Your journey to excellence in
By Revision Genie
Elements, Minerals and Rocks
Unit 1
The Goldschmidt System
Lithophile, Siderophile, Chalcophile and Atmophile Elements
Using Geochemistry to Divide the Earth into Spheres
Chondrites and the Bulk Composition of Earth
The Eight Main Elements of the Crust
Why Oxygen and Silicon Dominate the Crust
What a Silicate Mineral Is
The Silicon-Oxygen Tetrahedron
Single Silicates
Chain Silicates
Sheet Silicates
Framework Silicates
What Counts as a Mineral
Mineral Formulae and Chemical Composition
Mineral Atomic Structure and Physical Properties
Colour as a Mineral Property
Crystal Shape as a Mineral Property
Cleavage and Fracture
Hardness Testing
Relative Density and Streak
Lustre and Acid Reaction
Measuring Mineral Density
Identifying Quartz
Identifying Calcite
Identifying Orthoclase Feldspar
Identifying Plagioclase Feldspar
Identifying Augite
Identifying Hornblende
Identifying Olivine
Identifying Biotite and Muscovite
Identifying Haematite
Identifying Galena
Identifying Pyrite and Chalcopyrite
Identifying Fluorite and Barite
Identifying Halite and Gypsum
Identifying Garnet
Identifying Chiastolite and Andalusite
What a Rock Is
Rocks Made from Minerals, Rock Fragments and Fossils
Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks Compared
Composition and Texture as Clues to Rock Origin
Interpreting Rock Texture from Hand Specimens
Producing Scientific Drawings of Rock Samples
Using Magnification Correctly
Unit 2
Surface and Internal Processes of the Rock Cycle
Solar Energy and the Surface Rock Cycle
The Water Cycle and Rock Breakdown
Physical Weathering by Insolation
Physical Weathering by Freeze-Thaw
Chemical Weathering by Hydrolysis
Chemical Weathering by Carbonation
Chemical Weathering by Solution
Chemical Weathering by Oxidation
Biological Weathering
Erosion by Abrasion
Erosion by Attrition
Transport by Traction
Transport by Saltation
Transport by Suspension
Transport by Solution
Deposition and Energy Levels
Grain Size and Depositional Energy
Why Quartz Dominates Many Sediments
Clay Minerals in Fine Sediments
Flocculation in Sedimentary Deposition
Precipitation from Solution
Recognising Sedimentary Structures
Bedding and Laminations
Cross-Bedding
Graded Bedding
Ripple Marks
Desiccation Features
Sole Structures
Fluvial Depositional Environments
Marine Depositional Environments
Aeolian Depositional Environments
Describing Sedimentary Rocks from Hand Specimens
Using Grain Size, Shape and Sphericity
Identifying Orthoquartzite
Identifying Arkose
Identifying Greywacke
Identifying Shale and Mudstone
Identifying Shelly Limestone
Identifying Oolitic Limestone
Identifying Chalk
Identifying Conglomerate
Identifying Breccia
Organic Sedimentary Rocks
Limestone from Organic Accumulation
Coal Formation
Evaporites and Chemical Sedimentary Rocks
Porosity and Permeability in Sedimentary Rocks
Angularity, Sphericity and Sorting
Sediment Maturity
Diagenesis and Lithification
Compaction, Cementation and Recrystallisation
Pressure Solution
Full Rock Descriptions of Sedimentary Rocks
Constructing Graphic Logs
Using Photomicrographs for Sedimentary Rocks
Internal Heat Sources in the Earth
Radiogenic and Primordial Heat
Conduction and Convection in the Earth
The Geothermal Gradient
Igneous Rocks as Products of Cooling Magma
Plutons, Dykes and Sills
Lava Flows and Pyroclastic Deposits
Crystal Size and Cooling Rate
Euhedral, Subhedral and Anhedral Crystals
Equigranular and Porphyritic Textures
Vesicular, Glassy and Fragmental Textures
Pillow Lavas and Columnar Jointing
Identifying Granite
Identifying Gabbro
Identifying Dolerite
Identifying Basalt
Identifying Peridotite
Full Rock Descriptions of Igneous Rocks
Using Photomicrographs for Igneous Rocks
