ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Geology of Wales

Geology is like a big puzzle that tells us about the rocks and land around us. Wales is a country in the United Kingdom and it has a very interesting geology.

A long, long time ago, there were volcanoes in Wales! These volcanoes erupted and made big piles of lava and ash. These piles of rock were then covered by other rocks and soil over time.

As time passed, rivers flowed through Wales and cut through the layers of rock. These rivers formed valleys and gorges that we can still see today. The rivers also carried sediment (little pieces of rock and dirt) and deposited them where they flowed. This helped form the fertile farmlands of Wales.

Some of the rocks in Wales are also very valuable. There are areas where slate and coal can be found. Slate is a special rock that can be split into thin pieces and used for roofs, floors, and more. Coal is a rock that can be burned for energy.

Wales also has a lot of hills and mountains. These were formed by tectonic movements over millions of years. Tectonic movements happen when the plates that make up the Earth's crust move around. When two plates push against each other, they can create mountains.

So, in summary, Wales has a geology that includes volcanoes from long ago, rivers that carved valleys, valuable rocks like slate and coal, and tectonic movements that formed mountains.