GEY 101 - Introductory Geology: Exploring Planet Earth
Introduction

What is Geology?
Geology is the science involved with study of the earth. Geology is important because it is involved with natural hazards, environmental problems and other real world phenomena. It involves:

• Study of Faults and Folds
• Earthquakes and Hazards
• Climate and Geomorphology
• Mining and Energy Resources
• Sedimentology and Stratigraphy
• Volcanology
• Shorelines and Oceans
• Social Impact

Course Outline

• Introduction (this week)
• Surficial Processes (3 weeks)
• The Rock Cycle and Rocks (6 weeks)
• Plate Tectonics and Processes (5 weeks)

Goals

1. How the World Works
   • Knowledge
   • Vocabulary
2. Ways of Thinking
   • Observation
   • Analysis
     • Scientific Method
     • Puzzle Solving

   Introduction - Outline

   • History of the Earth
   • Geologic Time
   • Scientific Inquiry
   • View of the Earth/System
   • Rock Cycle
   • Face of the Earth
   • Evolution of the Earth
   • Internal Structure of the Earth
   • Plate Tectonics

   History of Geology

   • Catastrophism - Ussher
   • Uniformitarianism - Hutton

   Geologic Time

   • Age of the Earth: 4.5 Billion years
   • Relative Dating
     • Law of Superposition
     • Principle of Fossil Succession
   Scientific Inquiry
   • Hypothesis
   • Theory
     Paradigms ie., Plate Tectonics
   • Scientific Methods
     • Collections of facts and ideas
     • Development of Hypothesis
     • Test Hypothesis
     • Acceptance, Modification, and/or Rejection

   View of the Earth

   • Hydrosphere
   • Atmosphere
   • Biosphere
   • Solid Earth

   Rock Cycle

   • Magma
   • Igneous Rocks
   • Sediment
   • Sedimentary Rocks
   • Metamorphic Rocks

   Face of the Earth

   • Oceans:
     • Continental Shelf
     • Continental Slope
   • Continents - Shields
   • Ocean Basins:
     • Ocean Ridge System
     • Trenches
   Evolution of the Earth
   Nebular Hypothesis

   Early Evolution of the Earth
   

   • Differentiation (layering) (about 4 Bya)
   • Formation of Atmosphere (4 to 3 Bya)
   • Oldest Rocks 3.8 By
   • First Life (bacteria 3.5 By)
   • Oxidizing atmosphere (1.8 to 1 By)

   Internal Structure of the Earth

   • Crust:
     • Oceanic ~ 7km
     • Continental ~ 35-40 km up to 70 km
     • Composition - genrally upper crust is granitic/granodiorite and the lower crust is closer to basalt
   • Mantle - shelle extends 2900 km, acts like a solid
   • Core - iron-nickel alloy
   • Lithosphere - "sphere of rock"; ~ 100 km up to 250 km
   • Asthenosphere - "weak sphere"; down to ~ 660 km; small amount of melting
   • Mesosphere - "middle sphere"; from 660 km to 2900 km; gradual flow
   • Outer Core - liquid layer; where the earth's magnetic field is generated
   • Inner Core - behaves like a solid

   Plate Tectonics

   • Continental Drift
   • 7 Major Plates

   Plate Boundaries

   • Divergent
   • Convergent
   • Transform
   • Changing Types

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   Questions?

   1. What are two main thoughts that developed geology?
   2. What is the age of the Earth?
   3. What are some ways we date rocks/or events?
   4. How do scientists develop scientific thought?
   5. What are the systems of the Earth?
   6. What is the rock cycle and how does it work?
   7. What is the face of the earth?
   8. How was the earth formed?
   9. What is the internal structure of the Earth?
   10. What are the thicknesses of the different layers in the Earth?
   11. What is Plate Tectonics?
   12. What are the different plate boundaries?

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       Vocabulary Terms

       • Catastrophism
       • Uniformitarianism
       • Relative Dating
       • Law of Superposition
       • Principle of Fossil Succession
       • Hypothesis
       • Theory
       • Paradigm
       • Hydrophere
       • Atmosphere
       • Biosphere
       • Solid Earth
       • Magma
       • Igneous Rocks
       • Sediment
       • Sedimentary Rocks
       • Metamorphic Rocks
       • Continental Shelf
       • Continental Slope
       • Shields
       • Ocean Ridge
       • Trenches
       • Nebular Hypothesis
       • Crust
       • Mantle
       • Core
       • Lithosphere
       • Asthenosphere
       • Mesosphere
       • Outer Core
       • Inner Core
       • Plate Tectonics
       • Divergent
       • Convergent
       • Transform

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