Scientists today can observe lava from a volcano cooling to form igneous rock. When this rock weathers, minerals are released into the ground, creating nutrient-rich soil that supports large populations of plants. Using this information, scientists can infer that the rich soil near many of the world's volcanoes is due to lava from a volcano having cooled into igneous rock and weathered at some point in the past. Which geological principle do scientists use to make this inference?

Question

A.
geographism
B.
catastrophism
C.
gradualism
D.
uniformitarianism

Answer 1

The scientific principle that scientists use to make the inference about the formation of nutrient-rich soil from cooled lava and weathered igneous rock is D. uniformitarianism.

Uniformitarianism is the concept that the processes occurring today, such as weathering and soil formation, have also occurred in the past and can explain the geological features we observe. This principle allows scientists to infer the historical processes that led to the current conditions around volcanoes.