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Earth Materials

Components of a Diverse Planet

Dexter Perkins author Adam Simon author Kevin Henke author Lance Yarbrough author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd

Published:13th Aug '19

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

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Earth Materials cover

This comprehensive textbook covers a wide range of inorganic Earth materials, making Earth Materials a valuable resource for students and professionals alike.

This textbook provides an extensive overview of inorganic Earth materials, making it an essential resource for undergraduate students in geoscience, mineralogy, and petrology. Earth Materials is designed to cater to a diverse audience, including engineers and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of Earth's components. It addresses the growing demand for a comprehensive textbook that integrates the study of minerals, rocks, and various Earth materials.

Earth Materials goes beyond traditional textbooks by offering chapters that encompass not only minerals and rocks but also sediments, stratigraphy, weathering, soils, and the hydrosphere. Additionally, it includes discussions on mineral and energy deposits, as well as introductions to soil and rock mechanics. This holistic approach encourages students to perceive Earth as a dynamic system, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of its materials.

The book is crafted to promote active learning and inquiry, steering clear of the typical encyclopedic format. Each chapter begins with an engaging story or vignette, which sets the stage for exploration. The integration of photographs and graphics enhances the learning experience, making complex concepts more accessible. Overall, Earth Materials serves as a vital tool for students and professionals alike, enriching their knowledge of Earth's intricate systems.

The geologists who wrote this textbook, including Perkins (Univ. of North Dakota) and three coauthors, have adopted a broader focus on earth materials than is usual in geology texts, where emphasis is frequently limited to inorganic material. Beyond the expected chapters on rock classification and crystallography, these authors also highlight the various systems that affect earth materials, such as tectonics, hydrology, and erosion, including the results of weathering. Readers will even find chapters on human-influenced geology, as demonstrated in the energy and engineering sectors by such activities as fracking and mining. This unusual breadth of material allows for context and relationships to be featured, but also results in the fact that no particular topic is treated in great depth. Written to engage introductory-level readers, the text is structured so that each chapter begins with an interesting narrative or famous example of the subject at hand and concludes with review questions. Nearly every page features at least one photographic image, figure, or graph in support of the text to demonstrate the concepts covered in the text. Advanced researchers will prefer books that focus on a narrower range of topics but in more detail. Novices will appreciate the conversational style adopted here, along with the relatively short narratives and frequent illustrations.

Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates. General readers.

J.M. Cook (University of West Georgia) in CHOICE, July 2020 Vol. 57, No. 11

ISBN: 9780367185947

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 1656g

556 pages