Table of Contents
Topics and Learning Outcomes
| Topics | After reading this unit and completing the assigned readings in Physical Geology and the associated exercises and questions, you should be able to: |
| 1-1 Introduction | 1. Explain what geology is, and how it is similar to and different from other sciences. 2. Discuss why we study the Earth, and what type of work geologists do. |
| 1-2 Minerals | 3. Explain what makes a mineral and how minerals form. 4. Describe the properties of some common minerals. 5. Explain the relationship between minerals and rocks. |
| 1-3 Intrusive Igneous Rocks | 6. Identify the various types of rocks, and explain their origins using the rock cycle. 7. Describe the elemental and mineralogical variations of igneous rocks, and the processes involved in their formation. 8. Describe different types of intrusive bodies and how they are formed. |
| 1-4 Volcanism | 9. Explain the relationships between volcanism and plate boundary processes. 10. Discuss some of the processes that occur before and during volcanic eruptions. 11. Describe various different types of eruptions. |
Reading
We’ll be covering Chapters 1 to 4 in Physical Geology for this unit. You might find it useful to read these chapters section by section as you move through this document. On the other hand, it might be useful to quickly read through each chapter beforehand, and then work through it again as you read through this unit.
