Geology (GOL)
Physical Geology - GOL 105
https://courses.vccs.edu/courses/GOL105-PhysicalGeology
Effective: 2022-03-31
Course Description
Introduces the science of physical geology through a comprehensive systems-based examination of Earth's structure, composition, rocks and minerals, landforms, geomorphology, and agents responsible for shaping and modifying its environments. Explores the origin and evolution of Earth's topographic and bathymetric features, geologic phenomena, and geologic hazards, resulting from plate tectonics. This is a Passport and UCGS transfer course.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
GOL105 provides students with an understanding of Earth's structure, composition, geologic features and geomorphology. This course offers a comprehensive examination of the physical and natural world. Students will enhance their observational and critical thinking skills through the analysis and interpretation of physical and graphical data. This course introduces geologic concepts to broaden students' general knowledge and exposes students to future opportunities in this area of study.
Course Objectives
- Quantitative Literacy
- Interpret numerical data to identify topographic and bathymetric features, grain size, degree of sorting, and angle of repose
- Interpret numerical data to construct a topographic profile, calculate gradient and local relief, and to classify rocks and minerals
- Scientific Literacy
- Explain the importance of science in developing an understanding of the natural world and making informed and objective decisions concerning the environment
- Describe the scientific method and its application in the natural sciences
- Civic Engagement
- Identify and describe geologic hazards, land use planning, water and soil conservation, coastal processes and management, and environmental issues
- Critical Thinking
- Analyze topographic data, geologic features, soil characteristics, rock type, tectonic setting, and climate conditions to identify areas susceptible to geologic hazards, such as earthquakes, landslides, flash floods, and volcanic eruptions
- Scientific Method
- List and describe the steps of the scientific method
- Explain the difference between a hypothesis and scientific theory.
- Analyze the elements of the scientific method and explain how these principles apply to the study of the Earth
- Earth Systems
- Identify and describe the Earth's principle systems - the lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, mantle, and core
- Explain the interactions and feedback loops between the principle systems
- Define and explain the Earth's internal and external heat engines.
- Describe the hydrologic cycle and its impact on the lithosphere, streams, glaciers, and groundwater
- Describe the rock cycle
- Plate Tectonics
- Explain the theory of plate tectonics and why it is the unifying theory for geology
- Describe the formation of continental crust and the creation and destruction of oceanic crust
- Explain the driving force and mechanism responsible for plate tectonics
- Identify and describe the tectonic processes responsible for shaping Earth's surface and environments
- Identify and describe the different plate boundaries and their associated features, such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountains
- Describe the relationship between the lithosphere and asthenosphere, and their role in plate tectonics
- Minerals and Rocks
- Identify and describe the criteria used to define a mineral
- Explain the different types of chemical bonds and their influence on mineral structure and physical characteristics
- Identify the most abundant elements of the Earth's crust and the influence of their abundance on mineral and rock composition
- Describe silicate minerals and their atomic structures
- Explain how crystalline rocks are classified according to their mineralogy
- Identify the different rock groups and explain their origin
- Explain the role of rocks in the creation of sediment, soils, and energy production
- Discuss the role of sedimentary rocks in the release and sequestration of atmospheric gases, such as carbon dioxide
- Discuss the economic uses of rocks and minerals
- Volcanism and Volcanoes
- Discuss how volcanism is related to plate tectonics
- Explain the origin of magma, lava, and pyroclastic material
- Identify and describe shallow intrusive structures and lava flows
- Describe the geologic hazards resulting from volcanic eruptions
- Explain how volcanic eruptions can impact global climate.
