The Heavens & The Earth: Excursions in Earth and Space Science

Chapter 1 The Earth Is the LORD’s
1.1 An Interdisciplinary Science
1.2 Models of Earth and Its History
1.3 Doing Good Science
1.4 The Earth: Components and Context
1.4.1 Atmosphere
1.4.2 Hydrosphere
1.4.3 Geosphere
1.4.4 Biosphere
1.5 Earth Science: Systems and Synthesis
1.6 Dominion, Stewardship, and the Environment

Chapter 2 Minerals
2.1 Introduction
2.2 What Exactly Is a Mineral?
2.3 Atoms and Bonding: Foundations of Minerals
2.3.1 Elements, Atoms, and Electrons
2.3.2 Types of Bonds
2.3.3 The Making of Mineral Crystals
2.4 Determining Mineral Identities
2.4.1 Optical Properties
2.4.2 Shape Properties
2.4.3 Mass-Related Properties
2.4.4 Mechanical Properties
2.4.5 Other Properties
2.5 Classifying Minerals into Groups
2.5.1 Silicate Minerals
2.5.2 Non-silicate Minerals
2.6 Mineral Uses: Practical Players to Precious Gems

Chapter 3 The Earth’s Rocks
3.1 Introduction
3.2 The Rock Cycle
3.3 Igneous Rocks
3.3.1 Classification and Identification of Igneous Rocks
3.3.2 The Cooling and Crystallization of Igneous Rocks
3.3.3 Useful Types of Igneous Rocks
3.4 Sedimentary Rocks
3.4.1 The Classification of Sedimentary Rocks
3.4.2 Sedimentary Structures
3.4.3 Important Sedimentary Rocks
3.5 Metamorphic Rocks
3.5.1 The Classification of Metamorphic Rocks
3.5.2 Useful Metamorphic Rocks

Chapter 4 Plate Tectonics
4.1 Early Clues
4.2 Almost There: Continental Drift
4.2.1 Wegener’s Evidence for Continental Drift
4.2.2 Wegener’s Problem of Mechanism
4.3 The Plate Tectonics Revolution
4.3.1 Magnetism and the Rock Record
4.3.2 Ocean Features and Composition
4.3.3 Putting It All Together
4.4 A Closer Look at Plate Boundaries
4.5 Hot Spots and Plate Rates
4.6 Noah’s Flood: Where Scripture Meets Geology
4.6.1 Scriptural Framework
4.6.2 Catastrophic Plate Tectonics

Chapter 5 The Restless Earth
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Does Rock Bend or Break?
5.2.1 Types of Folds
5.2.2 Types of Faults
5.3 Earthquakes
5.3.1 Earthquake Generation
5.3.2 Seismic Waves
5.3.3 Measurement of Earthquakes
5.3.4 Types of Earthquake Damage
5.4 The Interior of the Earth
5.5 Volcanoes
5.5.1 Volcanic Materials
5.5.2 Volcanic Dangers
5.5.3 Types of Volcanoes
5.5.4 Caldera Formation
5.5.5 Lava Floods
5.6 Case Study: Mt. St. Helens

Chapter 6 Reading the Record of the Rocks
6.1 A History of Earth History
6.2 Rules for Reading Rocks
6.3 Fossils
6.4 Correlation and the Geologic Column
6.5 Rocks as Clocks
6.5.1 Types of Radioactive Decay
6.5.2 Decay Rates and Half-Lives
6.6 Young-Earth Studies Challenge Old-Earth Dates

Chapter 7 Earth’s Geologic History: Two Contrasting Views
7.1 A Unique History
7.2 Naturalistic Evolutionary View of Earth History
7.2.1 Early Planet Formation Through the Proterozoic
7.2.2 The Paleozoic Era
7.2.3 The Mesozoic Era
7.2.4 The Cenozoic Era
7.3 Young-Earth Creation Views of Earth History
7.3.1 Creation Week
7.3.2 From the Fall to Noah
7.3.3 Noah’s Flood
7.3.4 The Post-Flood to Today
7.4 Challenges and Opportunities

Chapter 8 Soils, Weathering and Mass Wasting
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Soil
8.3 Weathering and Erosional Processes
8.3.1 Chemical Weathering
8.3.2 Mechanical Weathering Processes
8.3.3 Special Types of Weathering
8.4 Mass Wasting
8.4.1 Falls
8.4.2 Slides
8.4.3 Slow Flows
8.4.4 Rapid Flows
8.4.5 Mediation of Mass Movements
8.5 Mass Wasting Following Noah’s Flood

Chapter 9 Streams and Groundwater
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The Hydrologic Cycle
9.3 The Work of Streams
9.3.1 Stream Erosion
9.3.2 Stream Transportation
9.3.3 Stream Deposition
9.4 Floods
9.5 Types of Streams
9.6 The Role of Groundwater in the Hydrologic Cycle
9.6.1 The Water Table
9.6.2 Wells and Springs
9.7 Groundwater Use and Problems
9.7.1 Home Uses
9.7.2 Large-Scale Use
9.8 Caves and Karst Features
9.9 Hot Groundwater

Chapter 10 Glaciers and Deserts
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Glaciers and the Ice Age
10.2.1 What Is a Glacier?
10.2.2 What Caused the Ice Age?
10.2.3 Glacial Movement
10.2.4 Landforms Made by Continental Glaciation
10.2.5 Landforms Made by Alpine Glaciation
10.3 Deserts
10.3.1 Why Do Deserts Form?
10.3.2 Desert Landforms
10.3.3 Sand Dunes
10.4 Are There Fossilized Sand Dunes?

