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Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, 13th edition

Published by Pearson (September 4, 2019) © 2020

  • Edward J. Tarbuck (Emeritus) Illinois Central College
  • Frederick K Lutgens
  • Dennis G. Tasa Tasa Graphic Arts, Inc.
  • Scott Linneman Western Washington University

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For all introductory physical geology courses.

Bringing Earth to life

Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology is a leading text in the field, characterized by no-nonsense, student-friendly writing, excellent illustrations, and a modular structured learning path. The learning path is driven by learning objectives that allow students to demonstrate their understanding at the end of each section. The authors' emphasis on currency and relevance includes the latest thinking in the field.

The 13th Edition features significant content updates, a new Geology in the News feature to promote student engagement, and a new Data Analysis feature to help students develop critical thinking skills.

Hallmark features of this title

  • The Modular learning path focuses students on important ideas and assesses progress at frequent intervals.
  • Focus on Concepts start each chapter with learning objectives that correspond to each chapter major section and provide a clear path to the content.
  • Concept Checks conclude each chapter section with questions tied to learning objective, allowing students to monitor their grasp of key facts and ideas.
  • End-of-Chapter Concepts in Review sections provide a concise chapter overview.
  • Give It Some Thought questions ask students to analyze, synthesize and think critically about geology.
  • A bold, magazine-style graphic design helps to make the text approachable and readable.
  • Concepts in Review provides a structured and highly visual review of the chapter.

New and updated features of this title

  • Data Analysis end-of-chapter features send students outside of the book to online science tools and data sets to help them develop data analysis and critical thinking skills.
  • Podcast-style Concept Checkers offer an audio review of the Concept Checks to aid in student self-study.
  • Geology in the News features begin each chapter, illustrating to students the importance and relevance of the chapter's core topics by providing real-world connections.
  • Updated content, data, and information ensures the text is current, relevant and highly readable for beginning students. Many discussions, case studies, examples, and illustrations have been updated or revised.

Features of Mastering Geology for the 13th Edition

  • NEW: MapMaster 2.0 Interactive Map Activities. inspired by GIS, allow students to layer various thematic maps to analyze spatial patterns and data at regional and global scales. This tool allows students to geolocate themselves in the data and upload their own data for map making.
  • NEW: 3D models allow students to get virtually hands on with rocks, minerals, and outcrops through guided exploration.
  • UPDATED: SmartFigure Mobile Field Trips in the air and on the ground take students to iconic locations with geologist-pilot-photographer Michael Collier to learn about iconic landscapes in North America and beyond.
  • Brief animations, by text illustrator Dennis Tasa, animate a process or concept depicted in the text's figures. Students see moving figures rather than static art to depict how geologic processes move throughout time.
  • SmartFigure Project Condor Quadcopter Videos feature 3 geologists who venture into the field and use a quadcopter-mounted GoPro camera to film key geologic locations and processes.
  • SmartFigure Tutorials present a 3- to 4-minute feature (mini lesson) with most narrated and annotated by Professor Callan Bentley. Each lesson examines and explains the concepts illustrated by the figure with over 150 SmartFigure Tutorials in the text.

Features of Pearson eText for the 13th Edition

  • NEW: 3D models allow students to get “virtually hands on” with rocks, minerals, and outcrops through guided exploration. Links to 3D models are embedded in the eText.
  • SmartFigure Project Condor Quadcopter Videos feature 3 geologists who venture into the field and use a quadcopter-mounted GoPro camera to film key geologic locations and processes. These process-oriented videos can be accessed through media links embedded links in the eText.
  • Brief animations, by text illustrator Dennis Tasa, animate a process or concept depicted in the text's figures. Students see moving figures rather than static art to depict how geologic processes move throughout time.
  1. An Introduction to Geology
  2. Plate Tectonics: A Scientific Revolution Unfolds
  3. Matter and Minerals
  4. Igneous Rocks and Intrusive Activity
  5. Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards
  6. Weathering and Soils
  7. Sedimentary Rocks
  8. Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks
  9. Geologic Time
  10. Crustal Deformation
  11. Earthquakes and Earthquake Hazards
  12. Earth's Interior
  13. Origin and Evolution of the Ocean Floor
  14. Mountain Building
  15. Mass Movement: The Work of Gravity
  16. Running Water
  17. Groundwater
  18. Glaciers and Glaciation
  19. Deserts and Winds
  20. Shorelines
  21. Global Climate Change
  22. Earth's Evolution Through Geologic Time
  23. Energy and Mineral Resources
  24. Touring Our Solar System

APPENDIX

  • Metric and English Units Compared

About our authors

Fred Lutgens and Ed Tarbuck have been good friends and colleagues since 1970. Between them, they have more than 57 years of experience teaching geology to undergraduates, and both have been recognized with awards as excellent and inspiring professors. They share a special interest in introducing geology to beginning students and a belief in the value of field experiences for students of all levels.

Lutgens and Tarbuck published their first college text, Earth Science, in 1976. That book, winner of the McGuffy Award from the Text and Academic Authors Association, is now going into its 15th edition. In 1983, as the 1st edition of Earth was being prepared, gifted geology illustrator Dennis Tasa joined the author team. Since then the three have collaborated on more than 20 projects. Not only do Tarbuck, Lutgens, and Tasa work well together creatively, they also enjoy spending time in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near Tasa's New Mexico studio.

Tarbuck enjoys downhill skiing in Colorado, fly fishing near his childhood home in Northern Minnesota, and spending time in the Cascades. Lutgens is an avid runner, and when he can make the time, truly enjoys hiking the canyons of the Colorado Plateau. Although Lutgens and Tarbuck think alike on many issues, they don't agree on everything. Lutgens is devoted to jazz and classical music, whereas Tarbuck prefers pop artists or a good country station.

Dr. Scott Linneman is a Professor of Geology and Science Education at Western Washington University in Bellingham WA. Having earned a B.A. from Carleton College in Minnesota, and a Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming, Scott's research spans the fields of geomorphology as well as igneous petrology and volcanology. In 2011, he was named the Higher Education Science Teacher of the Year for Washington by the Washington Science Teachers Association, and in 2013 he was chosen the Carnegie Professor of the Year for Washington State. He currently serves as the Director of the Western Washington University Honors Program.

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