Syllabus for

PSC104 Earth Science

Mission:   Rich Mountain Community College exists to provide all citizens of the Ouachita Mountain Region with exemplary educational and enrichment opportunities to improve the quality of life and standard of living.  It is in the spirit of this mission that this course is presented by the Division of Mathematics and Science.

 

Course Description:   This course represents a survey of the earth that emphasizes principles of geology, but includes concepts from astronomy, climatology, meteorology, and oceanography.  The course is designed to satisfy a general education requirement in Physical Science and will provide the necessary background for those desiring additional course work in a geologic science.

 

Rationale for the course:   With regard to modern civilization, it has been said of the material needs of man:  “If it is not grown, it must be mined!”  The energy and mineral resources of earth are now common topics for daily discussion as the peoples and governments of the world awaken to a new realization of the importance of both to the well-being of society.  Against a backdrop of ever-increasing need, however, there emerges a realization of the limitations of our environment and of the diminution of earth’s resources.  A course in Earth Science serves not only to introduce students to those basic concepts relating to the earth, but also imparts something of the intellectual excitement of the discipline and of its growing relevance to societal problems.

 

Instructor:         James H. Lynn

                        B.S., University of the Ozarks--1964

               M.S.E., Henderson State University--1966

               M.S., University of Arkansas--1975

               Currently in 44th year of teaching, the last 25 of those years at RMCC

 

Office:               Room 207 Spencer Hall

   Phone:  479-394-7622-ext 1336

   Email:  jlynn@rmcc.edu

 

Required Textbook:

                           Press, Frank, Raymond Siever, John Grotzinger, & Thomas H. Jordan.  Understanding Earth.  Fifth edition.  New York:  W.H. Freeman and Company, 2007.

 

Laboratory Manual:   Lab sheets furnished

 

 

Learning Goals:   Upon successful completion of BIO104 Biological Science, the student should be able to do the following:

Explain the steps of the scientific method.

    Explain how the solar system was formed using current theory as a basis.

    Sketch the transformation of Earth from an initially homogeneous body into a differentiated planet, i.e., one in which the interior is divided into layers or zones that differ chemically and mineralogically.

    Name the various stages of the geologic time scale, giving the approximate time frame for each.

    Name and briefly summarize the following five keystones upon which the modern science of geology is based:

ú  Doctrine of Uniformitarianism

ú  Principle of Original Horizontality

ú  Principle of Superposition

ú  Law of Cross-cutting Relations

ú  Law of Faunal Succession

    Relate the above keystones to fossils and to the process of fossilization

    Distinguish between absolute and relative time.

    Summarize the origin of life on earth in terms of the heterotrophic hypothesis.

    Distinguish between earth’s primitive and secondary atmospheres, describing the theoretical origin of each.

    Display an understanding of earth’s climate system that includes the following:

ú  The basic elements composing the system

·         Concept of the “spheres”

·         Biogeochemical cycling

ú  Existence of natural climate variability

·         Influence of planetary orbital and physical factors

·         Earth’s heat balance

·         The greenhouse effect

ú  The enormous impact of human activity

·         Acidic rainfall

·         Stratospheric ozone depletion

·         Global warming

    Describe the internal structure and composition of the earth, relating the geophysical evidence upon which the model is based.

    Review in a cogent fashion the main themes of the theory of global plate tectonics.  The following elements should be included in this description:

ú  Historical development of the concept

ú  The work of Alfred Wegener

ú  Paleomagnetic evidence supporting the theory

ú  Change in continental configuration over the past 600 million years

ú  Plate boundary interactions

ú  The significance of island arcs

ú  The significance of “hot spots”

    Describe the geologic origin and evolution of the following major physiographic regions of Arkansas:

ú  Ouachita Mountains

ú  Ozark Plateaus

ú  Gulf Coastal Plain

ú  Mississippi Delta

ú  Crowley’s Ridge

    Identify and characterize the major types of rock folds.

    Identify and characterize the major types of faults.

    Answer the question:  “What is an earthquake?”  Include such factors as:

ú  Basic causes of earthquakes

ú  Occurrence and distribution of earthquakes

ú  Measurement of earthquake magnitude

ú  Fundamentals of seismograph operation

ú  The nature of seismic waves

    Describe earth’s interior based upon an interpretation of the behavior of seismic waves.

    Synthesize information concerning extrusive igneous activity into a coherent picture of the process of volcanism.  Such synthesis should include:

ú  Distinction between magmas and lavas

ú  Volcanic classification based upon shapes of cones

ú  Basic eruptive styles of volcanoes

ú  Products of volcanism

ú  Global pattern of volcanism

ú  Familiarity with some of the world’s great volcanic eruptions past and present

    Identify and characterize the major types of igneous intrusions.

    Distinguish between mechanical and chemical weathering, citing examples of each.

    Describe modifications of the earth’s surface resulting from the following processes:

ú  Mass Wasting

ú  Ground water action

ú  Surface runoff

ú  Glaciation

ú  Eolian action

ú  Wave and tidal action

    Explain the rock cycle.

    Distinguish between minerals and rocks, briefly describing the classification of each.

