ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Lithology

Lithology is like looking at different types of rocks and figuring out what they are made of. Imagine you have a bunch of toys that are all different colors and shapes. Just like how you can tell one toy from another by looking at it, scientists can tell one rock from another by studying the way it looks and feels.

Some rocks are really hard and shiny, like a fancy toy car, while others are squishy and soft, like a stuffed animal. When scientists study different rocks, they can figure out what they are made of, like how your toy car might be made of metal and your stuffed animal might be made of fluffy stuffing.

By looking at the different types of rocks and what they are made of, scientists can learn a lot about the Earth and how it formed over time. They can also use lithology to figure out where certain materials are buried deep in the ground, like oil or minerals that we use for building things.