Petrology for Students: An Introduction to the Study of Rocks Under the Microscope (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Alfred Harker

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0265801249 ISBN 13: 9780265801246

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2017

Synopsis

Discover how rocks look under the microscope and learn to read their hidden clues.

This introductory guide teaches you the basic methods and vocabulary needed to study rocks through thin sections, polarised light, and careful observation. It’s designed for beginners who want a solid, practical start in petrology.

The book covers essential tools and techniques, from setting up a microscope to interpreting crystal shapes, cleavage patterns, and ground-mmass textures. You’ll learn how to identify minerals by colour, transparency, and refractive behavior, and how to distinguish familiar rock types by their microscopic features. The text emphasizes clear, hands‑on instruction and concrete examples, helping you build confidence as you examine real rock samples.

• How to prepare and examine rock slices with a petrographic microscope
• How to recognize cleavage directions and measure angles in thin sections
• How to read absorption colors and pleochroism to identify minerals
• How to distinguish textures and ground-mass types in common igneous and sedimentary rocks

Ideal for students beginning their study of rocks and for anyone who wants a practical, field‑oriented introduction to microscopic petrology.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0265801249
• ISBN 13: 9780265801246
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352