Earth Science

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.

1. Introduction to Earth Science   
PART 1: EARTH MATERIALS  2. Matter and Minerals  3. Rocks: Materials of the Solid Earth   
PART 2: FORCES WITHIN  4. Plate Tectonics: A Scientific Revolution Unfolds  5. Earthquakes and Earth’s Interior  6. Volcanoes and Other Igneous Activity  7. Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building   
PART 3: SCULPTING THE EARTH’S SURFACE  8. Weathering, Soil, and Mass Movement  9. Running Water and Groundwater  10. Glaciers, Deserts, and Wind   
PART 4: DECIPHERING EARTH’S HISTORY  11. Geologic Time  12. Earth’s Evolution Through Geologic Time  

PART 5: THE GLOBAL OCEAN

13. The Ocean Floor

14. Ocean Water and Ocean Life

15. The Dynamic Ocean

 

PART 6: EARTH’S DYNAMIC ATMOSPHERE

16. The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, and Temperature

17. Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation

18. Air Pressure and Wind

19. Weather Patterns and Severe Storms

20. World Climates and Global Climate Change

 

PART 7: EARTH’S PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE

21. Origins of Modern Astronomy

22. Touring Our Solar System

23. Light, Telescopes, and the Sun

24. Beyond Our Solar System

 

APPENDICES

A. Metric and English Units Compared

B. Relative Humidity and Dew-Point Tables