- Identify and describe the different types of volcanoes and their explosive potential
- Explain the significance of Bowen's Reaction Series
- Describe the different types of magma and how they are classified
- Explain the origin of volcanic hotspots, and their role in the creation of islands and supervolcanoes
- Discuss volcano monitoring and eruption forecasting
- Weathering, Erosion, sediment, and Soil
- Explain the origin of soil
- Describe the soil profile and its different horizons
- Explain what properties of soil make it productive
- Explain why rocks weather at different rates
- Discuss how soils are classified
- Describe methods of soil conversation
- Identify the different types of weathering and their products
- Identify and describe the natural agents of erosion, transport, and deposition
- Explain how sediment becomes a sedimentary rock
- Identify and describe sedimentary structures
- Explain the economic value of sedimentary rocks and their use in energy production
- Depositional Environments
- Identify and describe the continental, transitional, and marine depositional environments
- Identify and describe the features associated with the most common depositional environments
- Explain the dominant processes or agents responsible for shaping and modifying a particular depositional environment
- Use topographic maps to identify depositional landforms
- Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building
- Identify and explain the origin of structural features, such as folds, faults, and the tectonic stresses involved
- Describe how structural features are mapped using strike and dip
- Explain the origin of mountains
- Explain the principle of Isostasy and isostatic rebound
- Earthquakes and Seismic Waves
- Explain the origin of earthquakes or the elastic rebound theory
- Describe how earthquake location, intensity, and magnitude is calculated
- Identify and describe the different types of seismic waves created by earthquakes, and how they are used to study the Earth's interior
- Discuss the geologic hazards associated with earthquakes and practices to mitigate their destructive potential
- Describe the characteristics of a tsunami and how they are created.
- Discuss how earthquakes can be predicted
- Earth's Interior
- Describe the formation of Earth's internal structure through differentiation, the origin of the Earth's magnetic field, and the heat source driving plate tectonics
- Identify and describe each compositional layer of Earth's interior and its role in plate tectonics
- Describe the lithosphere and asthenosphere and their role in plate tectonics
- Explain how seismic waves are used to study the Earth's interior
- Streams and Rivers
- Explain how streams are classified
- Identify and describe the erosional and depositional features associated with streams
- Calculate stream gradient and discuss its impact of stream characteristics
- Explain the origin of floods, how they are classified, and practices used to control their effects
- Discuss the erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment by streams
- Explain how urbanization increases discharge, and its impact of flood intensity
- Groundwater
- Describe the role of permeability and porosity in groundwater characteristics
- Explain the factors controlling groundwater movement
- Identify and describe the different types of aquifers and their environmental implications
- Discuss how anthropogenic activities modify the groundwater system
- Identify and describe the origin of karst features
- Identify and describe the elements of the groundwater system, such as the unsaturated and saturated zones, and the water table
- Identify and explain the origin of hydrothermal features, such as hot springs and geysers
- Glaciers
- Explain the origin of glaciers and their impact on global sea level
- Identify and describe the erosional and depositional features associated with alpine and continental glaciers
- Discuss how glaciers eroded and transport material
- Identify and describe landform features shaped and modified by glaciers
- Explain the glacial budget and how it affects the movement of glaciers
- Discuss the impact of global warming on the distribution and extent of glaciers
- Explain what causes ice ages
- Deserts
- Describe the erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment by wind
- Identify the erosional and depositional features created by wind
- Explain the characteristics of a desert and what controls their origin and distribution
- Identify and describe the different types of sand dunes
- Explain the process of desertification
- Use topographic maps to identify desert landforms and erosional features
- Mass Wasting
- Identify the different types of mass wasting events
- Identify the most common triggers for mass wasting
- Explain the environmental factors controlling the susceptible of an area to mass wasting
- Describe the hazards associated with mass wasting and practices to mitigate these hazards
- Identify landscape features resulting from mass wasting
- Oceans, Coasts, and shoreline Processes
- Explain seawater and oceanic circulation and its impact on global climate
- Identify and describe shoreline processes responsible for erosion, transport, and deposition of sediment along the coast
- Explain how coasts are classified relative to sea level or the dominant process responsible for shaping its shoreline and coastal features
- Identify and describe features of erosional and depositional coasts
- Identify and describe features of submergent and emergent coasts
- Describe the hazards of living near the shore
- Identify poor coastal management practices
- Identify and describe the artificial structures built to protect or modify the shoreline
- Explain how ocean waves are classified
- Explain the effects of tides, waves, and nearshore current on shoreline morphology
- Identify and describe seafloor features and deposits
