The Student's Elements of Geology

Name: The Student's Elements of Geology
Author: Sir Charles Lyell

By Sir Charles Lyell

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About This Book

A concise student manual presents the principles and observations of geology for beginners, explaining the materials of the earth's crust and how they are arranged. It classifies rocks by origin and age, distinguishing aqueous, volcanic, plutonic, and metamorphic formations and describing their mineral composition and stratification. The text examines fossil distribution and methods for recognizing marine versus fresh-water deposits, using organic remains to infer successive environments. It treats processes of consolidation and petrifaction, including concretion, mineralization, and cast formation. Finally, it discusses elevation and deformation of strata — folding, faulting, dip and strike — and illustrates these topics with practical examples and figures.

About the Author

Sir Charles Lyell

Sir Charles Lyell was a prominent Scottish geologist whose work laid the foundation for modern geology. He is best known for his influential book "Principles of Geology," where he introduced the concept of uniformitarianism, asserting that the Earth's features were shaped by continuous and observable processes over time. Lyell's meticulous observations and systematic approach to geological phenomena significantly advanced the understanding of Earth's history and its inhabitants. His other notable works include "A Manual of Elementary Geology" and "The Antiquity of Man," which further explored geological changes and human evolution. Lyell's contributions have had a lasting impact on both geology and the broader scientific community.