GEOL 105
Exploring Earth (GE)
1. Catalog Entry
GEOL 105
Exploring Earth (GE)
Credit hours (4)
Develops understanding of physical aspects of the science of geology, including study
of the earth's materials, processes and structure.
Note(s): General Education and Scientific and Quantitative Reasoning designated course.
2. Detailed Description of Course
The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview and knowledge base
of physical geology which is that aspect of geology that deals with the minerals,
rocks, magmas, and other materials that make up the earth as well as the processes
and forces that have wrought changes on the morphology of the earth. Topics addressed
in this course include, but are not limited to:
1) Matter and minerals
2) Igneous rocks
3) Sedimentary rocks
4) Metamorphic rocks
5) Geologic time
6) Weathering and soils
7) Mass movement
8) Running water
9) Underground water
10)Glaciers
11)Wind and deserts
12)The oceans
13)Structural geology and mountain building
14)The earth鈥檚 magnetic field
15)Earthquakes and the earth鈥檚 interior
16)Plate tectonics
The laboratory portion of this course is designed to supplement and complement the
lecture portion of this course by giving students practical experience in the application
of the knowledge base they gained in lecture by exercises in identifying minerals
and rocks as well as reading and interpreting topographic and geologic maps. In addition
to in-class exercises, field trips may be taken. The content of the laboratory portion
of the course is as follows:
1) Mineral identification
2) Igneous rock identification
3) Sedimentary rock identification
4) Metamorphic rock identification
5) Relative ages of rocks
6) Introduction to topographic maps and aerial photographs
7) A number of exercises in which the students use topographic maps to examine
geologic processes or agents, such as
a. Streams
b. Groundwater
c. Wind
d. Glaciers
e. Shorelines
8) Structural geology and geologic maps
3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Lectures, demonstrations, audio/video presentations, classroom discussions, laboratory
exercises and reading assignments will be used.
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course
1) Students will become acquainted with the scientific method as it applies to
geology.
2) Students will gain a basic knowledge of both the materials comprising the earth
and the structure of the earth.
3) Students will develop an in-depth knowledge of the physical and chemical processes
acting on and in the earth.
4) Students will demonstrate skills in identifying earth materials and reading
and interpreting topographic and geologic maps.
5) Students will apply the knowledge gained in lecture to real and practical problems
in the laboratory.
6) Geology majors will obtain the background knowledge they will need for their
upper level geology courses.
7) Students will be able to apply scientific and quantitative reasoning to questions
about the natural world, mathematics, or related areas:
a) Students apply scientific and quantitative information to test problems
and draw conclusions; b) Students evaluate the quality of data, methods,
or inferences used to generate scientific knowledge.
5. Assessment Measures
Lecture exams, pop quizzes, and a final examination will be used to assess the students'
knowledge of geologic materials and processes. Laboratory exercises and practical
exams will be used to assess the students' performance in recognizing earth materials,
topographic features, and geologic structures, and in analyzing geologic conditions.
6. Other Course Information
GEOL 105 is a required course for a major and minor in geology.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1) AGI/NAGT, 2006, Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology (7th edition), Prentice
Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 320 p.
2) Bloom, Arthur L., 1978, Geomorphology, Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey, 510 p.
3) Duxbury, Alyn C. and Duxbury, Alison B., 1989, An Introduction to the World's
Oceans (2nd edition), Wm C. Brown Publishers,
Dubuque, Iowa, 408 p.
4) Hamblin, W. Kenneth, 1992, Earth's Dynamic Systems (6th edition), Macmillan
Publishing Company, New York, NY, 647 p.
5) Hatcher, Robert D., Jr., 1990, Structural Geology, Merrill Publishing Company,
Columbus, Ohio, 531 p.
6) Klein, Cornelius and Hurlburt, Jr., Cornelius S., 1985, Manual of Mineralogy,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY, 596 p.
7) Levin, Harold L., 1991, The Earth Through Time (4th edition), Saunders College
Publishing, Philadelphia, PA, 649 p.
8) Press, Frank and Siever, Raymond, 1986, Earth, W. H. Freeman and Company, New
York, NY, 656 p.
9) Smith, David G. (ed.), 1981, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences,
Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, NY, 496 p.
10)Tarbuck, Edward J., Lutgens, Frederick, K., and Tasa, Dennis, 2005, Earth An
Introduction to Physical Geology, (8 th edition),
Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 736. p.
Review and Approval
September 2005
June 20, 2015
August 2020
March 01, 2021