INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGY

Natural Science II

Astrid Korina S. GaboDPSM, CAS, UP Manila

1. Define geology and identify some of its branches

2. Differentiate uniformitarianism vscatastrophism

3. Appreciate the role of geology in society

4. Describe the Earth’s features

WHAT IS GEOLOGY?

http://geology.about.com/od/nutshells/a/whatisgeology.htm

Greek γῆ, gê, "earth" and λόγος, logos, "study"

Geology is the study of the Earth, its

origin, history, composition, structures

and physical properties, the processes

that shape it, and the resources that could

be obtained from it.

GEOLOGY AS A DISCIPLINE

1. The relevance of time

2. The issue of scale

3. The complexity of replicating

natural systems and phenomena in

the laboratory

GEOLOGY AS A DISCIPLINE

1. The relevance of time

www.ruf.rice.edu/~leeman/GeoTimeSpiral.gif

2. The issue of scale

0.1 mm

GEOLOGY AS A DISCIPLINE

3. The complexity of replicating natural systems and phenomena in the laboratory

GEOLOGY AS A DISCIPLINE

1. PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

2. HISTORICAL GEOLOGY

MAIN BRANCHES OF GEOLOGY

- Deals with the materials that comprise the Earth and the processes that affect it

- The study of the origin and evolution of the Earth through time

PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

HISTORICAL GEOLOGY

BASIC CONCEPTS IN THE HISTORY OF GEOLOGY

1. Catastrophism

2. Uniformitarianism

CATASTROPHISM

- Proposed by Baron Georges Cuvier- Sudden, worldwide catastrophes are the agents of change that alter the physical features of the Earth over time- Widely accepted by theologians in the early 1800s due to similarity with Biblical events such as Noah’s Flood

UNIFORMITARIANISM

James Hutton, 1726-1797

www.physicalgeography.net

- Proposed by James Hutton (The Father of Modern Geology

- “The present is the key to the past.”- “The present is the key to the future.”-Advocates the idea that the Earth is continuously modified by geologic processes that have always operated throughout time (at different rates), and that by studying them we can understand how the Earth has evolved through time

What geologists doGEOLOGISTS AT WORK

RELEVANCE TO DAILY LIFE

MINERAL DEPOSITS

RESOURCE EXPLORATION

Earth processes that cause life and property loss:

• Flooding

• Earthquake

• Volcanic Activity

• Landslide

• Mudflows www.pinoyvote.infowww.pinoytutorial.com

By Dwi

Obli,

Reuters

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/1997/fs114-

97/

By Lauro

Naranjo,

2007

GEOHAZARDS

“If we intend to live

on –and with– this

planet, we truly

need to understand

how it works and to

understand the

many components

that make up the

Earth”