Includes index

Preface -- Acknowledgements -- 1. Introduction: a mighty matter of legend -- 2. Inside and outside: the solid Earth and the atmosphere -- 3. Earthquakes -- 4. Plate tectonics -- 5. Volcanoes -- 6. Igneous intrusions -- 7. Metamorphism -- 8. Weathering, erosion and transport -- 9. Deposition of sediment and the origin of sedimentary rocks -- 10. Deformation of rocks -- 11. Physical resources -- 12. Past life and fossils -- 13. A short history of the Earth -- 14. Solar System geology -- 15. Going into the field -- Appendix 1: Minerals -- Appendix 2: Rock names: Igneous rocks; Metamorphic rocks; Sedimentary rocks -- Appendix 3: Geological time -- Glossary -- Answers -- Plates

Geology: A Complete Introduction is designed to give you everything you need to succeed, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear English, and then providing added-value features like a glossary of the essential jargon terms, links to useful websites, and even examples of questions you might be asked in a seminar or exam. --Publisher

Written by David Rothery, who is Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the Open University, Geology: A Complete Introduction is designed to give you everything you need to succeed, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear English, and then providing added-value features like a glossary of the essential jargon terms, links to useful websites, and even examples of questions you might be asked in a seminar or exam. The book uses a structure chosen to cover the essentials of most school and university courses on Geology. Topics covered include the Earth's structure, earthquakes, plate tectonics, volcanoes, igneous intrusions, metamorphism, weathering, erosion, deposition, deformation, physical resources, past life and fossils, the history of the Earth, Solar System geology, and geological fieldwork. There are useful appendices of minerals, rock names and geological time