Introduction to Earth sciences [ LBIR1130 ]

The course includes the following subjects (chapter numbering is that of the textbook and missing chapter numbers correspond to chapters of the textbook that will not be used for the course). Chapter 1 : Building planet Earth Chapter 2 : Plate tectonics: the unifying theory Chapter 3 : Minerals: building blocks of rocks Chapter 4 : Rocks: records of geologic processes Chapter 5 : Igneous rocks: solids from melts Chapter 6 : Volcanism Chapter 7 : Weathering and erosion Chapter 8 : Sediments and sedimentary rocks Chapter 10 : The rock record and the geologic time scale Chapter 12 : Mass wasting Chapter 13 : The hydrologic cycle and groundwater Chapter 14 : Streams, transport to the oceans Chapter 15 : Winds and deserts Chapter 16 : Glaciers: the work of ice Chapter 19 : Earthquakes Chapter 20 : The evolution of the continents Chapter 21 : Exploring Earth's interior The course will take place in two parts. The first part, given during the first half of the second quadrimester includes chapters 1-6, 19 and 20. The second part, during the second half of the second quadrimester includes chapters 7 to 16. Students undertaking a bachelor of science degree in physics and mathematics are not required to attend the second part of the course. They are exempted from participating to the practical laboratory exercises by must participate in the field trip. The course can also be chosen, part I or part I and II, by students from another faculty as part of their minor since it is designed to provide a general scientific culture suitable for any student having completed his/her secondary studies.

Teaching aids Students have to acquire the textbook " Understanding Earth ". They are also entitled to acquire the French translation of the textbook made by Prof. Ph. Sonnet et J. Dufey. This translation is partial and only covers the most important parts of the chapters which are taught during the course. Only students having acquired the textbook are entitled to have the French translation. Students have access to three Websites, via the iCampus Webpage: 1. The Website by the editor of the textbook " Understanding Earth ", which contains animations, interactive exercises, online quizzes and other learning aids. 2. The Website created by Prof. Ph. Sonnet and J. Dufey, which includes, among others, the slides show presented during the courses, an introduction to the geology of Belgium, a set of pictures of the geological and geomorphological features observed during the field trip as well as additional animations. During practical training, lab notes will be provided to the students: they contain, among others, the determination properties for identifying the most common rocks and minerals. Grading The practical exercises are graded and they make up for 5/20 points of the final grade. The grade of the practical exercises will be based on a practical exam of consisting in rock and mineral identification (scheduled during the class period and not during the exam period), on assignments about cartography and on assistance to the field trip. The exam of theory is a written exam. It comprises two parts: questions about the course and questions on geography. The questions about the course represent 13 out of the 20 points of the final grade. They can be multiple choice or more open questions. For instance, the students might be asked to justify their answer, a definition may be asked, or the question might be based on a figure or a map from the textbook. For questions that are not multiple-choice, a wrong answer or no answer represent zero point. The questions about geography represent 2 out of 20 points of the final note. There are 10 questions which consist in indicating on a blank world map with country limits (downloadable on the course Web site) such geographic features such as: countries, seas, oceans, islands, straits, peninsulas and main deserts, plateaus or regions. The necessary knowledge for this exercise should be acquired by the students trough personal work, as it corresponds to general geographic culture.