Partial Melting at Divergent Margins
Partial Melting at Convergent Margins
Mantle Plumes and Hotspots
Crustal Melting During Orogeny
Basaltic, Andesitic and Granitic Magmas
Volcanic Explosions and Blasts
Ash Fall and Pyroclastic Flows
Lava Flow Hazards
Lahars and Debris Flows
Viscosity, Gas Content and Volcanic Style
Metamorphism as Mineral and Texture Change
Temperature and Pressure in Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism
Regional Metamorphism
Non-Foliated Metamorphic Rocks
Slaty Cleavage
Schistosity
Gneissose Banding
Identifying Marble
Identifying Metaquartzite
Identifying Spotted Rock
Identifying Hornfels
Identifying Slate
Identifying Schist
Identifying Gneiss
Full Rock Descriptions of Metamorphic Rocks
Using Photomicrographs for Metamorphic Rocks
Hooke’s Law and Rock Deformation
Elastic and Plastic Behaviour in Rocks
Brittle and Ductile Strain
Elastic Limit, Permanent Strain and Fracture Point
Dipping Beds
Measuring Dip and Strike
Folding by Compression
Fold Limbs and Hinges
Fold Axes and Axial Planes
Antiforms and Synforms
Anticlines and Synclines
Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Folds
Faulting by Compression, Tension and Shear
Normal Faults
Reverse Faults and Thrust Faults
Strike-Slip Faults
Throw and Net Slip
Hanging Wall and Footwall
Unconformities as Gaps in the Record
Using Unconformities for Relative Dating
Outcrop Patterns on Geological Maps
Reading Geological Maps, Sections and Boreholes
Constructing Geological Cross-Sections
Ordering Geological Events from a Map
Unit 3
Time and Change
Uniformitarianism and the Idea That the Present Explains the Past
James Hutton and Uniformitarianism
William Smith and Geological Correlation
Modern Environments and Ancient Sedimentary Rocks
What a Facies Is
Lithofacies
Biofacies
Fossils as Evidence of Past Life
Fossils as Evidence of Past Environments
Brachiopod Morphology
Bivalve Morphology
Cephalopod Morphology
Coral Morphology
Trilobite Morphology
Graptolite Morphology
Plant Fossils
Trace Fossils
Using Classification Systems to Identify Fossils
Scientific Drawings of Fossils
Fossil Form and Function in Bivalves
Fossil Form and Function in Trilobites
Actual Remains and Hard Parts
Calcification, Silicification and Pyritisation
Carbonisation
Moulds and Casts
Life Assemblages
Death Assemblages
Derived Fossils
Bias in the Fossil Record
Why the Fossil Record Is Incomplete
Relative Dating by Superposition
Relative Dating by Unconformities
Relative Dating by Cross-Cutting Relationships
Relative Dating by Included Fragments
Relative Dating by Way-Up Structures
Evolutionary Change as a Relative Dating Tool
Radioactive Decay and Half-Life
Principles of Radiometric Dating
Potassium-Argon Dating
Samarium-Neodymium Dating
Calculating Absolute Age from Half-Life
Assumptions and Limits of Radiometric Dating
Fossils in Relative Dating
What Makes a Good Zone Fossil
Graptolites as Zone Fossils
Cephalopods as Zone Fossils
Morphological Change in Graptolites Through Time
Goniatites, Ceratites and Ammonites
The Geological Column
Relative Time and Absolute Time Together
Slow Change and Sudden Catastrophe
Mass Extinctions in Geological Time
Unit 4
Earth Structure and Global Tectonics
The Layered Structure of Earth
Crust, Mantle, Outer Core and Inner Core
Evidence from Meteorites
Evidence from Mantle Xenoliths
Evidence from Mean Density
Evidence from Seismology
Evidence from Geomagnetism
Evidence from Gravity and Conductivity
Oceanic Crust and Continental Crust Compared
P Waves, S Waves and Surface Waves
Time-Distance Curves
Shadow Zones
Velocity-Depth Models
Density Changes with Depth
Measuring the Density of Crustal Rocks
Geomagnetic Evidence for Core Composition
