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.
gradualism
B.
geographism
C.
uniformitarianism
D.
catastrophism

Answer 1

The geological principle that scientists use to make this inference is C. uniformitarianism. This principle suggests that the processes we observe today, such as the cooling of lava to form igneous rock and the weathering of that rock into soil, have operated in the same way throughout geological time. Thus, scientists can infer that similar processes in the past led to the creation of nutrient-rich soil around volcanoes.