GEOL 101A
Fall 2003
Physical Geology: General Course Information
Geology is the study of "how the Earth works". In this course we will explore the processes
that have created and that continue to modify our home planet. These range from aweinspiring events such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to peaceful processes such as
erosion and groundwater flow that are almost too slow to detect. The main goals of this
course are: (1) to increase your understanding and appreciation of geologic features and
phenomena that you encounter or read about in everyday life, (2) to acquaint you with how
earth scientists collect and interpret data to understand the earth, and (3) and to make you
more aware of how human activities influence (and are influenced by!) the geology around us.
Professor:
Dr. Jeffrey Tepper (aka “Jeff” or “Dr. T”)
Office:
152 Thompson Hall
Phone:
879-3820 (office/voice mail) or 879-3814 (departmental office)
759-0385 (home; please don’t call after 10 PM)
E-mail:
jtepper@ups.edu
WWW:
http://www.ups.edu/faculty/jtepper/
Office Hours:
Monday 11-12, Tuesday 9-10, Wednesday 11-12, Friday 11-12
and other times by drop-in or by appointment
Textbooks:
There are two required texts for this course. The first is Understanding
Earth (4th Edition) by Press, Siever, Grotzinger & Jordan. The second is the
lab manual; be sure to buy the one for this section (GEOL 101A).
Supplies:
Index cards (3” x 5”) and for lab a hand lens (in the bookstore for $5).
Grading:
Your grade in this course will be based on a combination of lecture exams,
homework exercises, and lab assignments, which will be weighted as
follows:
Extra Credit:
lecture exams (3 "midterms", 1 final)
50 %
lab assignments / exam
35 %
homework assignments
12 %
“Question of the Week”
3%
Lecture exams, consisting primarily of short-answer questions, will include
material discussed in class, as well as that covered in the assigned readings.
The lecture final is cumulative; the midterm exams are not. It is your
responsibility to notify me in advance if you will be absent on an exam date,
otherwise no make-up test will be allowed. Final course grades, rounded to
the nearest whole number, are calculated as follows: >95% = A; 90-94% =
A-; 87-89% = B+; 83-86% = B; 80-82% = B-; 77-79% = C+; 73-76% = C;
70-72% = C-; 67-69% = D+; 63-66% = D; 60-62% = D-; <60% = F.
I may occasionally give unannounced extra-credit quizzes. These are
designed to prepare you for the hour exams, and to encourage you to "learn
as you go" rather than "cramming" the night before the exam.
Homework:
Over the course of the term I will distribute a modest number of homework
assignments (perhaps three?) that deal with topics we don’t cover in lab. In
addition, each of you is responsible to reading two geologic articles of your
choice from Scientific American and writing a brief (1-2 page, typed)
summary of each. It is vital that your summary be in your own words (i.e.,
do not “cut and paste” sentences from the article – that is plagiarism). There
is no due date for these summaries, but at least one of the two must be
turned in before Fall Break (October 20). You may substitute going on a
field trip (see below) for one of these articles.
Attendance:
Regular attendance in lecture and lab is important for your success in
Geology 101. I will keep track of attendance. A student absent for more
than 15% of the class or lab meetings will, at a minimum, have his/her grade
lowered by one letter grade.
E-mail/WWW: I will occasionally use e-mail to communicate with you. It is your
responsibility to check your account at least once every three days. I will
also post lecture outlines and other course-related materials (such as this
syllabus) on my web site.
Honesty:
The work you turn in must be your own. I encourage you to discuss course
material with your classmates and to study and work together on
assignments, but when you take an exam or turn in a homework paper that
work must reflect your own efforts. Any written work that shows evidence
of academic dishonesty will receive a grade of zero and may be turned over
to the Registrar’s Office. It is a good idea to read the section on academic
honesty in the Logger if you are unsure of what constitutes plagiarism.
Laboratory:
Lab activities provide an opportunity to apply concepts discussed in lecture,
and to gain "hands on" experience with some of the methods geologists use
to study the Earth. Lab is an integral part of the course, so I will expect you
to be there on time each week, to do any lab readings in advance, and to
have all necessary supplies with you (as listed in the lab manual).
Additional details about the lab are provided on a separate page.
Field Trips:
We are fortunate to live in one of the most geologically interesting regions
of the country. Within a few hours drive we can peer into an active volcano,
walk through a fossilized forest, hike to the snout of a glacier, and much
more. In an effort to share these experiences with you, I will run several
optional one-day field trips on weekends during the fall. I will announce
trip dates early in the term.
Special Needs:
If you have a documented disability and would benefit from classroom
accommodations or modifications please see me at the beginning of the
semester. You should also contact Ivey West (x. 2692) at the Center for
Writing and Learning in Howarth 105.
Tips for
Success:
Building knowledge is much like building muscle ... it takes time and it takes
repetition. You cannot “get strong” by lifting weights all night before a
game, nor can you “get smart” by studying all night before an exam. Here
are some tips for doing well in this or any other course:
o Take good notes during lecture; don’t just write what is on the board.
o Recopy your notes each night; this takes time, but it allows you to
“process” the material and to identify anything that is unclear.
o Ask questions. There is no such thing as a dumb question, and
classmates will secretly thank you for asking “their questions”.
o Read the textbook ... and write in it! Even if you feel confident that
you understand what is covered in lecture, you can still benefit from
seeing the material presented in another way. Also, there is material
in the textbook that I will not have time to cover in lecture.
o Study with a friend. The friend needn’t even be in this course; if you
can explain the material to someone who hasn’t taken the course that
is a good indication that you understand it well.
o Relate the material to everyday life or to personal experiences.
