In geology, the terms basement and crystalline basement are used to define the rocks below a sedimentary basin, or more generally any rock below sedimentary rocks or sedimentary basins that are metamorphic or igneous in origin. In the same way the sediments and/or sedimentary rocks on top of the basement can be called cover or sedimentary cover. The Blue Marble: The famous photo of the Earth taken en route to the Moon by Apollo 17s Harrison Schmitt on December 7, 1972. ... Sedimentation describes the motion of particles in solutions or suspensions in response to an external force such as gravity, centrifugal force or electric force. ... A basin is the inverse of a dome: a symmetrically-dipping syncline that appears on a geologic map as roughly circular or elliptical, with concentric layers. ... Two types of sedimentary rock: limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... A basin is the inverse of a dome: a symmetrically-dipping syncline that appears on a geologic map as roughly circular or elliptical, with concentric layers. ... Metamorphic rock is the result of the transformation of a pre-existing rock type, the protolith, in a process called metamorphism, which means change in form (from the Greek prefix meta, after, and the noun morphe, form). The protolith is subjected to heat (greater than 150 degrees Celsius) and extreme... Volcanic rock on North America Plutonic rock on North America Igneous rocks are formed when molten rock (magma) cools and solidifies, with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. ... Sediment is any particulate matter that can be transported by fluid flow and which eventually is deposited as a layer of solid particles on the bed or bottom of a body of water or other liquid. ...

On the European and North American continents the basement contains generally every rock older than the Variscan orogeny. On top of this Variscan basement Permian evaporites and Mesozoic limestones were deposited. The evaporites form a weak zone on which the harder (stronger) limestone cover was able to move over the hard basement, making the distinction between basement and cover even more pronounced. World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... The Variscan or Hercynian orogeny is a geologic mountain-building event recorded in the European mountains and hills called the Variscan Belt. ... The Permian is a geologic period that extends from about 299. ... Evaporites are water-soluble, mineral sediments that result from the evaporation of saline water. ... The Mesozoic is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... Limey shale overlaid by limestone. ... It has been suggested that Tensile strength be merged into this article or section. ...

Some geologists object to the use of the term basement because they see it as too general an expression for all metamorphic and igneous formations. It is therefore used mostly in disciplines of geology like basin-geology, sedimentology and exploration geology (for exploration of carbohydrates the basement is not interesting: it does not contain oil or gas). A geologic formation is a formally named rock stratum or geological unit. ... Sedimentology is the branch of geology primarily concerned with understanding the characteristics of sediments, sedimentary processes and sedimentary rocks originally deposited in sedimentary basins. ... Petroleum geology is a term used to refer to the specific set of geological disciplines that are applied to the search for hydrocarbons (oil exploration). ... Carbohydrates are chemical compounds that contain oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon atoms. ... Natural olive oil Synthetic motor oil Oil, in a general sense, is a chemical compound that is not miscible with water, and is in a liquid state at ambient temperatures. ... A gas is one of the four main phases of matter (after solid and liquid, and followed by plasma), that subsequently appear as a solid material is subjected to increasingly higher temperatures. ...