Overview

This course provides an overview of geology, the scientific study of the Earth. Students will explore the materials, processes, and history that shape our planet. Topics include minerals and rocks, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, weathering and erosion, geological time, and Earth's interior and surface structures. The course emphasizes the dynamic nature of Earth and the interrelationships between humans and the geologic environment. Labs and fieldwork may be included to give students hands-on experience with rock and mineral identification, map interpretation, and geologic observations.Prerequisites: None, though basic science knowledge is helpful.Learning Outcomes:Identify and classify common rocks and minerals.Understand the processes driving plate tectonics and the rock cycle.Analyze how geologic processes shape landscapes and impact society.Interpret geologic maps and cross-sections.Appreciate the Earth's history through the geologic time scale.Geology is the study of the earth, including its composition, structure, physical properties, and history. It involves examining the earth's minerals, rocks, and fossils, as well as studying the processes that shape the earth's surface, such as volcanic activity, earthquakes, erosion, and plate tectonics. Geologists also study the history of the earth, including the evolution of life on the planet and the formation of its landforms and continents over millions of years.Geology (from the Ancient Greek("study of", "discourse") is an earth science concerned with the solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Geology can also include the study of the solid features of any terrestrial planet or natural satellite such as Mars or the Moon. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other earth sciences, including hydrology and the atmospheric sciences, and so is treated as one major aspect of integrated earth system science and planetary science.Aerial view of Grand Prismatic Spring; Hot Springs, Midway & Lower Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National ParkKinney Lake and Mount Whitehorn near Mount Robson, CanadaGeology describes the structure of the Earth on and beneath its surface, and the processes that have shaped that structure. It also provides tools to determine the relative and absolute ages of rocks found in a given location, and also to describe the histories of those rocks. By combining these tools, geologists are able to chronicle the geological history of the Earth as a whole, and also to demonstrate the age of the Earth. Geology provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and the Earth's past climates.Geologists use a wide variety of methods to understand the Earth's structure and evolution, including field work, rock description, geophysical techniques, chemical analysis, physical experiments, and numerical modelling. In practical terms, geology is important for mineral and hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, evaluating water resources, understanding of natural hazards, the remediation of environmental problems, and providing insights into past climate change. Geology is a major academic discipline, and it plays an important role in geotechnical engineering.

Skills

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