This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Readings

Textbook

Grotzinger, J., T. Jordan, et al. Understanding Earth. 5th ed. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman, c2006. ISBN: Amazon logo 9780716766827 (softbound), and Amazon logo 9780716776963 (paperback).

SES # TOPICS READINGS
1 Overview  
2 T, t, and C; begin minerals Chapter 3
3 Introduction to minerals and lab 1: mineral ID  
4 Introduction to minerals and lab 1: mineral ID (cont.)  
5 Igneous rocks and lab 2: rock ID Chapter 4
6 Sedimentary rocks and lab 2: rock ID Chapter 5
7 Metamorphic rocks and lab 2: rock ID Chapter 6
8 Lab 2: unknown rock ID  
9 Relative vs. absolute dating; paleontology Chapter 8
10

Seeing and depicting rocks; field techniques

Special guest lecturer

 
11 Quiz 1: rocks and minerals  
12 Rock deformation Chapter 7
13 Putty lab and lab 3: rock structures  
14 Field techniques and topo map intro  
15 Lab 4: topographic maps  
16-19 Lab 5: geologic mapping Chapter 9 for Ses #18
20 Quiz 2: structure and mapping  
21 Lab 6: plate tectonics  
22 Lab 6: plate tectonics and lecture Chapter 2
23 Earthquakes  
24 Earthquakes (cont.) Chapter 13
25 Volcanoes Chapter 12
26 Lab 7: rheology  
27 Lab 8: Stokes and Darcy flows  
28 Quiz 3: plate tectonics through volcanoes  
29 Lab 8: Stokes and Darcy flows (cont.)  
30 Continent formation discussion Chapter 16
31 Geo movie  
32 Formation of continents; weathering and rivers Chapter 21
33 Glaciers  
34 Lab 9: glaciers  
35 Quiz 3.5: continents through glaciers  
36 Coastlines, deserts and dunes Chapters 19 and 20
37 Climate and tectonics Chapter 22
38 Comparative planetology  
39 Comparative planetology and awards