Earth Science and the Environment 4th Edition by GRAHAM R.THOMPSON, PHD
ISBN 0495112879
Sequence of Topics
Because different earth science courses can have many different
emphases, information presented in these courses
can follow a wide variety of logical sequences. In this
book, we have chosen to introduce Earth?s materials and
geological time, and then to start from Earth?s interior and
work outward. Thus the book is divided into six units:
Unit 1: Earth Materials and Time
Unit 2: Internal Processes
Unit 3: Surface Processes
Unit 4: The Oceans
Unit 5: The Atmosphere
Unit 6: Astronomy
Some instructors may prefer other sequences for
covering these topics. The structure of this book allows
many alternative sequences.
Special Features
In previous editions of Earth Science, we isolated many
topics and Case Histories into Focus On boxes that
were set aside and highlighted in color. The rationale was
that some topics are not necessary to the sequential development
of each chapter but may be of interest to certain
classes. In this edition, we felt that most of these
topics are so integral to the discussions that they should
be incorporated with the text and not set aside. Thus, we
maintain a few Focus On boxes to highlight some examples,
but, in most cases, we have fused the main text information
with the examples.
