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| geology 4 - physical geology (with lab) | Last Updated • July 23, 2012 | |
1339 - GEOLOGY 4, PHYSICAL GEOLOGY with Lab Geology 4 is a general education class that introduces students to the basic elements of geology. The class will open with discussion on the foundations of the Theory of Plate Tectonics that will provide the students with a solid background on the subject, allowing them to refer back to it at any point during the session. We will then move on to a physical/chemical approach to Minerals and Rocks. Students will be required to identify minerals and rocks in hand samples. This section will then be followed by a series of lecture on Geologic Time and the Stratigraphic Methods used in deciphering the geologic past, including a discussion on the interpretation of sedimentary depositional environments. Contemporary physical environments where rocks are forming today will then be described. Once the students have acquired these concepts, the course goes back to a more thorough discussion of plate tectonics. The class consists of two parts: lecture and lab. Students need to pass both parts in order to pass the class. The class is accessible to anyone with a basic knowledge of physics, chemistry, and biology. Still, during such an intense, fast-paced session as this 6-weeks Summer course, students will need to be extremely motivated, pay constant attention to the materials discussed in class, and dedicate a considerable amount of time to the class materials. The class pace is very intensive (more than four hours a day for four days a week, for six weeks), and you can not afford to be absent or miss work or assignments. Absences will not only affect your grade but also your overall grasp and understanding of the subject. As a student, you need to recognize that your college education is above all a matter of opening yourself up to new dimensions of knowledge and understanding. This subject, geology, is intrinsecally interesting, and you have to discover what part of it makes it interesting to you. If you are taking this class because you "must take it", because you need units, or you need a science lab, but you have no interest in it, you will be struggling more than you expect, and might even be unsuccessful. As a geology Professor, I am here to illustrate and explain it to you, but geology as a subject does not need to be made more “interesting” by me.
If you enrolled in this class you should be able to move beyond your individual interests and take advantage of the opportunity of having scientific materials illustrated to you. While I will go over the materials in both class and lab, and talk about my professional and academic experience, the class is not about me trying to fit geology to your interests. You, the student, are the person who needs to expand his/her interests and mind, and you should make that extra effort that will allow you to be fully successful. You should see this class as a tool for you to open up to new ideas, concepts, and possibilities.
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For the lab part of this class you will need a cm-scale rule (in science, and as a consequence in our labs, the metric system is used). Always carry your ruler, a pencil, and an eraser to class. But in particular you will also need to buy a 2x2 glass (see image on the right). The glass can be bought at the SMC bookstore for a few dollars. You will need your own, personal glass for lab exercises and tests. You will not be allowed to borrow one during a test. If, at the end of the session, you think that you will not need your glass anymore, please consider donating it to the Department of Earth Science. All other lab materials (magnets, hydrochloric acid bottles, streak plates, etc.) will be provided by the College.