Contains a brief history of the geologic theories about continental drift, and the observations that ultimately led to the development of the theory of plate tectonics. Helps to demonstrate that the landscape we see at the surface of the Earth is a function of the interactions between internal and external processes. Emphasis on the basic concepts of modern physical geography, and on terminology, history and classification schemes.
Part One: THE THIRD PLANET * Earth in Space: The Science of the Earth System * Earth's Materials: Atoms, Elements, Minerals, and Rocks * Earth in Time: The Rock Record and Geologic Time Part Two: THE DYNAMIC EARTH * Plate Tectonics: A Unifying Theory * Earthquakes and the Earth's Interior * From the Earth's Interior: Volcanoes and Igneous Rocks Part Three: THE CHANGING EARTH * Weathering and Erosion * From Sediment to Rock: Rocks that Form near the Earth's Surface * Folds, Faults, and Geologic Maps * Metamorphism: Making New Rock from Old * The Rock Cycle Revisited: Where Different Rocks Form and Why Part Four: WATER WORLD * Water On and Under the Ground * Oceans, Winds, Waves, and Coastlines * Deserts, Glaciers, and Climatic Change Part Five: LIVING ON PLANET EARTH * A Brief History of Life on Earth * Earth Resources * The Role of Geoscientists in the Twenty--First Century APPENDIX A: Units and their Conversions APPENDIX B: The Chemical Elements APPENDIX C: Bowen's Reaction Series APPENDIX D: Interpreting Geologic Maps