- Climate Change
- Explain how the rock cycle is connected to climate change
- Discuss the implications of burning fossils fuels
- Explain the Greenhouse Effect and the impact of anthropogenic activities
- Explain the role of the ocean is sequestration of atmospheric gases, such as carbon dioxide
- Describe how glacial ice cores and rock record can be used to investigate climate change in the past and future
- Laboratory Skills
- General Skills
- Use and identify Earth Materials such as Minerals, rocks, and sediments in Geological Studies
- Utilize Topographic maps and Google Earth for analysis and interpretation
- Conduct on-site or on-line virtual Field Study to determine natural and human environmental issues
- Utilize GPS, GIS, sediment auger, anemometer, compass
- Utilize field methods and equipment for water sampling, elevation mapping, climatic conditions, and sample collection
- Write formal field and lab reports
- Connect topics discussed in lecture and laboratory observations
- Minerals
- Test the physical and chemical properties to identify the most common rock forming minerals
- Identify economic uses for the most common rock forming minerals
- Igneous Rocks
- Identify those most common igneous rocks
- Determine the cooling rate and magma composition of igneous rocks
- Identify and describe shallow intrusive structures and volcano types
- Explain the origin and differences of extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks
- Identify the different types of lava and their viscosity
- Sedimentary Rocks
- Identify those most common sedimentary rocks
- Explain how detrital and chemical sedimentary rocks are formed
- Determine grain size, rounding, and sorting for detrital sedimentary rocks
- Determine depositional environment for sedimentary rocks and sedimentary structures
- Identify sedimentary structures and describe their origin
- Metamorphic Rocks
- Identify those most common metamorphic rocks
- Explain the different types of metamorphism
- Identify index minerals to determine the degree or grade of metamorphism
- Identify foliated metamorphic rocks and describe their origin
- Topographic Maps
- Utilize topographic maps and GIS computer applications to identify and interpret geologic phenomena, structures, and landforms
- Calculate distances using fractional, verbal, and graphic map scales
- Calculate relief and gradient
- Identify and utilize map elements such as contour interval, symbols, and magnetic declination
- Locate features and areas of interest using Latitude and Longitude
- Construct topographic profile using contour lines and calculate vertical exaggeration
- Streams
- Identify and classify streams based on their relationship to base level
- Identify and describe the erosional and depositional features associated with streams
- Identify stream channel patterns
- Identify and explain stream drainage patterns
- Calculate stream gradient
- Deserts
- Identify the depositional and erosional features created by running water and wind in arid climates
- Identify and describe the landscape features of the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range geologic provinces
- Explain of origin of the Basin and Range and Colorado Plateau provinces
- Identify and describe the different types of sand dunes
- Shorelines
- Explain the origin and effect of the longshore current on shoreline morphology
- Classify coastlines according to dominant process modifying its morphology or in reference to changing sea levels
- Identify and describe coastal features associated with submergent and emergent coasts
- Identify and describe depositional and erosional coastal features
- Identify artificial structures and describe their effect on the shoreline
- Utilize bathymetric lines to interpret seafloor characteristics
- Karst Topography
- Identify and describe karst features using topographic maps and GIS
- Determine location of natural springs
- Describe the process of solution weathering
- Identify geologic hazards in karst landscapes
- Glaciers
- Identify the different types of glaciers
- Identify and describe glacial erosion and depositional features
- Describe the characteristics of alpine and continental glaciers
- Determine the direction of glacial advance for active and past glaciers
Major Topics to be Included
- Scientific Method
- Earth Systems
- Plate Tectonics
- Minerals and Rocks
- Volcanism and Volcanoes
- Weathering, Erosion, sediment, and Soil
- Depositional Environments
- Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building
- Earthquakes and Seismic Waves
- Earth's Interior
- Streams and Rivers
- Groundwater
- Glaciers
- Deserts
- Mass Wasting
- Oceans, Coasts, and shoreline Processes
- Climate Change
- Laboratory Skills
- General Skills
- Minerals
- Igneous Rocks
- Sedimentary Rocks
- Metamorphic Rocks
- Topographic Maps
- Streams
- Deserts
- Shorelines
- Karst Topography
- Glaciers
Historical Geology - GOL 106
https://courses.vccs.edu/courses/GOL106-HistoricalGeology
Effective: 2022-03-31
Course Description
Traces the evolution of the earth and life through time. Presents scientific theories of the origin of the earth and life and interprets rock and fossil record. This is a Passport and UCGS transfer course.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
GOL 106 is designed to assist students in understanding the history and evolution of their physical and natural world. Students enhance their observational and critical thinking skills through the analysis and interpretation of physical and graphical data. This course covers the origins of the solar system and evolution of Earth's structure, the relationship between life and surface conditions, and the types of life that have inhabited Earth in the past.
Course Objectives
- Quantitative Literacy
- Use stratigraphic and radiometric dating techniques to establish the age (or relative age) of geologic events and the formation of rocks.
