Introduction to Geology

Catalog description

The course, specifically designed for the Environmental Science majors, introduces fundamentals of geology in the environmental context. The issues of local and global environmental changes are placed into a broader perspective of the functioning of the Earth system. Students are introduced into the science of Earth' materials: rocks, minerals, soils, and waters and the processes forming them. The internal processes (plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes) and surface processes (streams, flooding, coastal zones, mass movements, glaciers, winds, desertification) are presented from the point of view of their influence on the geologic hazards, and on the distribution of natural resources. The interrelation of geology and human activities is examined in such contexts as waste disposal, air pollution, water contamination, climate change, land degradation, and resource and energy consumption. The format of this course includes one local field trip, lab activities on rocks and minerals identification, and introduction to topographic and geologic maps.