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| geol 4 - physical geology (with lab) | Last Updated • July 24, 2017 | |
1386 - GEOL 4, PHYSICAL GEOLOGY with Lab This is a general education class that introduces students to the basic concepts of geology. After an analysis of the foundations of the Theory of Plate Tectonics, we will quickly move on towards a physical/chemical approach to the subject, with the purpose of letting the students understand the reasons why minerals and rocks form, last, break down, melt, change. We will then move on to the analysis of the physical environments where rocks form. The course will include a discussion on geological time and on the interpretation of sedimentary depositional environments. The class consists of two parts: lecture and lab. You 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 Winter course, you will need to pay constant attention to the materials discussed in class and spend a considerable amount of time to work with the class materials. The class pace is intensive (more than four hours a day, for four days a week), and you can not afford to be absent or miss work. 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. You need to realize that this subject, geology, is of enormous interest, and that would provide you with basic information about the world around you, no matter what your major is, I am here to illustrate and explain it to you, but keep in mind that geology 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. You need to take that extra step, verify how the Earth Sciences fit with your world; the class itself is rich in interesting concepts, and it should be seen as one of many tools available to you in college to open up to new ideas, concepts, and possibilities. It will give you more interests and ideas, and consequently it will make you more knowledgeable and interesting as a person.
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For the lab part of this class you will also need to buy a 2x2 glass. 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 winter session, you feel 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.