Geologi

Geology is the science that studies Earth, including its materials (rocks and minerals), processes (such as weathering, erosion, volcanism, and tectonics), history, and the structure of its interior and surface. It seeks to understand the origin, evolution, and current state of the planet and the physical and chemical processes that shape it.

The field comprises subdisciplines such as mineralogy, petrology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, palaeontology, geophysics, geochemistry, geomorphology, hydrogeology, engineering geology, and environmental geology. Geologists use field observations, rock outcrops, core samples, and laboratory analyses to interpret Earth's history. Core methods include radiometric dating, fossil correlation, stratigraphic correlation, and the use of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS).

The unifying framework is plate tectonics, which explains the movement of lithospheric plates and associated phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanism, mountain building, and the formation of ocean basins. The geological timescale organizes Earth's history into eons, eras, and periods based on fossil and rock records.

Applications of geology include exploration for minerals and energy resources, groundwater assessment, natural hazard analysis and mitigation, construction geology, environmental management, and climate research through sedimentary records and palaeoclimate data. The field provides essential insights for resource management, hazard preparedness, and understanding long-term planetary processes.