---
title: Physical Geology
description: This course examines the materials composing the Earth and the internal and external processes that shape its surface. Learners will understand plate tectonics, rock cycles, weathering, erosion, and the formation of landforms.
category: sciences
subcategory: earth-and-environmental-science
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/physical-geology
---

# Physical Geology

This course examines the materials composing the Earth and the internal and external processes that shape its surface. Learners will understand plate tectonics, rock cycles, weathering, erosion, and the formation of landforms.

## Available Resources

3 Books • 4 Websites

## Websites

### 1. Open Geology Textbook

A free, comprehensive open-access textbook covering the fundamentals of physical geology, including minerals, rocks, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, and surface processes. Suitable for introductory college-level coursework with figures, diagrams, and review questions throughout.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://opengeology.org/textbook/

**Tags:** geology, earth-science, open-textbook, plate-tectonics

### 2. Geology.com

A general-audience geology website offering articles, photo galleries, and interactive maps covering rocks, minerals, volcanoes, earthquakes, and geologic formations. Useful for building visual familiarity with common geological features and terminology.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://geology.com/

**Tags:** geology, rocks-and-minerals, earth-science, reference

### 3. USGS Geology Resources

Free government resources on physical geology topics like earthquakes, volcanoes, and rocks.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.usgs.gov/science-support/osqi/yes/resources-teachers

**Tags:** geology, earthquakes, volcanoes, teaching-resources

### 4. iris.edu/hq/inclass

IRIS InClass is a classroom-focused collection of seismology teaching modules and interactive labs for physical geology courses, offering ready-to-use activities, datasets, and demonstrations of earthquakes, seismic waves, and Earth’s interior.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://iris.edu/hq/inclass

**Tags:** websites, science-research, earth-science

## Books

### 1. Physical Geology

**Author:** Charles C. Plummer, David McGeary

A comprehensive introductory geology textbook by Charles C. Plummer and David McGeary covering minerals, rocks, plate tectonics, volcanoes, earthquakes, and landscape processes. Readers build a systematic foundation in physical geology suitable for undergraduate coursework.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0697287327?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, science-research, earth-science

### 2. Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology

**Author:** Edward J. Tarbuck, Frederick K. Lutgens

Long-running introductory college textbook on physical geology. Works through minerals and rocks, plate tectonics, surface processes, and Earth's interior, with heavy use of diagrams and photographs to build a working picture of how the planet operates.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0139741224?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** physical-geology, plate-tectonics, minerals-and-rocks, surface-processes, geology-textbook

### 3. Geology

**Author:** Stanley Chernicoff, Ramesh Venkatakrishnan

An introductory physical geology textbook by Stanley Chernicoff and Ramesh Venkatakrishnan explaining plate tectonics, rock and mineral formation, volcanic and seismic activity, and surface processes. Readers gain a structured grounding in core geological principles for college-level study.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1572590173?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, science-research, earth-science

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