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A general introduction to the study of the dynamic Earth and its geology, including Earth structure and plate tectonics, volcanic activity, crystal processes and the nature of minerals and rocks.
Course Content:This course deals with the composition and structure of Planet Earth and the geological processes which have shaped its surface. The lecture course includes an overview of plate tectonics, showing how many features of the Earth's surface are directly, or indirectly, a result of plate tectonics. The course covers minerals and rocks, volcanoes and other igneous processes, sedimentary processes, and resources such as coal, oil, water found in sedimentary sequences, and metamorphism. Practical work includes the study and recognition of common minerals and rocks in hand specimen and a one-day field trip to examine the volcanic geology of the Port Hills.What the course entails:Taught only in first semester, three lectures and one practical class per week plus one one-day field trip. A fee ($25) will be charged at enrolment for field trip transport. The Port Hills trip is an integral part of the course and is provisionally set for either Saturday 21 or Sunday 22 March 2009.What you need for this course:Just enthusiasm and interest! This introductory course is suitable for students with no previous experience in geology or other science subjects.What this course gets you into:Recommended preparation for GEOL112 Understanding Earth History and all 200 level Geology courses.
Students successfully completing this course will:* Have a general knowledge of the composition, structure and geological processes of planet Earth;* Understand the framework of plate tectonics;* Appreciate the extent of geological time;* Have a basic understanding of geological processes and their products.A student will:* Know the general classification of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks;* Examine geological samples, identify them accurately and draw simple geological inferences;* Understand the relationship between laboratory and field observations;* Relate laboratory samples to actual field occurrences;* Understand how geological observations are made in the field at a number of scales and how these can be integrated into a geological story.
ENCI271
There is no practical class in the first week of teaching but lectures start on Tuesday 24 February 2009.
Jim Cole
Steve Weaver and Jamie Shulmeister
Kate Pedley
Marshak, Stephen; Earth : portrait of a planet ; 3rd ed; W.W. Norton, 2008.
Monroe, James S. , Wicander, Reed, Hazlett, Richard W; Physical geology : exploring the Earth ; 6th ed. ; Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2007.
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Domestic fee $770.00
International fee $3,415.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Geological Sciences .