Stratigraphy is the branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification).

• A. The branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification)
• B. The science of mineral properties
• C. The study of earthquakes
• D. The analysis of seismic waves

Answer: (A)

Stratigraphy deals with how rocks are layered and the history those layers reveal. The description that defines stratigraphy as the branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers and layering is the best answer because it directly captures the focus on strata and how they are arranged and interpreted over time. The other choices point to mineral properties, earthquakes, or seismic waves, which belong to separate areas of geology (mineralogy and seismology) and do not describe stratigraphy. In practice, stratigraphy uses the arrangement of layers to understand relative ages and the geological history recorded in rocks.