Geophysical Data on Crustal Structure
The Mohorovičić Discontinuity
Ocean Drilling and the Moho
Lithosphere and Asthenosphere
The Low Velocity Zone
Plates as Rigid Lithospheric Shells
Divergent Plate Boundaries
Convergent Plate Boundaries
Conservative Plate Boundaries
Earthquakes and Volcanoes at Plate Boundaries
Continental Drift to Plate Tectonics
Mantle Convection
Slab Pull
Ridge Push
Evaluating Models of Plate Movement
Evidence from Ocean Floor Drilling
Evidence from GPS Plate Motions
Global Patterns of Volcanoes and Earthquakes
Trenches, Ridges and Orogenic Belts
Seismic Tomography
Geomagnetic and Geoelectrical Evidence
Geothermal Evidence and Heat Flow
Remanent Magnetism in Rocks
Ferromagnetism and Curie Temperature
Palaeomagnetism and Continental Drift
Ocean Magnetic Anomalies
Sea-Floor Spreading
Plate Tectonics and the Rock Cycle
Basalt at Spreading Centres
Basalt and Andesite at Convergent Margins
Granite in Orogenic Belts
Tectonics and Sedimentary Basins
Tectonics and Regional Metamorphism
Earthquake Data with Google Earth
Unit 5
Interpreting the Geological Record
Unit 6
Rock Forming Processes
Parent Magma and Tectonic Setting
Mantle-Derived and Crust-Derived Magmas
Magma Differentiation
Fractionation and Bowen’s Reaction Series
Continuous and Discontinuous Series
Gravity Settling and Cumulates
Magma Contamination by Xenoliths
Magma Mixing and Enclaves
Solid Solution in Minerals
Atomic Radius and Valency
Olivine Solid Solution
Plagioclase Feldspar Solid Solution
Temperature, Pressure and Water in Melting
Reading Melting Curves and Geotherms
Depth of Granite Magma Formation
The Decay Rate Equation in Radiometric Dating
Phase Diagrams and Magma Crystallisation
Plagioclase Phase Diagrams
Olivine Phase Diagrams
Magma Chambers Beneath Ocean Ridges
Scientific Models in Sedimentology
Turbidity Currents as a Modelled Process
The Hjulström Curve
Erosion, Transport and Deposition on the Hjulström Curve
Walther’s Law
Vertical and Lateral Facies Relationships
Marine Transgressions
Marine Regressions
Diachronous Boundaries
Extending 2D Stratigraphy into 3D
Minerals Stable at Original Rock Conditions
How Metamorphic Minerals Grow
Parent Rock Composition and Metamorphism
Contact Metamorphism of Mudstone and Shale
Regional Metamorphism of Mudstone and Shale
Low-Grade Metamorphism
High-Grade Metamorphism
Kyanite, Sillimanite and Andalusite
Pressure-Temperature-Time Paths
Dynamic Metamorphism
Recrystallisation
Ductile Flow
Shear Deformation
Granoblastic Texture
Porphyroblastic Texture
Mylonitic Texture
Investigating a Metamorphic Aureole
Unit 7
Rock Deformation
Competent and Incompetent Rocks
Temperature, Confining Pressure and Strain Rate
Fold Amplitude and Wavelength
Interlimb Angle
Open, Tight and Isoclinal Folds
Upright, Inclined, Overturned and Recumbent Folds
Plunging Folds
Plunge Direction
Axial Planar Cleavage
Using Stereonets for Limb Data
Principal Stresses and Fault Type
Slickensides
Fault Gouge
Fault Breccia
Fault Reactivation
Refolding
Structural Inversion
Outcrop Patterns from Structures and Topography
True Bed Thickness
Vertical Thickness
Width of Outcrop
Trigonometry in Structural Geology
Unit 8
Past Life and Past Climates
Earliest Evidence for Life
Ediacaran Fauna
The Cambrian Explosion
Mineralised Skeletons and Fossil Diversity
Cambrian, Palaeozoic and Modern Faunas Compared
Life Moving onto Land
Amphibians from Fish
Reptiles from Amphibians
Mammals and Birds from Reptiles
Colonisation of Land by Plants
Diversity Through the Phanerozoic
Reading Diversity Curves
Mass Extinctions and Their Causes
Asteroid Impact Hypothesis
Flood Basalt Volcanism
Sea-Level Change and Extinction
Rapid Climate Change and Extinction
The End-Permian Extinction
The Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction
Gradualism
Punctuated Equilibrium
Long-Term Climate Change in the Rock Record
The J. Tuzo Wilson Cycle and Climate Context
Greenhouse Gases Through Geological Time
Volcanic CO2
Rock Weathering and Carbon Removal
Methane and Methane Hydrates
Comparing Past and Present Rates of Climate Change
The Anthropocene Debate
Oceanic and Atmospheric Circulation
Geological Evidence for Climate Zones
Land Plants as Climate Indicators
Corals as Climate Indicators
Icehouse Deposits
Greenhouse Deposits
Oxygen Isotopes in Fossil Shells
Reading Oxygen Isotope Curves
Snowball Earth Hypothesis
Evidence For and Against Snowball Earth
Unit 9
Earth Materials and Natural Resources
What Makes a Geological Resource Economic
Magmatic Segregation of Ores
Hydrothermal Ore Formation
Placer Deposits
Residual Deposits
Precipitated Sedimentary Deposits
China Clay Formation
Sand and Gravel as Bulk Minerals
Organic Matter and Hydrocarbon Formation
Source Rocks
Burial, Temperature and Pressure
Oil Windows and Gas Windows
Coal-Forming Environments
Peat, Lignite, Bituminous Coal and Anthracite
Coal Rank
Geological Maps of Ore Bodies
Drawing Sections Through Ore Deposits
Estimating Simple Reserves
Primary Porosity
Secondary Porosity
Controls on Porosity and Permeability
Grain Size, Shape, Packing and Sorting
Cementation and Fluid Flow
Darcy’s Law
Modelling Fluid Flow in Rocks
Migration of Oil and Gas
Relative Buoyancy of Oil and Gas
Structural Traps
Stratigraphic Traps
Reservoir Rocks
Cap Rocks
Groundwater and Hydrogeology
Confined and Unconfined Aquifers
Aquicludes and Aquitards
The Water Table
Piezometric Surfaces
Cones of Depression
Recharge Zones
Groundwater Quality and Geochemistry
Carbonates, Sulfates and Water Chemistry
Residence Time and Pollution
Gravity Surveys in Prospecting
Seismic Surveys in Prospecting
Magnetic Surveys in Prospecting
Electrical Surveys in Prospecting
River Water Geochemistry
River Sediment Sampling
Soil Sampling
Choosing the Best Prospecting Method
Seismic Reflection Sections
Microfossils in Correlation
Borehole Correlation with Microfossils
Constructing Cross-Sections from Boreholes
Unit 10
Geological Themes
Unit 11
Geohazards
Earthquakes and Active Fault Zones
Moment Magnitude Scale
Modified Mercalli Scale
Magnitude and Intensity Compared
Ground Shaking
Liquefaction
Tsunamis from Earthquakes
Tsunamis from Landslides and Volcanoes
Rock Avalanches
Landslides
Debris Flows
Slope Angle and Slope Failure
Lithology and Slope Stability
Weathering, Load and Groundwater
Rainfall, Vibration and Vegetation Cover
Geohazards in the British Isles
British Earthquakes
British Landslides
Shrinking and Swelling Clays
Subsidence and Sinkholes
Evidence for Past British Tsunamis
Geohazard and Risk
Hazard Probability and Return Period
Communicating Risk to Populations
Predicting Earthquakes
Seismic Monitoring
Groundwater Changes Before Earthquakes
Ground Deformation Monitoring
Radon and Electrical Resistivity
Monitoring Slope Failure
Ground Levelling and Surveying
Microseismic Monitoring
Borehole Distortion
EDM, Satellite and GPS Monitoring
Engineering for Earthquake Risk Reduction
Aseismic Building Design
Tsunami Defences
Slope Stabilisation Methods
Drainage Control on Slopes
Retaining Structures
Quarrying and Mining Hazards
Waste Disposal and Geological Site Selection
Radioactive and Toxic Waste Problems
Brownfield Site Remediation
Geological Factors in Civil Engineering
Weathering, Dip, Folding and Faulting in Site Stability
Joints, Cleavage and Fracture Density
Pore Water Pressure and Drainage
Radon Risk Areas
Geology of Dams and Reservoirs
Geology of Tunnels and Cuttings
Geology of Building Foundations
Earthquake Case Study Analysis