- Scientific Literacy
- Explain the development and dynamic nature of the geologic time scale.
- Civic Engagement
- Recognize and identify important marine and terrestrial sedimentary environments.
- Critical Thinking
- Explain the importance of fossils in determining sedimentary environment and relative age.
- Scientific Method
- Analyze the elements of the scientific method and explain how these principles apply to the study of the Earth.
- Geologic Time
- Discuss the history, construction, and evolution of the geologic time scale.
- Apply the theory of uniformitarianism and relative geologic dating principles including the principles of stratigraphy.
- Apply the use of radioisotopes, half-life, and carbon dating to solve problems using absolute (numerical or radiometric) dating principles.
- Recognize the age of Earth as well as the ages of Earth's oldest mineral grains, rocks, and fossils.
- Plate Tectonics
- Describe the formation of continental crust and the tectonic processes that modify it
- Recognize and interpret the growth and movement of continents and the Wilson Cycle of supercontinent formation and dispersal
- Describe and date the formation and breakup of the supercontinents of Rodinia and Pangaea
- Evolution
- Describe Darwinian evolution and the basic life forms that evolved over geologic time
- Explain the basic concepts in macroevolution and relate evidence from the fossil record to them
- Trace the events leading to the origins of life and distinguish between their forms
- Distinguish between common types of fossilization, including the origins of fossil fuels
- Earth Materials
- Test for the physical and chemical properties of minerals, and identify those most common in igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks.
- Recognize the basic Earth processes and environments of formation of each of the three rock types
- Identify sedimentary rock composition and inherent structures used to interpret paleoenvironments and the formation of sedimentary rocks and strata
- Earth Origin
- Discuss the processes involved in Earth formation including accretion (nebula to planet), bombardment, and formation of the Moon.
- Early Earth
- Describe the formation of Earth's internal structure including differentiation, the origin of the magnetic field and the heat source of the tectonic engine.
- Analyze competing theories on the formation of hydrologic cycle, including the atmosphere and hydrosphere.
- Analyze competing theories on the formation of Earth's early crust, both basaltic and granitic
- Earth and Life History
- Analyze and interpret the rock and fossil record using uniformitarian principles to understand how the Earth and its inhabitants have evolved through geologic time.
- Climate Change
- Describe the patterns and extremes of climate change in Earth's past and the probably causes
- Explain the role of the carbon cycle in Earth's global climate
- Discuss present understanding and predictions of future climate change due to anthropogenic activities based on the rock, fossil, and ice core record
- Laboratory Skills
- General Skills
- Use and identify Earth Materials such as Minerals, rocks, and sediments to determine depositional environments of Utilize Topographic maps and Google Earth for analysis and interpretation
- Conduct Field Study to determine natural and human environmental issues
- Utilize field methods and equipment for water, soil quality, mapping, sample collection
- Write formal field and lab reports
- Connect topics discussed in lecture and laboratory observations
- Rocks and Minerals
- Identify those most common igneous rocks
- Identify and describe shallow intrusive structures and volcano types
- Explain the origin and differences of extrusive and intrusive igneous rocks
- Test the physical and chemical properties to identify the most common rock forming minerals
- Identify those most common sedimentary rocks
- Explain how detrital and chemical sedimentary rocks are formed
- Determine grain size, rounding, and sorting for detrital sedimentary rocks
- Determine depositional environment for sedimentary rocks and sedimentary structures
- Identify sedimentary structures and describe their origin and depositional setting
- Identify those most common metamorphic rocks
- Explain the different types of metamorphism
- Identify index minerals to determine the degree or grade of metamorphism
- Identify foliated metamorphic rocks and describe their origin
- Geologic Time
- Describe the hierarchical time units of the geologic time scale
- Identify the geologic time periods of the paleozoic, mesozoic, and cenozoic eras
- Geologic Structures
- Identify and describe the formation of geologic structures, such as anticlines and synclines
- Identify and describe different types of faults, such as strike-slip faults and dip-slip faults
- Determine the type of stress responsible for geologic structures and faults
- Identify and describe shallow intrusive structures, such as dikes and sills
- Relative Dating
- Utilize the principles of relative dating to determine the sequence or order of geologic events
- Absolute Dating
- Explain how radioactive isotopes are used to calculate the absolute age of igneous and metamorphic rocks
