UNDERSTANDING EARTH

Geology is everywhere in our daily lives. We are surrounded by materials and resources extracted from the Earth, our climate is changing at alarming rates, and hazards due to Earth’s processes are leading to major catastrophes. We will be reliant upon a population of informed citizens to make and vote for policies that protect our Earth, and change that will keep our planet habitable. Therefore, understanding our Earth has never been more important.

Understanding Earth leads the way by fully integrating the study of climate science into the core intro geology curriculum. Through strategic placement of the climate science chapters at the beginning of the geomorphology content, we offer a text that places our changing climate as a key force shaping the rest of our discussion on Earth’s surficial processes.

CH 1 THE EARTH SYSTEM
The Scientific Method
Geology as a Science
Earth’s Shape and Surface
Peeling the Onion: Discovery of a Layered Earth
Earth as a System of Interacting Components
An Overview of Geologic Time

CH 2  PLATE TECTONICS: THE UNIFYING THEORY
The Discovery of Plate Tectonics   
The Plates and Their Boundaries   
Rates and History of Plate Movements   
The Grand Reconstruction 
Mantle Convection: The Engine of Plate Tectonics   
The Theory of Plate Tectonics and the Scientific Method

CH 3  EARTH MATERIALS: MINERALS AND ROCKS
What Are Minerals?
The Structure of Matter
The Formation of Minerals
Classes of Rock- Forming Minerals
Physical Properties of Minerals
What Are Rocks?
The Rock Cycle: Interactions Between the Plate Tectonic and Climate Systems 
Concentrations of Valuable Mineral Resources 

CH 4 IGNEOUS ROCKS: SOLIDS FROM MELTS
How Do Igneous Rocks Differ from One Another?
How Do Magmas Form?
Magmatic Differentiation
Forms of Igneous Intrusions
Igneous Processes and Plate Tectonics

CH 5 VOLCANOES
Volcanoes as Geosystems
Lavas and Other Volcanic Deposits
Eruptive Styles and Landforms
Interactions of Volcanoes with Other Geosystems
The Global Pattern of Volcanism
Volcanism and Human Affairs

CH 6 SEDIMENTATION: ROCKS FORMED BY SURFACE PROCESSES
Surface Processes of the Rock Cycle
Sedimentary Basins: The Sinks for Sediments
Sedimentary Environments
Sedimentary Structures
Burial and Diagenesis: From Sediment to Rock
Classification of Siliciclastic Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks
Classification of Chemical and Biological Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks

CH 7  METAMORPHISM: ALTERATION OF ROCKS BY TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE
Causes of Metamorphism
Types of Metamorphism
Metamorphic Textures
Regional Metamorphism and Metamorphic Grade
Plate Tectonics and Metamorphism

CH 8  DEFORMATION: MODIFICATION OF ROCKS BY FOLDING AND FRACTURING
Plate Tectonic Forces
Mapping Geologic Structure
How Rocks Deform
Basic Deformation Structures
Styles of Continental Deformation
Unraveling Geologic History

CH 9 CLOCKS IN ROCKS; TIMING THE GEOLOGIC RECORD
Reconstructing Geologic History from the Stratigraphic Record
The Geologic Time Scale: Relative Ages
Measuring Absolute Time with Isotopic Clocks
The Geologic Time Scale: Absolute Ages
Recent Advances in Timing the Earth System

CH 10 EARTHQUAKES
What Is an Earthquake?   
How Do We Study Earthquakes?
Earthquakes and Patterns of Faulting
Earthquake Hazards and Risks
Can Earthquakes Be Predicted?

CH 11 EXPLORING EARTH’S INTERIOR
Exploring Earth’s Interior with Seismic Waves
Layering and Composition of Earth’s Interior
Earth’s Internal Temperature
Visualizing Earth’s Three-Dimensional Structure
Earth’s Magnetic Field and the Geodynamo

CH 12  THE CLIMATE SYSTEM
What Is Climate?
Components of the Climate System
The Greenhouse Effect
Climate Variation
The Carbon Cycle

CH 13 CIVILIZATION AS A GLOBAL GEOSYSTEM
Growth and Impact of Civilization
Fossil-Fuel Resources
Alternative Energy Resources
Our Energy Future

CH 14 ANTHROPOGENIC GLOBAL CHANGE
Rise of Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere: The Keeling Curve
Types of Anthropogenic Global Change: Chemical, Physical, and Biological
Climate Change
Ocean Acidification
Loss of Biodiversity
Managing the Carbon Crisis

CH 15  GLACIERS: THE WORK OF ICE
Types of Glaciers
How Glaciers Form
How Glaciers Move
Isostasy and Sea Level Change
Glacial Landscapes
Glacial Cycles and Climate Change

CH 16  EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDSCAPE DEVELOPMENT
Controls on Weathering
Chemical Weathering
Physical Weathering
Soils: The Residue of Weathering
Erosion and Formation of Stream Valleys
Mass Wasting
Classification of Mass Movements
Geomorphology and Landscape Development

CH 17 THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE AND GROUNDWATER
The Geologic Cycling of Water
Hydrology and Climate
The Hydrology of Groundwater
Erosion by Groundwater
Water Quality
Water Deep in the Crust

CH 18 STREAM TRANSPORT: FROM MOUNTAINS TO OCEANS
The Form of Streams
Where Do Channels Begin? How Running Water Erodes Soil and Rock
How Currents Flow and Transport Sediment
Deltas: The Mouths of Rivers
Streams as Geosystems

CH 19  COASTLINES AND DESERTS
Coastal Processes
The Shaping of Shorelines
Hurricanes and Coastal Storm Surges
Desert Processes
Windblown Sand and Dust
The Desert Environment
Tectonic, Climatic, and Human Controls on Deserts

CH 20  EARLY HISTORY OF THE TERRESTRIAL PLANETS
Origin of the Solar System
Early Earth: Formation of a Layered Planet
Diversity of the Planets
What’s in a Face? The Age and Complexion of Planetary Surfaces
Mars Rocks!
Exploring the Solar System and Beyond

CH 21  HISTORY OF THE CONTINENTS
The Structure of North America
Tectonic Provinces Around the World
How Continents Grow
How Continents are Modified
The Origins of Cratons
The Deep Structure of Continents

CH 22  GEOBIOLOGY: LIFE INTERACTS WITH EARTH
The Biosphere as a System   
Microorganisms: Nature’s Tiny Chemists   
Geobiological Events in Earth’s History   
Evolutionary Radiations and Mass Extinctions   
Astrobiology: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life

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