DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

Introduction to geology is core subject of earth sciences and it includes many different phenomenon ranging from plate tectonics to mountain building, earthquakes and volcanoes. Changing climate and ever increasing demand of natural resources has made geology as a societal significance. The course has been designed to introduce students with basics of geology.  The course contents will revolve around overview of the origin and interpretation of rocks and minerals, to the origin of continents, from geological mapping to plate tectonics theory, from glaciers to the theory of evolution to erosion by rivers.
 

1. To understand the internal structure of earth and the natural processes that govern the earth.
2. To comprehend the most basic minerals and explain their relationship to rocks

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

This course is designed to acquire the knowledge about the basic concepts of geology. This will help the students to get knowledge about various types of rocks and minerals and the processes of their formation.

COURSE CONTENTS

1. Introduction and scope of geology;
2. Importance and relationship with other sciences;
3. History and philosophy of geology;
4. Earth as a member of the solar system; its origin, age, composition and internal structure;
5. Introduction to plate tectonics,
6. Isostasy; mountain building processes;
7. Earthquakes and volcanoes;
8. Weathering and erosion;
9. Introduction, identification and classification of rocks and minerals;
10. Sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic structures;
11. Introduction to fossils in sedimentary rocks;
12. Introduction to folds, faults, joints, cleavage, foliation, lineation and unconformities;
13. Geological Time Scale;
14. Law of Superposition, present is key to the past and Law of Faunal Succession;
15. Concept and techniques of geological dating, relative and absolute dating;
16. Evolution of life on earth;
17. Use of Brunton Compass and GPS, etc.