GEL 102 - PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

www.ltcconline.net/julian/physical

 

PROFESSOR: Dr. Betsy Julian; Room D-105; 541-4660 x-313; julian@ltcc.edu

OFFICE HOURS: M & W 4 – 6pm; T & Th 4:30 - 5pm

I’m also available by appointment or whenever you can find me

TEXT: The Changing Earth, Wicander and Monroe (2nd or 3rd ed.)

dates

chapter

topic

lab

1/3 & 5

1 & 2

Introduction to Minerals

crystal structure

1/10 & 12

2 & 3

Minerals and Igneous rocks

physical properties & igneous

1/17

  

(Martin Luther King holiday)

  

1/19

4

Volcanic rocks

igneous & volcanic samples

1/24 & 26

5

Volcanoes and Weathering

microscope

1/31

  

Exam #1

(Jan 28 - drop deadline)

  

2/2

5 & 12

Sedimentary rocks & soils

maturity & samples

2/7 & 9

14 & 15

Running water and deserts

photos

2/14

  

(President’s Day holiday)

  

2/16

16

Shorelines and Glaciers

photos

2/21

13

Groundwater

porosity

2/23

  

Exam #2

  

2/28 & 3/2

6

Metamorphic rocks and Structures

(March 4 - withdrawal deadline)

samples and structure diagrams

3/7 & 9

7

Earthquakes

seismic waves & location

3/14 & 16

9 & 10

Plate Tectonics

subduction zones

Monday March 21, 6 pm - Final Exam

GRADING:

Exam 1

120 points

FINAL GRADE:

  
 

Exam 2

120 points

A

>540 points
 

Final exam

190 points

B

480-539 pts
 

Quizzes

90 points

C

420-479 pts
 

Labs and hwk

80 points

D

360-419 pts
 

Total

600 points

    

 

CLASSROOM POLICIES:

Make-up work: Make-ups on exams must be approved prior to the absence. If you are sick on the day of the exam, you must contact Dr. Julian before the exam is scheduled. If you will be out of town on exam day, you must arrange to take the exam early. There will be a penalty for late work. No make-up quizzes will be given.

Attendance: Although lecture attendance does not count for a percentage of your grade, it is very difficult for most students to pass this course unless they attend every class. Class discussions will cover topics not covered in the textbook, including local examples. Missing quizzes will hurt your grade and lab exercises are difficult to make-up on your own.

Cell phones and pagers: Please turn off all cell phones and audio pagers before class.

Group work: Most lab exercises are done in groups and a single write-up may be turned in for the entire group. There are some exercises, however which must be done individually. All quizzes and exams are done independently.

 

OFFICE HOURS:

My office hours are listed on the front page of this syllabus. These are hours when I will be in my office. You may drop by or call to raise questions or concerns about the course, discuss your grade, or just to chat. If you need to speak with me about the course but cannot come to my office during the posted hours, I will make an appointment to meet with you at another time. Don't forget e-mail; this is a very efficient way to ask simple questions.

 

HELPFUL HINTS:

Come to class!

Review material regularly - multiple short study sessions over a period of weeks are more effective than a single "cram" the night before an exam. Even the few minutes before class can be used to review the previous lecture.

Form a study group. Each member should study material on their own before meeting with the group for discussion and comparison.

Participate fully in lab exercises. Make sure that you understand what you are doing; don’t just go along with the other members of the group.

Write out definitions and answers to essay questions

Ask questions in class.

Combine class notes, textbook, handouts, and old exams when studying - each provides a different perspective.

Review your first two exams regularly so that you are prepared for the final exam.

Pay attention to the news and current events to see how they relate to Geology.

 

OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST:

I will give some extra credit points to people who bring in descriptions of local examples of features discussed in this class, or do research on a topic that extends beyond the scope of this class. There is a limit to how many extra points you may receive.

Late lab work is subject to penalty.

Please let me know if you have special needs for taking exams or participating in lab exercises.

While you are welcome to bring food and drink into the class, please be considerate of others. Don’t bring any food that is excessively noisy or smelly.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

To successfully complete this course, the student will:

  • identify minerals based on their physical properties

  • evaluate the crystal structure of major silicate minerals

  • analyze the rock cycle in terms of the three main types of rocks and the processes that connect them

  • compare felsic and mafic magmas in terms of: chemical composition, mineralogy, viscosity, types of volcanoes and rocks produces

  • identify igneous rocks based on minerals and textures and composition.

  • describe the geometry of intrusive and extrusive igneous bodies

  • analyze the mechanical and chemical effects of weathering

  • describe and identify sediments and sedimentary rocks based on grain size, composition and texture.

  • compare the processes of erosion, transport, and deposition associated with many sedimentary environments

  • analyze local landforms caused by erosion and deposition

  • identify metamorphic rocks based on composition, foliation, and protolith.

  • locate an earthquake epicenter from seismic data

  • analyze fault orientation, displacement and sense of motion

  • compare the mechanisms and scales for measuring earthquakes

  • compare the three major types of plate boundaries in terms of their rock types, volcanism, earthquake activity, and effect on plates.

  • evaluate the effects of subduction angle on surface landforms and earthquake distribution

  • describe the distribution of volcanoes, earthquakes, large mountains, continents and oceans, with respect to major plate boundaries.

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