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Physical Geology

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A study guide to accompany the text on the basics of physical geology.

617 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

50 people are currently reading
873 people want to read

About the author

Charles C. Plummer

34 books10 followers

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5 stars
148 (38%)
4 stars
108 (27%)
3 stars
83 (21%)
2 stars
31 (8%)
1 star
17 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for ValerieLyn.
35 reviews13 followers
June 1, 2008
After traipsing around the US west on my recent road trip, and hitting inumerable uber-fabulous interpretive centers at the National and State Parks, I could not help but wonder, what the heck is all this junk I'm lookin' at?

More specifically, it was hard not to wonder why the formations in Arches, those fantastic red liquidy bridges that, before they've been arched by erosion, look like huge sliding screens, layer after layer out to the horizon, are what they are, and not what the formations in Badlands are, colorfully banded mounds, sometimes mesa topped and sporting prairie grass hairdos, sometimes jaggedy ridgelines, sometimes full of the rivulet patterns made by water cutting its way through rock that looks soft enough to take a chunk out with my bare hands. And that is a lot to wonder about.

I also had the good fortune to visit my friend Eco Gwen on the same journey; she is currently enrolled in Geology 101, and while she could not answer all of my questions after 2 weeks in the course, such as what really is the difference between a mineral and a rock, nor could I understand her answers, which had a lot to do with crystalline something or other and atomic structure.

I don't suspect I will become an expert amateur, or if I'll even be able to answer my own question above, that irritating run on sentence comparing Arches and Badlands formations, after I skim this book. But if it answers even 2 or 3 of the hundreds of observations I made out in the wide, wide, world, which so far it has, then indeed, this is a good read.
Profile Image for Maria.
281 reviews33 followers
May 10, 2007
I am such a nerd but I loved this book and this class. I still use it to look stuff up when I am feeling like a big rock nerd.
Profile Image for Nawrast.
70 reviews47 followers
April 7, 2011
My favorite books for general geology
Profile Image for Debra.
10 reviews11 followers
Read
December 18, 2011
I'm reading this book for my Earth Sciences class. I like it because it is easy to read and understand the material.
Profile Image for Eric Northwood.
55 reviews2 followers
May 27, 2021
Recommended by Joey Santore of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't on YouTube. A decent introduction into the field of geology, from rock identification to the concept of plate tectonics. I picked up the 2005 version for cheap online, the first edition with a chapter on the geology of the solar system. I'm interested to look into what has changed in our knowledge of geology in the last 15 years.
Profile Image for Masumi.
13 reviews8 followers
December 22, 2024
This book is great. As a physics student I am constantly reading boring, monochromatic, full of writing textbooks (not a bad thing, just not immersive!), however this textbook is full of colour, images, easy to read tables and subtexts with a SUMMARY!! at the end of the chapter to make sure you learned key concepts. Very good, especially if you are taking first year undergraduate earth sciences.
19 reviews1 follower
October 11, 2017
A good introduction book for a beginner with some basic science background.
Profile Image for Toby Bond.
85 reviews2 followers
September 30, 2020
A fascinating book, pitched at A-level/ 1st year undergraduates. It's a well written general geology book that captures all the main veins extremely well but not in great depth.
146 reviews8 followers
June 27, 2021
Thorough and accessible. What you'd hope for from this level of textbook
Profile Image for Mollie.
415 reviews30 followers
May 31, 2011
This was a nicely illustrated fairly palatable geology textbook. Reader interest was minimal and 32 pages of plate tectonics was a tough wade through, but I learned much and had fun with my husband (a geology fan) studying for this class.

**I only skimmed the last 5 chapters...
Profile Image for Jacky.
63 reviews1 follower
May 18, 2009
Three cheers for geology class!
1 review
Want to read
October 6, 2012
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Profile Image for J.C..
Author 2 books76 followers
May 6, 2014
it didn't make me hate Geology, if that means anything.
1 review
February 23, 2016
I WANT TO READ THIS
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Shoaib Ahmed.
2 reviews
August 13, 2021
I'm reading this book and being a geographer i found it as on of best best source for understanding principles and fundamentals of Geology and Physical Geography.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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