THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(2010 – 2011)
GRMD 2209 PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
1. Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the physical domain of the planet Earth. Topics include the materials (i.e., minerals and rocks) of which the earth is made, the geological processes that act on these materials, the structures (e.g., faults, folds) and products (e.g., landforms and natural hazards) created, the geological time and natural history, and the environmental change and evolution of the planet. Along with the course lectures which introduces students to key information and concepts of the discipline, field trips and exercise stressing the application of geological techniques are held periodically to reinforce specific theories and concepts.
2. Personnel
Instructor: Dr. Sai Leung NG ( 伍世良 )
Office: FYB Room 208
Phone: 2609-6527
Email: slng@cuhk.edu.hk
Tutor: Mr. David Wel Zhang ( 張偉 )
Office: FYB Room 216
Phone: 2609-8085
Email: zhangwei@cuhk.edu.hk
3. Course Format
One lecture session of 2 hours (8:30-10:15 a.m. at UG04, CKB Building) is conducted every week. No tutorials will be arranged but 4 half-day field trips/exercise will be arranged for the course.
4. Course Learning Outcome
After completion of this course, students should:
 understand the geological processes controlling the evolution of the Earth;
 know the structures and formations of various landforms over the world; and
 develop field skills for geological survey
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5. Course Assessment Scheme

Final examination (50%): Long questions, covers all materials for the whole semester.

Quiz (2.5% x 4 = 10 %): Four quizzes (5 M.C. questions, dates: 28 Sep, 19 Oct, 9 Nov, 30
Nov) will be conducted during the lecture. The objective is to encourage students to review the taught subjects.

Field trip/experiment (5% x 4 = 20%, dates: 25 Sep, 9 Oct, 6 Nov, 27 Nov): Students are required to attend all field trips/experiment. Although no mark is allocated for the attendance, the field trip/experiment report is not accepted if the student is absent from the trip/experiment.

Term paper (20%): Based on the taught subjects, a meaningful specific issue can be identified for the term paper. The length of the paper will be around 3000 words in English or 2500 words in Chinese. The title of your paper should reflect specifically your studied issue and the content of your paper. The paper will be due by 12:30pm on 4 Dec.
(Saturday), 2010. One day of delay in submitting your paper will cost 10% reduction of your mark of the paper.
6. Syllabus
Week Lecture Field Trip / Quiz
7 Sep
14 Sep
21 Sep
28 Sep
5 Oct
Introduction: what is geology?
Earth inferior
Mineral and mineralogy
Mineral resources and gems
Petrology of igneous rock
Field trip 1
(25 Sep, Ma On Shan)
Quiz 1
12 Oct
19 Oct
26 Oct
2 Nov
Igneous landforms
Petrology of sedimentary rock
Conference leave
Sedimentary landforms
Field trip 2
(10 Oct, Po Toi)
Quiz 2
Field trip 3
(6 Nov, Nai Chung)
9 Nov Metamorphic rock and associated landforms Quiz 3
16 Nov Geological hazard I: earthquake
23 Nov Geological hazard II: volcanic eruption Field trip 4
(21 Nov, Tung Ping Chau)
30 Nov Geological time and environmental change Quiz 4
6 Dec
(make-up)
Geoconservation and geopark
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7. Feedback for Evaluation

An early course evaluation survey will be conducted in the 3 rd week and a final one will be considered in the last lecture respectively

A WebCT will be set up for this course. Not only it will include all important information related to the course, but it will have a discussion group that serves as a platform for communication.
8. Reference

Required Readings
A set of required readings will be reserved in the Reference Room (Rm 220, WFY Bldg.) of the
Department of Geography and Resource Management.
L1. Introduction: what is geology?

Marshak, S. (2001) Prelude: and just what is geology? Earth, portrait of a planet. New
York: W.W. Norton.
L2. Earth inferior

Marshak, S. (2001) Ch.2. Journey to the center of the Earth Earth, portrait of a planet.
New York: W.W. Norton.
L3-4. Mineral and mineralogy / Mineral resources and gems

Marshak, S. (2001) Chapter 5 Patterns in nature: minerals. Earth, portrait of a planet.
New York: W.W. Norton.
L5-6. Petrology of igneous rock / Igneous landforms

Marshak, S. (2001) Chapter 6. Up from the inferno: magma and igneous rocks. Earth, portrait of a planet. New York: W.W. Norton.
.
L7-8. Petrology of sedimentary rock / Sedimentary landforms

Marshak, S. (2001) Chapter 7. A surface veneer: sediments and sedimentary rocks.
Earth, portrait of a planet. New York: W.W. Norton
L9. Metamorphic rock and associated landforms

Marshak, S. (2001) Chapter 8. Change in the solid state: metamorphic rocks. Earth, portrait of a planet. New York: W.W. Norton.
L10. Geological hazard I: earthquake

Keller, E.A. & Blodgett, R.H. (2006) Chapter 2 Earthquakes. Natural hazards. New
Jersey: Pearson.
L11. Geological hazard I: volcanic eruption

Keller, E.A. & Blodgett, R.H. (2006) Chapter 3 Volcanoes. Natural hazards. New
Jersey: Pearson.
L12. Geological time and environmental change
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
Allegre, C.J. & S.H. Schneider (1994) The evolution of the Earth. Scientific American,
October 1994:44-51.
L13. Geoconservation and geopark

Ng, S.L., Li J.F., Fang S.M. & Ng, Y.C.Y. (2010) Geodiversity and geoconservation in
Hong Kong. Asian Geographer, forthcoming.

Recommended Readings
For further references, students are encouraged to read the correspondent chapters of the following references:

Davidson JP, WE Reed & PM Davis (2002) Exploring earth: an introduction to physical geology. Upper Saddle River, NJ : Prentice Hall..

Plummer CC, D McGeary & DH Carlson (2001) Physical geology. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Skinner BJ, SC Porter & J Park (2004) Dynamic earth: an introduction to physical geology.
Hoboken, N.J., Wiley.
9. Academic Honesty
Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations. Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/ . With each assignment, students will be required to submit the following statement that they are aware of these policies, regulations, guidelines and procedures.
I declare that the assignment here submitted is original except for source material explicitly acknowledged, and that the same or related material has not been previously submitted for another course. I also acknowledge that I am aware of University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and of the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations, as contained in the website http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/
Signature Date
Name
Course code GRMD 2209
Student ID
Course title PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
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