Course Description
Laboratory methods in the physical geological sciences.
Physical Geology includes the study of earth materials and earth processes. Earth materials consist of elements (atoms), minerals (combinations of atoms or molecules), and rocks (aggregates of minerals). Earth processes include mountain building (earthquakes, volcanism, and tectonism), erosion (mass wasting, erosion by wind & water), and deposition of eroded materials by wind, water, and biological processes. Understanding the principles of Physical Geology is a prerequisite for all further studies in geology.
Course Credits: 1
Prerequisites: None. Corequisite with GEOL1301.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Construct a topographic map based on points of elevation.
- Illustrate how tectonic plates move and how they interact at the three basic types of plate boundaries.
- Characterize different types of rock deformation and geologic structures.
- Interpret the results from a seismograph and locate the epicenter of an earthquake with triangulation method.
- Identify minerals by means of distinguishing among their unique set of physical properties.
- Identify different types of igneous rocks based on their texture and composition (i.e., color, mineralogy, and so forth).
- Classify sedimentary rock samples and identify metamorphic rock samples based on physical properties.
- Determine the history of geologic events using relative dating technique as well as index fossils to reveal.
- Identify the altered landscape due to stream erosion and deposition and name the various types of depositional environments.
- Identify structural and stratigraphic traps that trap oil and natural gas.
- Draw and interpret subsurface structure contour maps.