Physical Geology
2010-2011
Geology Course of Study
Course Description
Physical Geology incorporates chemistry, physics, and environmental science,
and introduces students to key concepts, principles and theories with in geology.
Students will engage in investigations to understand and explain the behavior of
nature in a variety of inquiry and design scenarios that incorporate scientific
reasoning, analysis, communication skills, and real world applications.
Prerequisite:
Students enrolled in Math 2112 or higher level math classes.
Students must have successfully completed at least (C average or better) in
Physical Science and Biology.
Credit:
1 Credit
Physical Geology
2010-2011
Geology Course of Study
Concept:
Explore the building blocks of the lithosphere, minerals, and rocks.
Topics:
Minerals
The crystalline structure of molecules contributes to its physical properties.
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Atoms, elements and chemical bonding (ionic, covalent, metallic)
Crystallinity (crystal structure)
Criteria of a mineral (crystalline solid, occurs in nature, inorganic, defined
chemical composition)
Physical properties of minerals (hardness, luster, cleavage, streak, crystal shape,
fluorescence, flammability, magnetism, density/specific gravity, malleability)
Rocks
The characteristics of a rock reflect its geologic history.
Igneous
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Mafic and felsic rocks and minerals
Intrusive (igneous structures: dikes, sills, batholiths, pegmatites)
Extrusive (volcanic activity, volcanoes, cinder cones, composite, shield)
Cooling rate and Bowen's Reaction Series (continuous and discontinuous
branches)
Metamorphic
 Pressure, stress, temperature, and compressional forces
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Foliated (regional), non-foliated (contact)
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Parent rock and degrees of metamorphism
 Metamorphic zones (where metamorphic rocks are found)
Sedimentary
 Division of sedimentary rocks and minerals (chemical clastic/physical,
organic)
 Depositional environments
Vocabulary:
atoms, elements, compounds, chemical bonding (ionic, covalent,
metallic), crystallinity, mineral, hardness, luster, cleavage, streak, crystal shape,
fluorescence, flammability, magnetism, density/specific gravity, malleability, igneous,
mafic, felsic, intrusive (igneous structures: dikes, sills, batholiths, pegmatites), extrusive
(volcanic activity, volcanoes, cinder cones, composite, shield), metamorphic, foliated
(regional), non-foliated (contact), sedimentary (chemical clastic/physical, organic),
deposition
Performance Skills:
 Identify minerals based upon physical properties of minerals (hardness, luster,
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cleavage, streak, crystal shape, magnetism, density/specific gravity, malleability)
Sort or identify rocks and classify them as:
o Igneous
 Mafic or Felsic
 Intrusive or Extrusive
o Metamorphic
 Foliated or Non-foliated
o Sedimentary
 Clastic, physical, or organic
Physical Geology
2010-2011
Geology Course of Study
Concept:
Based upon the individual smaller units of the lithosphere students will
investigate the lithosphere to see how the characteristics and formation of rocks and
minerals can be used to determine Earth’s history and to understand the varying
geologic processes of Earth.
Topics:
Geologic Time
The history of the Earth is broken up into a hierarchical set of divisions for describing
geologic time.
Relative and Absolute Age
Principles to determine relative age
 Original horizontality, original lateral continuity, superposition, cross-cutting
relationships, unconformities (nonconformity, angular unconformity,
disconformities), Principle of Inclusions, guide fossils
Determining absolute age
 Radiometric dating (isotopes, radioactive decay)
 Appropriate applications of radiometric dating (which isotopes to use in which
situations, rock types)
The Geologic Time Scale
 Comprehending geologic time based on Eons, Eras, Periods, Epochs, Ages
 Climate changes evident through the rock record
 Fossils
o Fossil Identification
 Body fossils (macroscopic and microscopic) and trace fossils
(ichnofossils)
 modes of preservation (unaltered soft parts, altered soft parts,
carbonization, charcoalification, recrystallization, replacement,
silification, calcification, pyritization, permineralization authigenic
cementation), casts, molds, steinkerns, trace fossils, corpolites
Plate Tectonics
Evidence for structure of the Earth
 Seismic waves, S and P waves, velocities, reflection, refraction of seismic
waves
 Structure of Earth
o Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, Mohorovicic discontinuity (Moho)
o Composition of Earth’s core
o Gravity, magnetism and isostasy
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Thermal energy (geothermal gradient and heat flow)
Historical data and observations
 Paleomagnetism and magnetic anomalies
 Paleoclimatology
o Evidence of Paleoclimates (evaporates, eolian sandstones,
alluvial fan, peat, paleosols, carbonates, oxygen isotopes, ice
cores, Milankovitch Cycles (eccentricity, axial precession, obliquity
cycle)
Plate motion
 Causes, evidence and measuring of plate motion
 Characteristics of oceanic and continental plates
 Relationship of plate movement and geologic events and features
Vocabulary: relative, original horizontality, superposition, cross-cutting relationships,
absolute age, radiometric dating (isotopes, radioactive decay), seismic waves (S and P
waves, velocities, reflection, refraction), lithosphere, asthenosphere, Mohorovicic
discontinuity (Moho), isostasy, thermal energy (geothermal gradient and heat flow),
paleomagnetism
(magnetic
anomalies),
paleoclimatology,
unconformities
(nonconformity, angular unconformity, disconformities), Principle of Inclusions,
evaporates, eolian sandstones, alluvial fan, peat, paleosols, carbonates, oxygen
isotopes, ice cores, Milankovitch Cycles (eccentricity, axial precession, obliquity cycle
guide fossils, macroscopic, microscopic, ichnofossils, unaltered soft parts, altered soft
parts, carbonization, charcoalification, recrystallization, replacement, silification,
calcification, pyritization, permineralization authigenic cementation), casts, molds,
steinkerns, trace fossils, corpolites
Performance Skills:
 Determine relative age based upon original horizontality, superposition, and
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cross-cutting relationships.
