GEY112 - PHYSICAL GEOLOGY syllabus

(Maine School of Science and Mathematics)

Spring 2008

 

 Instructor: Dr. Chunzeng Wang

University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI)

UMPI office: Room 306, South Hall; Office phone: (207) 768-9412;

Email address: chunzeng.wang@umpi.edu

Personal website: http://www.umpi.maine.edu/~wangc

Class hours: 4:00-5:60 and 6:00-7:30 PM, Tuesdays and Thursdays

Textbook: Essentials of Geology, 2nd edition, by Stephen Marshak

Course description:

Physical Geology is an introduction to basic, modern principles of geology. After investigating minerals and geologic resources, the course introduces the theory of plate tectonics which is the unifying theory of the earth science, and which is then used to connect other topics covered in the course.  These topics include internal geologic processes such as igneous activities, volcanic eruptions, metamorphism, rock deformation (folding and faulting), earthquakes, and mountain formation, and their products such as various types of rocks. The topics also cover surface geologic processes such as erosional and depositional processes of streams, glaciers, ocean waves, and winds, and how they constantly change landscape of the Earth.

Completion of this course provides the students with a good understanding and awareness of the planet Earth and our geologic environment.

Course policies:

1.      Class attendance: Class attendance is strongly required. Lecture exams will include material that is exclusively covered in the lecture. Therefore, if you miss classes your test grade will be negatively impacted. Also, because both lectures and lab exercises are scheduled to be on the same pace, the lecture will greatly help doing lab exercises.

2.  Field trips: Geology is a field science. Field observation is essential to geological learning. This course therefore comes with couple of day-long field trips around Limestone – Presque Isle area. All students are required to attend the field trips. Field trips will be scheduled either on Saturday or Sunday. Details of the field trips will be released later in couple of weeks.

3.      Exams and Grading: There will be three lecture exams and three lab tests. Each lecture exam accounts toward 20% of your total grade while each lab test toward 10%. Your participation and attendance will account toward 10%. Please note that your total Geology grade will not be assigned on a curve.

Spring 2008 Schedule

Week

M

Tuesday

W

Thursday

1

1/21

1/22 Introduction; Earth structure (Chapter 1)

1/23

1/24 Minerals (1) (Chapter 3) Lab 1: Mineral properties

2

1/28 

 

1/29 Minerals (2) (Chapter 3)Lab 1 Mineral properties (cont.)

1/30

1/31 Minerals (3) (Chapter 3)Lab 2: Mineral identification

3

2/4

 

2/5 Geologic resources and mining (Chapter 12)

Lab 2: Mineral identification (cont.)

2/6

2/7 Dynamic earth system and plate tectonics (1) (Chapter 2)

Lab: Mineral review

4

211

 

2/12 Plate tectonics (2)

(Chapter 2)

Lab: Mineral review

2/13

2/14 Plate tectonics (3)

(Chapter 2)

Lab quiz 1: Mineral quiz

5

2/18 – 2/22  February Break

6

2/25

2/26 Igneous activities

(Chapters 4 and 7)

2/27 

2/28 Igneous rocks (Chapters 4 and 7)

Lab 3: Igneous rocks

7

3/3

3/4 Lab 3: Igneous rocks (cont.)

The 1st lecture exam

3/5

3/6 Metamorphism and

metamorphic rocks (Chapter 6)

Lab 4: Metamorphic rocks

8

3/10

3/11 Weathering, soils, and soil erosion (Chapter 5)

Lab 4: Metamorphic rocks (cont.)

3/12

3/13 Sedimentation and

sedimentary rocks (Chapter 5)

Lab 5: Sedimentary rocks

9

3/17 - 3/19 PW

3/20 Rock deformation and folds

(Chapter 9)

Lab 5: Sedimentary rocks (cont.)

10

3/24 

3/25 Rock deformation and faults (Chapter 9)

Lab quiz 2: Rock test

3/26

3/27 Geologic time and relative dating of rocks (Chapters 10 and 11)

Lab 6: Dating of rocks

11

3/31

4/1 Geologic time and absolute/radiometric dating of rocks (Chapters 10 and 11)

Lab 6: Dating of rocks (cont.)

4/2

4/3 Mountain building and mountain belts (Chapter 9)

Lab 7: Topographic maps and map reading skills

12

4/7

 

4/8 Earthquakes (Chapter 8)

Lab 7: Topographic maps and map reading skills (cont.)

4/9 

4/10 The 2nd lecture exam

Mass wasting and landslides

(Chapter 13)

13

4/14  

4/15 Streams (1)(Chapter 14)

Lab8: Map reading skills and stream gradient calculation

4/16

 

4/17 Streams (2)(Chapter 14)

Lab 9: Contour construction

14

4/21 - 4/25 April Break

 

15

4/28

4/29 Glaciers (Chapter 18)

Lab 9: Contour construction (cont.)

4/30

5/1 Groundwater (Chapter 16)

Lab 9: Contour construction (cont.)

16

5/5

5/6 Karst (Chapter 16)

Lab 9: Contour construction (cont.)

5/7

5/8 Shorelines (Chapter 15)

Lab 10: Topographic profiles and profile construction

17

5/12

5/13 Deserts (Chapter 17)

Lab 10: Topographic profiles and profile construction (cont.)

5/14

5/15 Lecture review

Lab quiz 3: Lab final

18

5/19

5/20 The final lecture exam

5/21

5/22