Gey 101

• Geology uses the scientific method to explain natural aspects of the Earth—for example, how mountains form or why oil resources are concentrated in some rocks and not in others
• Geology, the scientific study of Earth, benefits you and everyone else on this planet
• The clothes you wear, the radio you listen to, the food you eat, the car you drive exist because of what geologists have discovered about Earth
• Earth can also be a killer. You might have survived an earthquake, flood, or other natural disaster thanks to action taken based on what scientists have learned about these hazards
• Before getting into important scientific concepts, we will look at some of the ways geology has and will continue to benefit you
• We depend on the Earth for energy resources and the raw materials we need for survival, comfort, and pleasure
• Every manufactured no object relies on Earth's resources—even a pencil
• The Earth, at work for billions of years, has localized material into concentrations that humans can mine or extract
• By learning how the Earth works and how different kinds of substances are distributed and why, we can intelligently search for metals, sources of energy, and gems
• Even maintaining a supply of sand and gravel for construction purposes depends on geology
• Geologist


  Someone who studies the scientific study of Earth
• Geology encompasses a broad spectrum of disciplines
• Most geologists were attracted to the outdoors and enjoyed hiking, skiing, climbing, or other outdoor activities before getting interested in geology
• Geologists like having one of their laboratories being Earth itself
• Areas in which geologists work

  • Petroleum geology
  • Mining geology
  • Environmental geology
  • Marine geology
  • Hydrogeology
  • Geophysics
  • Seismology
  • Engineering geology
  • Paleontology
  • Teaching
• Geologists usually engage in a combination of field work, lab work, and computer analysis
• Geologists work like detectives, piecing together the available data to form a plausible solution
• Some geologists work at solving crimes—forensic geology is a branch of geology dedicated to criminal investigations
• Branches of geology


  • Physical geology (Geophysics)
  • Petrology
  • Mineralogy
  • Structural geology (Tectonic)
  • Stratigraphy
  • Paleontology
  • Crystallography
  • Mining geology
  • Engineering Geology (Geotechnics)
  • Hydrology
• Physical geology


  Includes mineralogy, petrology, geomorphology, geochemistry, geophysics, sedimentology, structural geology, economic geology, and engineering geology
• Historical geology


  Deals with the historical development of the earth from the study of its rocks, including paleontology, stratigraphy, paleogeography, and geologic mapping
• Geochemistry


  The study of the chemical processes which form and shape the Earth, including the cycles of matter and energy which transport the Earth's chemical components and the interaction of these cycles with the hydrosphere and the atmosphere
• Oceanography


  The study of the composition and motion of the water column and the processes which are responsible for that motion
• Paleontology


  The study of fossils and what they reveal about the history of our planet
• Sedimentology


  The study of sediment grains in marine and other deposits, with a focus on physical properties and the processes which form a deposit
• Additional branches of geology

  • Biostratigraphy
  • Geochronology
  • Geophysics
  • Marine Geochemistry
  • Marine Geophysics
  • Marine Surveying
  • Spectral Geology