EARTH MATERIALS I

Catalog description

The study of naturally occurring, inorganic crystalline solids with definite chemical structures which give them unique physical properties (minerals). It is an important curricular component for both (1) Geology majors who intend to pursue careers in the Earth Sciences as well as (2) students preparing for teaching careers who expect to teach Earth Science classes at the junior high or secondary level. The study of minerals has ancient roots and was associated with the development of geology, chemistry, and physics. Therefore, this course integrates many of these fields of study. This course introduces mineral chemistry, symmetry and classification; provides basic geologic skills in descriptive mineralogy, including space groups and the use of stereo nets; hand-sample petrography of igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks; and elementary optical methods. Pre-requisite: A grade of 'C' or better in GEOL-101 .