Book Title: Introduction to Earth Science, Second Edition
Book Description:
Introduction to Earth Science, Second Edition is an open textbook designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to Earth Science that can be freely accessed online, read offline, printed, or purchased as a print-on-demand book. It is intended for a typical 1000-level university introductory course in the Geosciences, although its contents could be applied to many other related courses.
This text includes various important features designed to enhance the student learning experience in introductory Earth Science courses. These include a multitude of high-quality figures and images within each chapter that help to clarify key concepts. Self-test assessment questions are embedded in each online chapter that help students focus their learning. QR codes are provided for each assessment to allow students using print or PDF versions to easily access the quiz from an internet-capable device of their choice.
The sequence of the book differs from mainstream commercial texts. It has been arranged to present elementary or foundational knowledge regarding rocks and minerals prior to discussion of more complex topics in Earth Science. Similar to the layout of the first edition, this book dedicates one chapter to each of the three major rock types, the processes of mass wasting, geological time, Earth history, and the origin of the universe and our Solar System. Additionally, the second edition includes a new chapter on meteorology, and combines the previously separate chapters on deserts and glaciers into a single, comprehensive chapter that explores these extreme environments.
Note to instructors: To access this text in different formats (PDF, EPUB, and print), please visit https://doi.org/10.21061/introearthscience2e.
Instructors reviewing, adopting, or adapting this textbook: please help us understand your use by filling out this form: https://bit.ly/interest_intro_earth_science.
Contents
Book Information
Book Description
Introduction to Earth Science, Second Edition is an open textbook designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to Earth Science that can be freely accessed online, read offline, printed, or purchased as a print-on-demand book. It is intended for a typical 1000-level university introductory course in the Geosciences, although its contents could be applied to many other related courses.
This text includes various important features designed to enhance the student learning experience in introductory Earth Science courses. These include a multitude of high-quality figures and images within each chapter that help to clarify key concepts. Self-test assessment questions are embedded in each online chapter that help students focus their learning. QR codes are provided for each assessment to allow students using print or PDF versions to easily access the quiz from an internet-capable device of their choice.
The sequence of the book differs from mainstream commercial texts. It has been arranged to present elementary or foundational knowledge regarding rocks and minerals prior to discussion of more complex topics in Earth Science. Similar to the layout of the first edition, this book dedicates one chapter to each of the three major rock types, the processes of mass wasting, geological time, Earth history, and the origin of the universe and our Solar System. Additionally, the second edition includes a new chapter on meteorology, and combines the previously separate chapters on deserts and glaciers into a single, comprehensive chapter that explores these extreme environments.
Note to instructors: To access this text in different formats (PDF, EPUB, and print), please visit https://doi.org/10.21061/introearthscience2e.
Instructors reviewing, adopting, or adapting this textbook: please help us understand your use by filling out this form: https://bit.ly/interest_intro_earth_science.
Book Source
This book is a cloned version of An Introduction to Geology by Chris Johnson, Matthew D. Affolter, Paul Inkenbrandt, and Cam Mosher, published using Pressbooks under a CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license. It may differ from the original.
License
Introduction to Earth Science, Second Edition Copyright © 2025 by Laura Neser is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Subject
Earth sciences
Metadata
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Introduction to Earth Science, Second Edition Copyright © 2025 by Laura Neser is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
© Laura Neser, 2025. Introduction to Earth Science, Second Edition by Laura Neser is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
You are free to copy, share, adapt, remix, transform, and build on the material for any primarily noncommercial purpose as long as you follow the terms of the license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0.
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Attributions: This work includes content from multiple sources reproduced under the terms of Creative Commons licenses, Public Domain, and Fair Use. Specifically: Most chapters in this textbook match the organization of An Introduction to Geology (CC BY-NC-SA) with the exception of Chapter 14 and Chapter 17. Chapter 14 was adapted from parts of Chapter 9 of Physical Geography and Natural Disasters (CC BY-NC-SA) and Chapter 11 of Dynamic Planet: Exploring Geological Disasters and Environmental Change (CC BY-NC-SA), as well as parts of Chapter 15 of Principles of Earth Science (CC BY-NC-SA). Chapter 17 was adapted from parts of Chapter 22 of Physical Geology, 2nd edition (CC BY), and parts of Chapter 7 of OpenStax Astronomy, 2nd edition (CC BY). Parts of Chapters 15 and 16 were adapted from Introduction to Environmental Science, 2nd edition (CC BY-NC-SA). Parts of Chapter 16 were also adapted from Introduction to Environmental Sciences and Sustainability (CC BY).
Suggested citation: Neser, Laura (2025). Introduction to Earth Science. Second Edition, Blacksburg: Virginia Tech Department of Geosciences. https://doi.org/10.21061/introearthscience2e. Licensed with CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0.
Publisher: This work is published by the Virginia Tech Department of Geosciences in association with the Open Education Initiative and Virginia Tech Publishing.
Virginia Tech Department of Geosciences
4044 Derring Hall, 926 West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Open Education Initiative, University Libraries at Virginia Tech
560 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
Virginia Tech Publishing, University Libraries at Virginia Tech
560 Drillfield Drive Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA
https://publishing.vt.edu | publishing@vt.edu
Accessibility statement: Virginia Tech is committed to making its publications accessible in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The text, images, and links in the PDF version of this text are tagged structurally and include alternative text, which allows for machine readability. We are continuously working to improve accessibility and welcome any feedback from readers.
Publication cataloging information:
Neser, Laura, author
Introduction to Earth Science / Laura Neser
Pages cm
ISBN 978-1-962841-24-5 (PDF)
ISBN 978-1-962841-23-8 (ePub)
ISBN 978-1-962841-25-2 (Pressbooks) https://pressbooks.lib.vt.edu/introearthscience2e
ISBN 978-1-962841-22-1 (Print)
URI (Universal Resource Identifier): https://hdl.handle.net/10919/124132
DOI https://doi.org/10.21061/introearthscience2e
Earth sciences—Textbooks.
QE26.3 .N47 2025
Disclaimer: This work may contain components (e.g., illustrations, or quotations) not covered by the license. Every effort has been made to clearly identify these components but ultimately it is your responsibility to independently evaluate the copyright status of any work or component part of a work you use, in light of your intended use. Please check the references at the end of each chapter before redistributing.
Cover image: Jesse Bowser via Unsplash, Unsplash license
Cover design: Kindred Grey