Physical Geology Lecture Schedule: Fall 2003
Date
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Topic
Reading
3
Introduction
Chapter 1
5
Plate Tectonics: The Big Picture
Chapter 2
8
Plate Tectonics: The Big Picture (cont.)
Chapter 2
10
Atoms, Ions, and Minerals
Chapter 3
12
The Rock Cycle; Introduction to Volcanism
Chapter 4
15
Volcanoes Types and Eruption Products
Chapter 6
17
Volcanic Hazards and Eruption Prediction
Chapter 6
19
Igneous Processes I: Making Magmas
Chapter 5
22
Igneous Processes II: Crystallization & Texture
Chapter 5
24
Weathering
Chapter 7
26
Hour Exam #1
29
Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks
Chapter 8
1
Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks
Chapter 8
3
Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks
Chapter 9
6
Geologic Time I: Relative Ages
Chapter 10
8
Geologic Time II: Correlation & the Time Scale
Chapter 10
10
Geologic Time III: Absolute Ages
Chapter 10
13
Rock Deformation I: Stress, Strain & Faults
Chapter 11
15
Rock Deformation II: Folds & Mountain Building Chapter 11
17
Earthquakes I: Seismic Waves
20
NO CLASS – Fall Break Day
22
Earthquakes II: Magnitude and Intensity
Chapter 19
24
Earthquake III: Hazards and Prediction
Chapter 19
27
Earth's Interior
Chapter 21
29
Earth's Interior
Chapter 21
31
Hour Exam #2
Chapter 19
3
Continental Drift and Seafloor Spreading
Chapter 2
5
Growth and Movement of the Continents
Chapter 20
7
Plate Tectonics – Synthesis & Driving Forces
Chapter 2
Mass Movements
Chapter 12
10
Dec.
Note:
12
Hydrologic Cycle & Groundwater
Chapter 13
14
Groundwater
Chapter 13
17
Rivers I: Stream Flow and Erosion
Chapter 14
19
Rivers II: Fluvial Landscapes and Flooding
Chapter 14
21
Glaciers I: Glacier Formation and Flow
Chapter 16
24
Hour Exam #3
26
Glaciers II: Glacial Landscapes
28
NO CLASS - Thanksgiving Break
Chapter 16
1
Glaciers III: Ice Ages
Chapter 16
3
Ocean Basins and Coastlines
Chapter 17
5
Waves and Shorelines
Chapter 17
8
Natural Resources
Chapter 22
10
Natural Resources
Chapter 22
16
Final Exam (Tuesday, 8:00-10:00 PM)
Readings refer to chapters of Understanding Earth by Press et al.
GEOL 101A
Fall 2003
Physical Geology Laboratory Information & Syllabus
Our understanding of the Earth is based in large part on geological knowledge gained through field and
lab investigations. The goal of the GEOL 101 labs is to first give you a "hands on" introduction to some
of the skills geologists use to study the Earth, and then to allow you the opportunity to apply these skills
"in the field". As much as possible, these labs are also designed to reinforce concepts covered in the
lecture portion of the course.
Required lab materials. The lab manual lists the materials you should being to each lab session. In
addition, you will often find it useful to have your copy of Understanding Earth with you.
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GEOL 101 Lab Manual
pencils (#2 hardness preferred) and eraser
notebook (can be the same one you use in lecture)
calculator
hand lens
Lab grades. Your lab grade represents 35% of your overall course grade, and will be based on the
following:
weekly lab assignments:
20% (lowest weekly grade is dropped)
rock & mineral exam
15%
You are encouraged to work with a lab partner (usually one unless otherwise instructed) on the weekly
assignments, but both of you are expected to contribute equally and to be intellectually involved in
answering each question. It is not acceptable to divide up the work (“I’ll answer the first three, you do the
last three.”) and then simply trade answers. Unless otherwise announced, lab assignments will generally
be due at the end of the lab period. However, they can also be turned in the next day in lecture if you so
desire. Assignments turned after that will not be graded. Labs will be evaluated on neatness as well as
accuracy and completeness.
SCHEDULE OF WEEKLY LAB TOPICS
Week
1 (Sept. 9)
2 (Sept. 16)
3 (Sept. 23)
4 (Sept. 30)
5 (Oct. 7)
6 (Oct. 14)
7 (Oct. 21)
8 (Oct. 28)
9 (Nov. 4)
10 (Nov. 11)
11 (Nov. 18)
12 (Nov. 25)
13 (Dec. 2)
Topic
Topographic Maps
Mineral Properties & Identification
Field Trip: Tombstone Weathering Rates
Rocks I: Minerals & Grain Size
Rocks II: Texture & Identification
Field Trip to Garfield Gulch
Garfield Gulch Sediment Analysis
Seismogram Interpretation
Rock & Mineral Review; Practice Exam
Rock & Mineral Exam
Groundwater Flow
Viscosity Experiments
Stream Table Experiments
Reading (to do before lab)
Manual, Lab 1
Manual, Lab 2
Manual, Lab 3
Manual, Lab 4
Manual, Lab 5
Manual, Lab 6
Manual, Lab 7
Manual, Lab 8
Manual, Lab 9
Manual, Lab 10
Manual, Lab 11