Chapter 11 Earth Resources: Provisions from God’s Creation
11.1 Caretakers of Creation
11.2 Resource Use in the Modern World
11.3 Energy Resources: Fossil Fuels
11.3.1 Coal
11.3.2 Petroleum
11.3.3 Natural Gas
11.4 Energy Resources: Nuclear Power
11.5 Energy Resources: Renewables
11.5.1 Solar
11.5.2 Wind
11.5.3 Geothermal Energy
11.5.4 Hydroelectricity
11.5.5 Biomass and Biofuels
11.6 Looking Forward: Resources and Climate
11.6.1 Resources
11.6.2 Climate

Chapter 12 Oceans and Coastal Systems
12.1 Circulation in the World Ocean
12.1.1 Surface Currents
12.1.2 Thermohaline Circulation
12.1.3 Tidal Currents
12.2 Tides
12.2.1 Lunar and Solar Tides
12.2.2 Tidal Patterns
12.3 Waves: Formation and Travel
12.3.1 The Making of a Wave
12.3.2 Wave Interactions at the Shore
12.4 Coastal Areas and Landforms
12.4.1 The Shore Region
12.4.2 Erosional and Depositional Landforms
12.4.3 Subemergent and Emergent Coastlines
12.5 People, the Coast, and Rising Waters
12.5.1 Living with a River of Sand
12.5.2 Rising Seas and Sinking Land

Chapter 13 Earth’s Atmosphere
13.1 Weather and Climate
13.2 The Atmosphere
13.2.1 Atmosphere’s Composition
13.2.2 Trace Gases and Pollutants
13.2.3 Origin of the Atmosphere
13.2.4 Density and Pressure
13.2.5 Layers of the Atmosphere
13.3 Temperature and Heating
13.3.1 Types of Heating
13.3.2 Heat: Transport of Energy
13.4 The Sun and the Atmosphere
13.4.1 Daily Cycle
13.4.2 The Effect of Latitude
13.4.3 Seasons
13.4.4 Albedo
13.5 Energy Balance
13.6 Changing Climate
13.6.1 Feedback Mechanisms
13.6.2 The Atmospheric Effect
13.6.3 Greenhouse Gases
13.6.4 Global Warming
13.7 Climate Zones
13.7.1 Köppen Climate Classification
13.7.2 Climate Sensitivity

Chapter 14 Phenomena and Processes of the Atmosphere
14.1 Water Vapor and Humidity
14.1.1 Evaporation
14.1.2 Humidity
14.1.3 Effects of Humidity
14.2 Rising Air
14.2.1 Lapse Rates
14.2.2 Atmospheric Stability
14.2.3 Forced Instability
14.3 Clouds
14.3.1 Fog
14.3.2 Types of Clouds
14.4 Colors of the Atmosphere
14.5 Precipitation
14.5.1 Formation of Precipitation
14.5.2 Measuring Precipitation
14.6 Winds
14.6.1 Thermal Circulation
14.6.2 Forces Affecting Winds
14.6.3 Large Scale Winds

Chapter 15 Weather Patterns and Forecasting
15.1 Micrometeorology
15.2 Global Circulation
15.2.1 Circulation Cells
15.2.2 Global Pressure and Wind Patterns
15.2.3 El Niño
15.3 Air Masses
15.4 Fronts
15.4.1 Cold Front
15.4.2 Warm Front
15.4.3 Occluded Front
15.5 Thunderstorms
15.5.1 Thunderstorm Development
15.5.2 Lightning
15.6 Tornadoes
15.6.1 Tornado Formation
15.6.2 Tornado Damage
15.6.3 Tornado Watches and Warnings
15.7 Hurricanes
15.7.1 Hurricane Formation
15.7.2 Hurricane Damage
15.7.3 Hurricane Prediction
15.8 Weather Forecasting
15.8.1 Forecasting History
15.8.2 Forecasting Techniques
15.8.3 Numerical Forecasts
15.8.4 Satellite Meteorology

Chapter 16 Our Solar System
16.1 Earth as a Planet
16.2 A Survey of the Solar System
16.3 The Moon
16.4 Eclipses
16.5 Lunar Features
16.6 Two Types of Planets
16.7 What About Pluto?
16.8 Comets
16.9 Minor Planets
16.10 Meteors
16.11 The Origin of the Solar System

Chapter 17 Beyond Us: Outside Our Solar System
17.1 The Sun
17.2 Constellations
17.3 Stars
17.5 Star Clusters
17.6 Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram
17.7 Theories of Stellar Evolution
17.8 Neutron Stars
17.9 Black Holes

Chapter 18 Models of Cosmic Origin
18.1 The Milky Way
18.2 Other Galaxies
18.3 Distances to Galaxies
18.4 Active Galaxies
18.5 Cosmology: The Expansion of the Universe
18.6 Cosmogony: The Big Bang
18.7 The Light Travel Time Problem

Glossary

Index