Oil Shale 564 Uranium 565 Geothermal Power 566 Renewable Energy Sources 568
Nonmetallic Resources 576 Construction Materials 576 Fertilizers and Evaporites 577 Other Nonmetallics 577
The Human Perspective 578
SUMMARY 579
The Sun 584 The Solar System 585 The Milky Way and the Universe 586 The Solar Nebula 588 Formation of the Planets 590 Formation of Moons 590 Final Stages of Planet Formation 590 Formation of Atmospheres 590 Other Planetary Systems 590
Ores Formed by Igneous Processes 569 Ores Formed by Surface Processes 571 Some Important Metals 573
The Earth in Space 584
Origin of the Planets 588
Metallic Resources 569
Mining 572
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The Earth’s Companions 583
Portraits of the Planets 591 Our Moon 591 Mercury 597 Venus 598 Mars 600 Why Are the Terrestrial Planets So Different? 606 Jupiter 607 Saturn 608 Uranus 610 Neptune 610
Pluto and the Ice Dwarfs 610 Minor Objects of the Solar System 612 Meteors and Meteorites 612 Meteorites 612 Asteroids 613 Comets 613
Giant Impacts 615 Giant Meteor Impacts 615
SUMMARY 616 Appendices A–G 618 Glossary 630 Index 642
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