Earth Science: Branches, History, and Applications

Geology is the science that studies the composition, structure, and evolution of the Earth over geologic time. It is divided into several branches:

1. General Geology: Describes the physical characteristics of the land.
2. Petrography: Deals with the study of rocks.
3. Geotectonics: Studies the planet's interior and the phenomena of the crust, such as faults and folds.
4. Geomorphology: Analyzes the Earth's landforms and the factors leading to their transformation.
5. Mineralogy and Crystallography: Dedicated to the analysis of minerals and their behavior in nature.
6. Meteorology: Studies the atmosphere.
7. Oceanography: Investigates large bodies of water and their depths.
8. Geological History: Studies geological time, eras, or ages.

Brief History of Geology

The science of geology began to develop in 1605, attributed to Aldrovandus, and was further developed in 1687 through Nicolaus Steno's work. However, it began to expand almost a century later.

Geology in Everyday Life

Geology helps us understand our environment and the world around us. The need to improve our environment by searching for natural resources and understanding geological and mineralogical processes has led to a better understanding of Earth's processes.

Basic Sciences that Underpin Geology

Astronomy, chemistry, physics, and biology.

Sciences and Specialties that Assist Geology

Anthropology, geography, and economics.

Science and Specialty Definitions

• Stratigraphy: Studies and interprets stratified sedimentary rocks, including their identification, sequencing, and horizontal and vertical relationships.
• Crystallography: Considers the geometric description, internal organization, and properties of solids called crystal polyhedra.
• Geophysics: Studies the Earth from a physical point of view, including phenomena related to its physical state, structure, and evolutionary history.
• Historical Geology: Seeks to understand the origin of the Earth and its evolution over time.
• Geodynamics: Studies the actors and forces involved in the dynamic processes of the Earth.
• Physical Geology: Studies the materials that comprise the Earth and seeks to understand the processes operating below and above the Earth's surface.
• Structural Geology: Studies the Earth's crust, its structure, and the rocks related to it, including the geometry and position of rocks on the surface.
• External Geodynamics: Studies the processes that occur on the Earth's surface.
• Petrography: Studies rocks descriptively, including their mineralogical composition and structure.
• Sedimentology: Studies the processes of formation, transport, and deposition of material that accumulates as sediment in continental and marine environments.
• Geothermal Energy: Studies the thermal energy accumulated under the Earth's surface in areas of high-pressure water.
• Geohydrology: Studies the surface water and groundwater that exist on Earth to determine their location.
• Seismology: Studies earthquakes and seismic waves.
• Photogeology: Specializes in the study of planetary bodies' surfaces through satellite images.
• Cosmology: Studies the large-scale structure and history of the universe as a whole.
• Biogeology: Studies living beings inhabiting a region or geography.
• Economic Geology: Studies minerals that humans extract from the Earth for their needs and comforts.
• Environmental Geology: Applies geological knowledge to environmental investigations.
• Geotechnical Engineering: Studies the techniques and structures of crustal materials for engineering purposes. Its application is to observe, diagnose, design, and review geotechnical problems.