ENR 1101: EARTH STRUCTURE AND GEO-PROCESSES
Course Description
The course is designed to enable students understand the origin of the Earth and solar system,
evolution of the Earth, composition and structure of the Earth and the processes which have led to
its modification since formation as a basis for sustainable exploitation of Earth resources. The
students will also be introduced to the Earth mineral resources and distribution and rocks that
result from mineral associations. Elementary practical will be conducted to introduce students to
mineral and rock identification techniques. Processes that affect rocks like weathering and mass
wasting and resulting landforms will also be dealt with. And finally aspects of man’s influences on
the environment will be dealt with in Environmental Biogeochemistry with emphasis on pollution,
degradation, and mining.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to;
 Explain the origin of the earth and solar system, the structure and composition of the Earth,
seafloor spreading, continental drift and geochronology.
 Explain minerals, their classification, their distribution in Uganda and the main uses of
minerals.
 Explain rocks, their classification and distribution in Uganda.
 Describe weathering, types of weathering, effects and landforms resulting from weathering.
 Describe mass wasting, types of mass wasting, preventive and remedial measures to curb
down effects of mass wasting.
 Analyse the main influences of man on environment- degradation, pollution and how to
overcome some of these.
Course Outline
 Earth origin: internal structure and age, geochronology, tectonics and geological cycle
 Mineralogy : types of minerals, main mineral groups (silicates, non silicate and clay
minerals) and minerals in Uganda
 Petrology: composition, texture and classification of rocks: Igneous, metamorphic and
sedimentary rocks
 General geology of Uganda: geological history of Uganda from Archaean to Cenozoic
 Weathering: types, causes and effects of weathering, landforms resulting from weathering
 Mass wasting: types, causes, effects, occurrences in Uganda
 Environmental Biogeochemistry: Air, water and soil pollution – sources, types of pollutants,
effects of pollutants and remedial measures
Basic Reading List
1. Wyllie, P.J. (1976). The way the earth works: An introduction to the new global geology and its
revolutionary developments. John Wiley and sons: 256P.
2. Read, H.H, and Watson. (1974). Introduction to geology VolI. Principles. Macmillan,
3. Press F. & R. Siever. (1986). Earth. Fourth edition. W.H. Free Man and Company San
Francisco.
4. Montgomery, C.W. & David Dathe, (1994).
Earth, Then and Now. Second edition. WMBC.
Brown Publishers. Dublique, Melbourne, Oxford, England.
5. Gass, I.G., Smith, R.J. and Wibon, R.C. (1973). Understanding the Earth. 2nd edition. The
Artemis Press Ltd.
6. Wyllie, P.J. (1971). The Dynamic Earth, text book in geosciences
7. Geological Dictionary.
Methods of course delivery
Mode of Assessment
 Lectures on key aspects of the course
 Course Work (Take home essay, Timed
essay and Test)
 Practical sessions on mineralogy and
petrology
 Practicals
 Field excursions to see rocks, geological
 Field Reports
formations and processes
 Final written Exam