- Calculate the age of igneous and metamorphic rocks or structures based on the percentage of remaining parent isotopes and their half-life
- Calculate the approximate age range of sedimentary rock layers using indirect dating methods
- Stratigraphy
- Identify and describe the different types of unconformities
- Correlate rock strata at multiple outcrops using lithostratigraphic or biostratigraphic methods
- Identify and describe marine transgressive and regressive rock sequences
- Construct stratigraphic columns
- Utilize lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic units to map rock strata
- Use fossil assemblages to construct concurrent range charts to determine the system or age of rock formations
- Paleontology
- Identify and classify fossils of marine and terrestrial flora and fauna
- Determine possible depositional environment based on fossil assemblages
- Describe the habitat and lifestyle of fossilized organisms based on their symmetry and morphology
- Geologic Maps
- Utilize geologic maps to identify geologic structures and systems of rocks
- Identify the geologic provinces of Virginia
- Describe the orientation and geologic settings for geologic structures and outcrops
- Use strike and dip symbols to identify the orientation and extent of geologic structures and faults
Major Topics to be Included
- Quantitative Literacy
- Scientific Literacy
- Civic Engagement
- Critical Thinking
- Scientific Method
- Geologic Time
- Plate Tectonics
- Evolution
- Earth Materials
- Earth Origin
- Early Earth
- Earth and Life History
- Climate Change
- Laboratory Topics
- General Skills
- Rocks and Minerals
- Geologic Time
- Geologic Structures
- Relative Dating
- Absolute Dating
- Stratigraphy
- Paleontology
- Geologic Maps
Earth Systems: An Environmental Geology Perspective - GOL 110
https://courses.vccs.edu/courses/GOL110-EarthSystemsAnEnvironmentalGeologyPerspective
Effective: 2022-03-31
Course Description
Introduces concepts in earth systems including earth materials, plate tectonics, weathering, surface and groundwater, wasting, volcanoes, earthquakes and coastal, as well as pollution and climate change. Explores major topics relating human interaction with the physical environment through case studies. Reinforces applications through laboratory experiments, demonstrations, and field studies. This is a Passport and UCGS transfer course.
Lecture 3 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 6 hours per week.
4 credits
The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.
General Course Purpose
This course examines Earth Systems from an Environmental Geology Perspective.
Course Objectives
- Scientific Literacy
- Explain phenomenon using scientific principles
- Demonstrate proper usage of credible and relevant scholarly sources in support of inquiry
- Identify or apply methods of inquiry that lead to scientific knowledge
- Organize and interpret quantitative or qualitative evidence
- Draw conclusions based on evidence
- Fundamentals of Environmental Geology
- Humans Role in the Geologic Environment
- Utilize the Scientific Method in Conducting Investigations in the Natural World
- Describe the concept of Geologic Time
- Describe how geologic time and the rate at which natural processes operate impact how humans respond to environmental issues
- Describe how Earth operates as a system and the interaction with humans
- Explain how population growth impacts resource use and environmental hazards
- Describe the concept of sustainability
- Earth and Space
- Explain the nebular hypothesis and the evolution of objects in the solar system.
- Explain the formation of the Earth and its role in the universe and solar system.
- Explain how extremophile bacteria are related to life on Earth.
- Explain habitable zones and Earth's place in the solar system
- Explain how comet and asteroid impacts have shaped Earth processes through Geologic time.
- Describe how the Moon was formed and its importance to the evolution of life on Earth
- Earth Materials
- Explain how atoms are created and assembled in minerals and rocks
- Describe why rock forming minerals are important to geologic studies
- Describe the earth materials and processes in the rock cycle
- Identify minerals and rocks
- Explain how rock are used to interpret ancient environments
- Plate Tectonics
- Explain the dynamics of large and small scale plate movements and their impact on humans and the environment
- Describe the types of Earth's internal heat and their influence on internal and external movements
- Describe forces that deform rock
- Illustrate the Earth's external and internal structure
- Describe the process of seafloor spreading
- Major types of plate boundaries and the surface feature indicators
- Hazardous Earth Processes
- Earthquakes
- Explain seismic waves and why some are more damaging than others
- Explain the difference between intensity and magnitude
- Explain difference between short- and long-term earthquake predictions
- Describe factors that affect ground shaking and structural damage
- List ways humans can minimize loss of life and property damage from earthquakes
- Describe how earthquake magnitude and depth are influenced by the type of plate boundary.