    Identify on sight certain basic kinds of minerals and rocks, characterizing each.

Class Procedures:   Classroom presentation is basically of the lecture-demonstration type.  Liberal use will be made of the equipment in the classroom’s technology center.  Additional supplements include the use of various scientific models, representative mineral, rock, and fossil specimens, and numerous supplemental handouts.  The laboratory consists of a series of exercises that are designed to reinforce some of the principles we will learn in class.

Course Requirements:   Normally four lecture examinations are given at convenient intervals throughout the semester.  Additionally, there will be a laboratory examination covering the use of topographic maps early on in the semester, as well as one concerning the properties and identification of minerals, rocks, and fossils at the conclusion.

Grading and Evaluation:   The final grade assignment will be based upon ¾ from the lecture exams and ¼ from laboratory activities.  Grades are assigned on the basis of a standard percentage scale:

                  90    -   100      =    A

                  80    -     89      =    B

                  65    -     79      =    C

                  50    -     64      =    D

                  0      -     49      =    F

 

Attendance Requirements:   It is my belief that you cannot derive the maximum benefit from this course without being present for all lectures and laboratories.  Therefore, it is expected that you will be both regular and punctual in your attendance.  To ensure this, roll will be taken at the beginning of each class and laboratory session.  As a student, you are responsible for all material presented during lecture, whether present for the class or not.  You are also responsible for all assigned readings, both within the text or elsewhere.  Assignments are to be completed in a timely fashion, therefore all make-up work must be completed within 5 calendar days of your return following an absence.  Missed laboratory sessions will count as 1 absence and normally cannot be made up.  For further   information, see “Attendance/Retention Policy” on pages 64-65 of the 2007-2008 RMCC Catalog.   When you are officially enrolled in this course, I, as your instructor, will ultimately be charged with assigning a final course grade.  Therefore, if for any reason you find that you must drop the class, please do not just quit attending.  I urge you to go to the Office of the Registrar (Abernathy 301) and go through the official drop procedure.  Failure to do so will result in your receiving a final grade of “F” in the course.  Official withdrawal is noted by a “W” on your transcript.

 

Make-up Exam Policy:   A student who misses a scheduled examination because of an officially sanctioned college activity will be permitted to make up the test without penalty.  Others may also make up missed exams, but will be penalized 20% for each occurrence.  Any deviation from this policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

 

Student Conduct:   Behavior that is disruptive to an orderly educational process will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal from the class.  Readmission will be at the discretion of your instructor.   Instances of academic dishonesty, i.e., “cheating,” will be dealt with in accordance with those policies outlined in the current RMCC Student Handbook.

 

 

Resources, References, and Supplies:   A loose-leaf notebook will be required for utilization in the laboratory.

 

Additional Information:   Food and drinks are not permitted in this class.  Also, please make sure that your cell phone is turned off (or to a non-sound) mode during the class session.  Field trips are regarded as an extension of the classroom.  Therefore, the following shall also apply:  (1) no food or drinks within the college vehicle; (2) no smoking within the college vehicle or in the field.

 

ADA Statement:   It is the policy of RMCC to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to state and federal law.  Any student requiring such accommodations, for example in seating, placement, examinations, or access to information on the web, should contact the Vice President for Student Affairs Office located in the Abernathy Building, Room 301 (phone:  394-7622-ext 1400).

 

Course Outline:   See the following page.

 

 

Reading Syllabus for

PSC104-Earth Science

 

It will be your responsibility to keep up with the assigned readings.  Be prepared to monitor and adjust this schedule based upon our progress during the lecture.

Week #

Text Chapter(s)

Chapter Title

Tests

1

1;9;11;

aspects of 22

Introduction to the course and to the scientific method; origin and formation of the solar system; primitive earth and the origin of life; physiographic provinces of North America

Test 1

2

3

8

Absolute vs relative time; neptunism vs plutonism; unconformities; fundamental keystones of geology—1) uniformitarianism, 2) original horizontality, 3) superposition, 4) cross-cutting relationships, 5) faunal succession; field relations; fossils

4

Geologic time scale

5

15;23

Earth’s atmosphere and climate system—composition and structure; ozone depletion; greenhouse effect and global warming; the auroras

Test 2

6

14

General structure and composition of the earth; the continental-oceanic profile

7

2;10

Plate tectonics, geology’s unifying theme; continental growth; folds, the formation of the Ouachita Mountains; geologic history of Arkansas

8

9

12;4

Igneous Rocks: Solids from Melts; volcanoes and the process of volcanism; intrusive and extrusive igneous activity

Test 3

10

11

7;13

Faulting; earthquakes and the principles of seismology

Test 4

12

13

16

Weathering and erosion; mass wasting

14

17

Hydrologic cycle and ground water

15

18

The work of running water

16

19;21

Winds and deserts; glaciers and glaciations

 

Additionally, the following chapters will be covered as part of our laboratory activities:

         3----Earth Materials:  Minerals and Rocks

         4----Igneous Rocks:  Solids from Melts (the part of this chapter not covered above)

         6----Metamorphism:  Modification of Rocks by Temperature and Pressure