Mass Movement Case Study Analysis
Unit 12
Geological Map Applications
V-Shaped Outcrops in Valleys
Using V-Patterns to Find Dip Direction
Near-Horizontal Beds on Maps
Steeply Dipping Beds on Maps
Fault Outcrops and Topography
Structural Features and Outcrop Patterns
Identifying Folds from Maps
Measuring Fault Displacement from Maps
Identifying Unconformities from Map Relationships
Geological Maps as 3D Models
Using Block Diagrams with Maps
Using GIS and Google Earth with Geological Maps
Surface Geology and Subsurface Prediction
Conformable Sedimentary Formations on Maps
Unconformable Formations on Maps
Metamorphic Sequences on Maps
Igneous Bodies on Maps
Metamorphic Effects Around Igneous Bodies
Structural Features on Maps
Assessing Construction Sites from Maps
Identifying Landslide Risk from Maps
Identifying Subsidence Risk from Maps
Groundwater Interpretation from Maps
Water Tables, Springs and Aquifers on Maps
Artesian Conditions on Maps
Coal Resources on Maps
Oil and Gas Resources on Maps
Geothermal Energy Potential on Maps
Environmental Issues in Resource Extraction Areas
Waste Disposal Suitability from Maps
Contaminated Land Remediation from Maps
Unit 13
Option pathways
Quaternary Geology, Geological Evolution of Britain, or Geology of the Lithosphere.
Unit 14
Quaternary Geology
Milankovitch Cycles
Orbital Forcing and Quaternary Climate
Continents, Mountain Belts and Climate
Ocean Circulation and Climate Control
Atmospheric Circulation and Climate Control
Greenhouse to Icehouse Climate Shift
The Drake Passage and Global Cooling
The Himalayas and Climate Change
Glacial Deposits in Britain
Periglacial Deposits in Britain
Fluvioglacial Deposits in Britain
Interglacial Deposits in Britain
Quaternary Landforms in Britain
Reconstructing Ice Sheet Size
Reconstructing Ice Movement Direction
Glacial and Interglacial Stages
Shorter-Term Climate Cycles
Sea Level in Glacial Periods
Sea Level in Interglacial Periods
Isostatic Loading by Ice
Isostatic Rebound After Ice Melt
Raised Beaches as Sea-Level Evidence
Drowned Valleys as Sea-Level Evidence
Oxygen Isotopes from Ocean Sediments
Ice Cores and Atmospheric Change
Fossils as Quaternary Climate Evidence
Pollen Diagrams
Vertebrate Evidence for Quaternary Climate
Invertebrate Evidence for Quaternary Climate
Woolly Mammoths as Climate Indicators
Beetles as Climate Indicators
Environmental Change and Human Evolution
Climate Instability and Adaptation
Radiocarbon Dating
Varves and Incremental Dating
Tree Rings and Incremental Dating
Volcanic Ash Marker Beds
Limits of Quaternary Dating Methods
Unit 15
Geological Evolution of Britain
Britain Through Geological Time
Precambrian Britain
Early Palaeozoic Britain
Late Palaeozoic Britain
Mesozoic Britain
Cenozoic Britain
Gravity Surveys in British Geology
Magnetic Surveys in British Geology
Borehole Analysis and the Mochras Borehole
Onshore Seismic Reflection
Offshore Seismic Reflection
The Caledonian Orogeny in Britain
The Variscan Orogeny in Britain
Alpine Influences on Britain
Plutonic Rocks in British Orogenic Belts
Volcanic Rocks in British Orogenic Belts
Metamorphic Rocks in British Orogenic Belts
Reconstructing Plate Tectonic Settings in Britain
The Palaeogene Igneous Province
Opening of the North Atlantic
Basaltic Volcanism in Northwest Britain
Palaeomagnetism in British Rocks
Calculating British Palaeolatitude
Apparent Polar Wandering Curves
Northward Drift of the British Area
Climate Change Through British Geological Time
Devonian Desert Deposits
Permo-Triassic Desert and Hypersaline Deposits
Carboniferous Tropical Coal Environments
Jurassic Tropical Shallow Seas
Cretaceous Warm Shallow Seas
Rodinia and the Neoproterozoic British Area
Cooling Around 700 Ma
