Geology of the United Kingdom
Geology is the study of rocks and how they were formed. The United Kingdom is a country made up of four smaller countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The geology of the UK is very interesting because it has rocks that are millions of years old!
About 500 million years ago, the UK was under water. Over time, the rocks at the bottom of the sea turned into sedimentary rock, which is made up of layers of sand, mud, and other stuff that sank to the bottom of the sea. These layers of rock can still be seen today in places like the Scottish Highlands.
About 400 million years ago, the UK collided with another part of the Earth which caused big mountain ranges to form. These mountain ranges are now the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District in England, and Snowdonia in Wales.
About 200 million years ago, the UK was part of a supercontinent called Pangaea. Over time, it broke apart and the UK moved to where it is now. During this time, the UK was covered in lots of different rocks like sandstone, limestone, and shale.
In more recent times, about 2 million years ago, glaciers covered parts of the UK during an ice age. The moving ice scraped and eroded the land, leaving behind big valleys and mountains.
Today, the UK has lots of different rocks and geological features like mountains, cliffs, caves, and even a giant rock called Stonehenge! Geologists study these rocks to learn more about the history of the UK and how it came to be.
About 500 million years ago, the UK was under water. Over time, the rocks at the bottom of the sea turned into sedimentary rock, which is made up of layers of sand, mud, and other stuff that sank to the bottom of the sea. These layers of rock can still be seen today in places like the Scottish Highlands.
About 400 million years ago, the UK collided with another part of the Earth which caused big mountain ranges to form. These mountain ranges are now the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District in England, and Snowdonia in Wales.
About 200 million years ago, the UK was part of a supercontinent called Pangaea. Over time, it broke apart and the UK moved to where it is now. During this time, the UK was covered in lots of different rocks like sandstone, limestone, and shale.
In more recent times, about 2 million years ago, glaciers covered parts of the UK during an ice age. The moving ice scraped and eroded the land, leaving behind big valleys and mountains.
Today, the UK has lots of different rocks and geological features like mountains, cliffs, caves, and even a giant rock called Stonehenge! Geologists study these rocks to learn more about the history of the UK and how it came to be.