Before you begin to explore how geologists use remote sensing to learn more about Earth, we need to cover a few basic concepts and underlying geologic principles. These essential ideas will help you to understand and interpret the images you will see in geology lessons that follow.

Studying Earth is a challenge because it is a dynamic planet experiencing constant change. Some of these changes occur rapidly while others occur so slowly that they go unnoticed within a human lifetime. The science of geology seeks to understand these processes that operate both on and below Earth’s surface and that are responsible for shaping our ever changing planet.

In this lesson you will learn:

• About the earth’s interior structure and composition
• The basic rock cycle
• Ways in which geologists measure time

Time requirement

This lesson will take about 45 minutes to complete.