Snowball Earth Evidence from Britain
Port Askaig Diamictites
Charnia and the Ediacaran Fauna
The Iapetus Ocean
Cambrian and Silurian Shallow Seas
Ordovician Deep Marine Black Shales
Turbidites in the Early Palaeozoic
The Caledonian Orogeny and Euramerica
Devonian Continental Red Beds
Britain Crossing the Equator
Variscan Destruction of Oceanic Lithosphere
Carboniferous Coal Measures
Freshwater Bivalves and Plant Remains
Seat-Earths and Rootlets
Laurasia, Gondwana and the Tethys
North Sea Rifting and Subsidence
Cretaceous Chalk and High Sea Levels
Paleogene Transgressive-Regressive Cycles
Tectonic Uplift Linked to the Alps
Ongoing Subsidence in the North Sea
Unit 16
Geology of the Lithosphere
Heat Loss from the Earth
Surface Heat Flow
Temperature and Rock Strength
The Lithosphere as a Rigid Outer Shell
The 1300 Degrees Celsius Isotherm
Continental Lithosphere Thickness
Oceanic Lithosphere Thickness
The Low Velocity Zone in the Upper Mantle
Crust as the Top of the Lithosphere
Seismological Estimates of Crustal Thickness
Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts
Large Igneous Provinces
Island Arcs
Cordilleran Mountain Belts
Comparing Continental and Oceanic Geotherms
The Mantle Solidus Curve
Ray Path Modelling Through the LVZ
Reading P and S Wave Velocity Curves
Seismic Refraction and Crustal Layering
Seismic Reflection and Crustal Structure
Heat Flow Across an Ocean Basin
Evaluating Mantle Plume Evidence
Seismic Layers 1, 2 and 3 of Oceanic Crust
Ophiolites as Evidence for Oceanic Crust
Ocean Drilling and Oceanic Crust
Continental Rifts
Narrow Seas
Mature Ocean Basins
The J. Tuzo Wilson Cycle
Dating Oceanic Crust
Calculating Sea-Floor Spreading Rates
Hotspots as Reference Frames
Supercontinent Cycles
Rodinia
Pangea
Limits of Supercontinent Evidence
Why Continental Crust Resists Subduction
The Oldest Rocks in Continental Areas
Age Patterns in Continental Crust
Orogenic Belts and Lithospheric Thickening
Continent-Continent Collision
Continent-Island Arc Collision
Cordilleran Orogenic Systems
Ophiolites in Orogenic Belts
Accretionary Prisms
Partial Melting and Granite in Orogens
Magmatism and Delamination
Isostatic Uplift
Gravitational Collapse
Plate Boundary Forces on Continental Crust
Gravitational Spreading
Brittle Deformation of the Crust
Ductile Deformation of the Crust
Fold and Thrust Belts
Nappe Structures
Low-Angle Thrust Faults
Regional Structures and Applied Stress
Extensional Basins
Foreland Basins
Structural Control of Sedimentary Basins
Isostasy in Continental and Oceanic Lithosphere
Unit 17
Practical Endorsement and fieldwork spine
Practical and field skills, SP1 to SP20 fieldwork days.
Unit 18
Practical and Fieldwork Skills
Planning a Geological Investigation
Following Written Practical Procedures
Risk Assessment in the Lab
Risk Assessment in the Field
Recording Accurate Observations
Using Appropriate Units and Conventions
Citing Sources in Geological Work
Traditional Navigation in the Field
Locating Features Without GPS
Field Survey Skills
Geological Field Sketches
Compass Clinometer Skills
Measuring Dip
Measuring Strike
Measuring Apparent Dip
Sampling Techniques in Fieldwork
Recording Data from Unfamiliar Exposures
Constructing Graphic Logs in the Field
Full Rock Descriptions from Hand Specimens
Full Rock Descriptions from Field Exposures
Photomicrograph Interpretation
Fossil Identification in Practice
Mineral Identification in Practice
Quantitative Measurements in Geology
Improving Accuracy in Measurement
GIS in Geological Investigation
Collecting and Modelling Geological Data
Cross-Section Construction in Practice
Using Google Earth in Geological Study
Investigating the Metamorphic Aureole Simulation
sedimentary
