November 23, 2022
By Zeke

Geology is a type of natural science that deals with minerals, rocks, and what is under the earth’s surface. It also describes plate tectonics and the history of earth’s climates and continents. Most of Geology is about rocks or minerals, since they make up the earth’s surface and its inside. This can help humans more safely navigate their home planet. 

There are three main types of rocks: Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary. Igneous rock, or Magmatic rock, is formed from the cooling of lava or magma over time. Most of the rocks in the earth’s mantle and crust are Igneous rocks, as are 90% of rocks in the crust. 

Made completely of Igneous rock, volcanoes form when magma and cooling lava come out from the earth’s core and pour out onto the earth’s surface. As the magma cools, it leaves a cone-shaped mountain called a volcano that can still produce magma years later. 

Metamorphic rock is created when older rocks change through a process called metamorphism, which is caused by extreme pressure or heat. Examples of Metamorphic rock are slate, marble, and quartzite. 

Sedimentary rock is formed by the accumulation or deposition of minerals on the earth’s surface. When the minerals break down, they will harden again, forming Sedimentary rock, the most common being sandstone. 73% of the earth’s surface is composed of Sedimentary rock,with common types being quartz, feldspar, mica, and clay. This is why Sedimentary rocks are often found in canyons, where flowing rivers cause erosion, and eventually the sediment is washed away by the water. Moreover, canyons can be further eroded by wind going through the narrow passes of the canyon. 

Under the surface, the earth is divided into 15 separate plates, whose borders are faults and can sometimes shift. The smallest shift can cause an earthquake, usually occurring on fault lines. Also, some Geologists believe that earth’s continents used to be in completely different places, but continental drift occurred and moved them around. There are even some mountain ranges under the oceans caused by the shifting plates, the largest being the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Along with Meteorology and Astronomy, Geology is one of the main earth sciences. It is necessary to study because it can have real-world impacts. Geologists can predict natural disasters such as deadly tsunamis, which are usually caused by underwater earthquakes, erosion of rivers which can cause floods, and avalanches. Therefore, Geology isn’t just the study of the history and age of the earth, but it used to help prevent human loss.