The Handy Geology Answer Book

Answers hundreds of questions on the most interesting of topics--planet Earth It's right under our feet every day--Earth and all its glorious components. From fossils, rocks, and minerals to caves, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions, The Handy Geology Answer Book traces the formation of the universe and the planet, investigating the layers of the planet and explaining the formation of mountains and bodies of water. Questions and answers are also devoted to physical and chemical processes, fossil fuels, the effects of global warming on glaciers, world morphological features, and even the geology of other planets. It answers nearly 1,000 of the most frequently asked questions on the complexities that shaped our planet. It is also a trivia buff's delight with the stats for Earth's deepest (the Mariana, the deepest-known ocean trench), lowest (the shoreline of the Dead Sea), highest (Mt. Everest), the longest river (the Nile), and the largest freshwater lake (Lake Superior) along with the "how and why" of these features. Easy to understand and use, The Handy Geology Answer Book is invaluable for students and general science readers of all ages. With more than 100 photos and illustrations, this informative book also includes a resource section on educational places, government organizations, and other references, a helpful bibliography, an extensive index, and a glossary of terms, adding to its usefulness. From the microscopic formation of crystals to the titanic, eons-long processes that result in islands, volcanoes, mountains, glaciers, oceans, continents, and even planets, you'll learn about the events that created today's world and the changes that continue to affect Earth every day.