ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides a quick, basic grounding in geological science. Most geologists have a rock hammer, chisel, and safety goggles. The hammer is to break open rocks to see fresh surfaces or reveal fossils. Readers can be able to identify geologic hazards in their neighborhood, find places to look for fossils or go caving, or locate the best place to drill a water well for their vacation home. The book explains how to apply that science in a practical way. It examines global positioning systems (GPS) and topographic maps which help them get to and from remote locations and mark waypoints for future reference. It's now also possible to mark locations of interest on their smartphone by "dropping a pin" on Google Maps.