- Volcanoes
- Describe how the tectonic settings are defined by different types of volcanoes
- Explain the factors causing violent eruptive behavior of volcanoes
- List the types of volcanic hazards associated with active eruptions and dormant periods
- Describe the tools for eruption forecasts and how they can minimize damage effects
- Mass Wasting
- Characterize factors that affect slope stability
- Describe the different types of planes of weakness
- Describe ways in which water destabilizes slopes
- Characterize triggering mechanism for mass wasting event
- Describe the types of fast and slow mass wasting processes
- Describe ways humans reduce the mass wasting risks
- Streams and Flooding
- Explain the hydrologic cycle and its processes and reservoirs
- Describe the connection between stream channels, drainage basins and divides
- Describe how streams erode, transport, sort, and deposit sediment
- List human activities that affect severity of floods
- Recognize landforms created by fluvial processes.
- Coastal Hazards
- Explain differences between tides, currents, waves
- Explain how waves from deep ocean transition to shallow along the shore
- Discuss process of longshore currents the transport of sediment
- Explain how hurricanes form and cause destruction and loss of life along the coast
- Explain causes of shoreline erosion and retreat
- Explain how tsunamis form and why they are a hazard to property and people
- Describe types of coastal engineering and their consequences
- Earth Resources
- Soil
- Describe how soils form from rock and its composition
- Describe how soil horizons develop
- Characterize the relationship between soil erosion and sediment control strategies
- Describe ways to mitigate soil loss
- Describe how agricultural practices and deforestation impact soil and water quality.
- Water
- Describe the effect of porosity and permeability in runoff and infiltration
- Analyze issues in water demand and resulting pollution
- Describe how groundwater mining and over drafting can create water use problems
- Mineral/Rock
- Discuss the degree to which people in industrialized societies rely on rock and mineral resources.
- Explain why the properties of certain minerals make them useful in specific applications.
- Characterize the difference between mineral reserves and resources.
- Explain what is meant by an economic deposit.
- Explain the key geologic processes that concentrate minerals into economic deposits in the basic rock types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
- Discuss mining operations and factors of their environmental impact.
- Energy-Fossil Fuels/Alternative
- List the basic forms of energy, and describe some of the common transformations between different energy forms.
- Characterize how organic matter accumulates geologically and is transformed into coal or petroleum.
- Discuss why it will take years to scale up production of nonconventional oil resources to make up for declining supplies of conventional oil.
- Explain why conservation and efficiency must play key roles in limiting the impact of future shortages.
- Global Picture
- Pollution and Waste Disposal
- Explain the difference between point source and nonpoint source pollution.
- Describe methods of hazardous waste disposal
- Explain the impact human behavior has on different types of pollution.
- Climate Change
- Explain how the greenhouse effect operates.
- Describe how humans have disrupted the carbon cycle and how this affects Earth's climate system.
- Discuss how climate change can be triggered by orbital variations and then amplified by positive feedbacks.
- Describe the role the oceans play in shaping Earth's climate and weather patterns.
- Explain how the study of glacial ice core and glacial feedback mechanisms have led to a better understanding of the climate system.
- Discuss what a threshold is and how it relates to abrupt and dramatic changes in climate.
- Describe the basic mitigation strategies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and why it is imperative to begin making immediate and significant reductions.
- Laboratory Skills
- General Skills
- Use and identify Earth Materials such as minerals, rocks, and sediments in Geological Studies
- Utilize Topographic maps and Google Earth for analysis and interpretation
- Conduct on-site or virtual field studies to determine natural and human environmental issues
- Utilize GPS, compass
- Utilize field methods and equipment for water, soil quality, mapping, sample collection
- Write formal field and lab reports
- Engage with the connections between society and climate
- Connect topics discussed in lecture and laboratory observations
Major Topics to be Included
- Fundamentals of Environmental Geology
- Human Role in the Geologic Environment
- Earth and Space
- Earth Materials
- Plate Tectonics
- Hazardous Earth Processes
- Earthquakes
- Volcanoes
- Mass Wasting
- Streams and Flooding
- Coastal Hazards
- Earth Resources
- Soil
- Water
- Mineral/Rock
- Energy-Fossil Fuels/Alternative
- Global Picture
- Pollution and Waste Disposal
- Climate Change
- Laboratory Skills
- General Skills