Geology and the
Environment
ERSC 1F90
Summer 2009
Instructor: Rick Cheel
Department of Earth Sciences
Office:
Mackenzie Chown D418
Phone:
905-688-5550 Ext. 3512
E-mail: rcheel
brocku.ca
All course material will be located at:
www.brocku.ca/ERSC1F90
ERSC 1F90
aims to provide:
• A basic understanding of Earth materials
(rocks, minerals, etc.).
• An introduction to plate tectonics and its
implications (earthquakes and
volcanoes).
• Examples of extreme events of various
scales of magnitude and frequency.
Grade Distribution
Assignments
36%
4 assignments of equal
value (9% each)
2 Midterm tests
15% each
In-class,
Thursday, July 23 and
Wednesday, August 5
Last names beginning A to K, 1000-1100h.
Last names beginning L to Z, 1100-1200h.
Final Exam
34%
Friday, August 21, 2009
1400-1600h
Location TBA
IMPORTANT NOTES
Students will have received notification of at least 15% of their final
grade by Thursday, August 6, 2009.
The last day for withdrawal without academic penalty and last day to
change from credit to audit status for duration 1 courses is Friday,
August 7, 2009.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and
credit obtained in ERSC 1F01, 1F95, 1P92 and 1P93.
Schedule for assignments
July 16 Economic Minerals
July 22 Relative age of rocks and geological events
July 30 Locating earthquake epicentres
August 6 Identifying tectonic plate boundaries
Each assignment is due by 1300h on the Thursday of the
week following its introduction.
Earth Science Workshop
Mackenzie Chown D319.
Every Tuesday from 1200 to 1500h.
Teaching Assistants will be available to help with assignments.
Lectures:
Outline and schedule
Monday July 13
Introduction, grade distribution, outline
Tuesday July 14
Scientific Ideas, Geology 101,
the History of Geology
Wednesday July 15
Atoms, elements and minerals.
Outline and schedule
Thursday July 16
Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.
Tuesday July 20
Fossils and fossilization; mass extinctions
Tuesday July 21
Geologic Time
Wednesday July 22
Geologic Time, continued. Assignment 2 tutorial.
Outline and schedule
July 23
Midterm Test #1
Last names beginning A to K (10:00am – 11:00am)
Last names beginning L to Z (11:00am – 12:00pm)
Monday July 27
The origin of the solar system and the formation of
Earth.
Tuesday July 28
Impacts with the Earth, effect and risk.
Outline and schedule
Wednesday July 28
Impacts with the Earth, effect and risk, continued.
Thursday July 30
Continental Drift; Geomagnetism; Assignment 3
tutorial.
Monday August 3
No Lecture
Civic Holiday
Outline and schedule
Tuesday August 4
Modern Plate Tectonics
Wednesday, August 5
Midterm Test #2
Last names beginning A to K (10:00am – 11:00am)
Last names beginning L to Z (11:00am – 12:00pm)
Outline and schedule
Thursday August 6
Earthquakes: Faults, seismic waves and their
effects; the distribution of Earthquakes
Monday August 10
Earthquake prediction and the Great Canadian
Earthquake.
Tuesday August 11
The Earth’s climate and its history
(Snowball Earth)
Outline and schedule
Wednesday August 12
Climate, continued
Thursday August 13
Volcanoes: classification, deposits, and their
distribution.
Monday August 17
Predicting volcanic eruptions; scales of eruptions,
major eruptions and Supervolcanoes
Outline and schedule
Tuesday August 18
The history of the Earth
Wednesday August 19
Wrap-up, a quick review and final exam
information.
Thursday August 20
No Lecture (Check schedule for changes)
(a good time to study)
Friday August 21
Final Exam, 1400 – 1600h, location TBA
The usual disclaimer….
The schedule is tentative.
Check the web-based schedule for changes
and updates.
In the event of a
significant asteroid
impact:
class will be cancelled!