Determine absolute age based upon radiometric dating (isotopes, radioactive
decay).
Classify geological events into Eons, Eras, Periods, Epochs, and Ages by
utilizing the geologic time scale.
Determine the paleoclimate by observing rock and mineral types within a region.
Identify fossils by (macroscopic and microscopic), trace fossils (ichnofossils), and
their modes of preservation.
Collect data from a seismic event and identify the S and P waves, velocities,
reflection, and refraction of seismic waves.
Given a visual representation of the Earths layers students will identify
Lithosphere, Asthenosphere, and the composition of the earth’s core.
Describe how the relationship of plate movement and geologic events affects
features of the Earth.
Physical Geology
2010-2011
Geology Course of Study
Concept:
The Earth is dynamic, continually changing and cycling. There are four
basic spheres of Earth: the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere. There
is no process or phenomenon that occurs in complete isolation within each sphere; each
interacts with another.
Topic:
Earth Systems
This section is a culmination of the material from earlier in the course and concentrates on the
interaction between the spheres as they relate to geologic processes.
The Ocean
 Tides and currents
 Thermal energy and water density
 Waves and coastal processes
 Ocean features (ridges, trenches, island systems, abyssal zone, shelves, slopes,
reefs, island arcs, alluvial fans, deltas)
Surface and Ground water
 Streams (tributaries, channels, streambeds, floodplains, cross-bedding,
meandering stream, shallow braided stream, oxbow lake, cut bank, point bar,
dendritic drainage, radial drainage)
 Potable water
 Wetlands
 Flood hazards
Soils
 Weathering, erosion and mass wasting
Earth’s Mineral Resources
Climate and Climate change
 Koppen Climate Classifications
 Milankovitch Cycles
Glaciers and Glaciations
 Evidence of past glaciers (including features formed through erosion or
deposition)
 Glacial deposition and erosion (including features formed through erosion or
deposition)
 Data from ice cores
o How to determine glacial age
o Historical changes (amounts, locations, particulate matter)
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Climate changes evidence
Fossil record
Glacial distribution and causes of glaciation
Types of glaciers - Continental (ice sheets), alpine/valley (piedmont,
valley, cirque, ice caps)
Glacial structure, formation and movement
Vocabulary: hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, thermal energy, density, Ocean
features (ridges, trenches, island systems, abyssal zone, shelves, slopes, reefs, island
arcs, alluvial fans, deltas), Streams (channels, streambeds, floodplains, cross-bedding,
meandering stream, shallow braided stream, oxbow lake, cut bank, point bar, dendritic
drainage, radial drainage), potable water, wetlands, weathering, erosion, mass wasting,
glaciation (zone of accumulation, zone of ablation, terminus, drift, till, crevasses,
transverse crevasses, longitudinal crevasses, cirque, arête, col, horn, headwall, glacial
trough, piedmont, valley, ice caps, hanging valley, glacial striations and grooves, glacial
polish, ground moraine, terminal moraine recessional moraine, lateral moraine, medial
moraine, drumlin, kame, esker, erratic, outwash, outwash plain, loess, tarn, finger lake,
kettle lake)
Performance Skills:
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Identify the four basic spheres of Earth: the lithosphere, hydrosphere,
atmosphere and biosphere and their interaction between the spheres as they
relate to geologic processes.
Identify on a map of the ocean floor the ocean features (ridges, trenches, island
systems, abyssal zone, shelves, slopes, reefs, island arcs, alluvial fans, deltas)
Identify the features associated with ground and surface water.
Identify features that are a result of glaciation.
List the processes that effect weathering, erosion, and the different types of mass
wasting.
Identify the locations of some of the earth’s major mineral resources and relate
them to their depositional environments.
Relate how cyclical patterns associated with the Milankovitch Cycles effect the
earth’s climate change.
Identify the different climate zones of the earth and how they relate to their
location on the earths surface.
Predict how an increase in particulate matter influences the climate both short
term and long term.
Indentify and label evidence of past glaciers (including features formed
through erosion or deposition).
Indentify and label glacial deposition and erosion (including features formed
through erosion or deposition).
List three causes of glaciation.
Locate current and past glaciations and give rationale for the distribution of the
glaciers.