GCSE Geology Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Overview of Eduqas GCSE Geology.
• Expert-verified content.
• Free resources available online to aid revision.

Topic 1: Rocks and Minerals

Minerals

• Formation: Crystallization, metamorphic recrystallization, solution crystallization, cementation, hydrothermal fluids.
• Examples: Quartz, feldspar, mica, olivine.

Laboratory Techniques

• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): High magnification imaging.
• Electron Microprobe Analysis: Determines elemental composition.

Igneous Rocks

• Properties: Color, texture (crystal size, equi-crystalline, porphyritic, orientation).
• Types and Composition:
  • Peridotite: Coarse, olivine.
  • Basalt: Fine, feldspar.
  • Andesite: Medium, mica.
  • Granite: Coarse, quartz.

Cooling Rate and Magma Viscosity

• Relationship between cooling rate and crystal size (faster cooling = smaller crystals).
• Magma viscosity influences volcanic activity and volcano shape.

Topic 2: Earth and Its History

Rock Cycle

• Transformation process: sedimentary ↔ metamorphic ↔ igneous.

Plate Tectonics

• Earth's layers: crust, mantle, core.
• Lithosphere and asthenosphere interactions.
• Plate movement: Divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.
• Drivers: Slab pull, ridge push, mantle drag.

Historical Evidence

• Continental drift, seafloor spreading, magnetic striping, and fossil records.
• Impact on geological features: ridges, trenches, earthquakes.

Climate Change Evidence

• Historical climate changes through glacial deposits, limestone formations.
• Role of tectonic movement on latitude and climate.

Carbon Dioxide and Climate

• Sources: Volcanic emissions, fossil fuel burning.
• Historical analysis using ice cores and sedimentary rocks.

Topic 3: Planetary Geology

• Earth vs. other planets: Similarities and differences.
• Impact of meteorites on geological understanding.
• Examples of planetary landforms: volcanism, erosion, tectonics.

Topic 4: Human Interaction with Earth

Geological Hazards

• Types: Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, tsunamis.
• Measurement: Macaulay intensity scale, moment magnitude scale.
• Risk factors: Population density, technology, development.
• Mitigation: Building standards, prediction, emergency planning.

Earth Resources and Engineering

• Resources vs. reserves: Economic viability.
• Techniques for resource exploration: Geological mapping, borehole correlation, geophysical and geochemical methods.
• Environmental and technological difficulties in resource extraction.

Groundwater and Waste Management

• Factors influencing groundwater extraction: Water table, porosity, wells.
• Impact of waste on aquifers: Permeability, engineering measures, monitoring.

Engineering Considerations

• Importance of geological factors in construction projects: Permeability, bedrock stability, strata dip, faults.

Conclusion

• Reinforcement of key geological concepts and their application in real-world contexts.