Geology

Learn about geology. Topics include minerals, Earth science, volcanoes, rocks, and important geological cycles.

Coriolis Effect — Learn about the Coriolis effect and Coriolis force. See how the effect works, where it is strongest/weakest, and how to see it for yourself.

Coriolis Effect and Coriolis Force

This entry was posted on August 27, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on September 5, 2023)

Tsunami Diagram — Learn what a tsunami is in science. Get the definition, explanation of how a tsunami works, and indications that one is about to occur.

What Is a Tsunami? Definition and Explanation

This entry was posted on August 23, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on August 25, 2023)

Rock Cycle — Learn about the rock cycle in geology. Get a rock cycle diagram and an explanation of how igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks change.

The Rock Cycle – Diagram and Explanation

This entry was posted on August 22, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on August 25, 2023)

Difference Between Magma and Lava — Learn the difference between magma and lava and explore their temperature, composition, and ability to form rocks.

What Is the Difference Between Magma and Lava? Magma vs ...

This entry was posted on August 6, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on August 15, 2023)

Layers of the Earth — Learn about the layers of the Earth and get facts about their structure, density, thickness, and temperature.

Layers of the Earth

This entry was posted on August 1, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on August 15, 2023)

Richter Scale for Earthquake Magnitude — Learn about the Richter scale and how it measures the magnitude of an earthquake. Compare it to the moment magnitude scale.

Richter Scale and Earthquake Magnitude

This entry was posted on July 19, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on July 30, 2023)

Types of Rocks - Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic — Learn about the three types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Learn their characteristics and get examples of each type.

Types of Rocks – Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic

This entry was posted on July 9, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on August 22, 2023)

How Old Is the Earth — Here is the answer to the question "How old is the Earth?" along with the evidence of how we know the planet's age.

How Old Is the Earth? How Do We Know?

This entry was posted on July 8, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on July 18, 2023)

Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn — Learn about the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Discover how they got their names, their latitude values, and other fun facts.

Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn

This entry was posted on June 20, 2023 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on June 27, 2023)