CHAPTER 1 : INTRODUCTION TO GEOLOGY

Geology study of planet earth, its origin, history, composition, structure and dynamics of how it changes The identification and evaluation of the physical environment of the site The analysis of the impact of the geologic processes on the proposed project Need understanding to geological aspect are construction dam , landslide , rock , construction material and hydro geological Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto.

The Terrestrial Planets

Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars have a compact, rocky surface like the Earth's.

The Jovian Planets

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune they are all gigantic compared with Earth, and they have a gaseous nature like Jupiter's.

Satellites or Moons: are those celestial bodies, each of which are revolving around any of these nine planets Asteroids : are the minor planets generally situated between orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Comets : are the heavenly bodies having along tail pointing approximately away from the sun and a brighter head section Meteors : are smaller solid bodies moving through the space

Earth
Shape - spherical Polar radius - 21 km shorter than equatorial radius Average radius - 6378 km (3965 miles) Surface Area - 510 x 106 km2 (29% is land) Overall Density - 5.5 g/cm3 Mount Everest is 8.8 km above sea level Ocean floor is an average 3.7 km below sea level Average height above sea level is 7 km

Principal Division of Earth

Atmosphere Troposphere and Stratosphere 1. It is a mixture of 98% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapour and minor amount of other gases. 2. divided into two parts which is Troposphere and Stratosphere. 3. Troposhere - the closest to the Earth ~ 13 km. It contains almost all of the water vapour, clouds and storms. 4. Stratosphere - the overlying layer ~ 55 km above the surface, contains the ozone layer. Hydrosphere 1. Total mass of water or the surface of our planet 2. includes about 98% of water in the oceans and 2% in lakes, rivers as well as ground water 3. 71% of Earth covered by oceans to average depth of 4 km 4. Hydrosphere is in constant motion - evaporating through atmosphere, precipitating as rain and returning to Earth. Lithosphere 1. Lithos means rock 2. The solid portion of the Earth composed of crust and upper mantle. 3. It is a layer of rocks about 70 km thick 4. There are three basic types of rock: Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic

The major internal layers based on physical propertie

Lithosphere (rock sphere) 1. The top of the asthenosphere is about 100 km below the surface 2. the material is solid, strong and rigid 3. Contains the continental crust of the uppermost part of the mantle. Asthenosphere (weak sphere) 1. A major zone within the upper mantle 2. The rocks lose much of their strength and become soft plastic and easily deformed 3. . The thickness is about 200 km. Mesosphere 1. The rock below the asthenosphere is stronger and more rigid than the asthenosphere

Core 1. The core of the Earth marks a change in both physical properties and composition 2. composed mostly of iron and is therefore distinctly different from the silicate (rocky) material above

Layers of the earth based on composition

Outer Crust 1. Thickness of crust varies from about 8 km under the oceans to about 35 km under the continents. 2. Continent Crust: 35 - 60 km thick 3. Oceanic Crust : thickness rarely exceed 5 km Mantle 1. this zone constitute 82% of its volume and 68% of mass of the Earth 2. composed of iron and magnesium silicate rock, and it goes down to about 2900 km from surface of Earth. 3. Average density: 4.5 g/cm3 Outer core 1. thickness is about 2250 km and it is made of molten iron and nickel 2. Average density: 10.7 g/cm3 Inner core 1. The thickness' is about 1300 km and probably consists of mostly iron and nickel 2. The temperatures may reach 9000 degrees F. and the pressures are 45,000,000 pounds per square inch 3. Average density: 17.0 g/cm3

The Structure of Earth

Continental Masses = covers about 29% of the earths surface and has an average elevation of about 5 km above the floors of the ocean basins and about 1 km above sea level. Ocean Basins = The greatest part of the hydrosphere - covers about 70% of the earth's surface

Geologic Processes that Change the Earth's Structure

Gradation = Degradation and Aggradation Tectonism = a dynamic process of the lithospheric plate Volcanism = a vent in the earth's crust through which molten rock materials within the earth, lavas, ashes, steam and gas