Introduction to Earth Science - DSU-175

Course Description: This six-week online course explores the essential concepts of earth science. Students explore the solar system, near-earth objects, plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes, geologic principles, oceans, weather and climate change. Students hone their analytical skills while addressing these major science topics.

Prerequisite: None

Course Credit: 3 Credit Hours

Major Course Topics & Course Outcomes

As a result of the group and individual activities included in this course, the student will acquire the following knowledge and skills that can be applied to the workplace:

Introduction to Earth Science

• Explain concepts related to science and scientific investigation.
• Identify examples of inductive and deductive reasoning.
• Identify rules of good science and recognize when these rules are being applied.
• Differentiate between an observation, prediction, hypothesis, and theory.
• Explain of the principal roles that Earth scientists play in society.
• Discuss issues related to global change.

Earth in Space

• Explain concepts related to Earth in space.
• Compare and contrast the characteristics that are present in geocentric and heliocentric models of the solar system.
• Describe the Big Bang theory and key developments in the history of the universe.
• Describe components of the solar system and features of the Sun.
• Analyze the similarities and differences between terrestrial and Jovian planets.
• Explain how insolation varies with the seasons.
• Describe the three main boundaries in Earth.
• Explain why the Earth system allows life to flourish.
• Discuss examples of how scientific ideas change with time.

Near-Earth Objects

• Explain concepts related to near-Earth objects (NEOs).
• Compare and contrast the characteristics of planets, asteroids, and comets.
• Evaluate the potential consequences of a present-day impact event on Earth.
• Explain how elements of the scientific method and products of technology are evident in the search for threatening NEOs.

Plate Tectonics

• Explain concepts related to plate tectonics.
• Explain principal observations behind Wegener’s continental drift hypothesis.
• Describe the relationship between the age and topography of the ocean floor.
• Explain changes in the magnetic record found in rocks to determine changes over time.
• Describe plate motions and relationships between tectonic plates.
• Compare and contrast types of plate boundaries.

Earthquakes

• Explain concepts related to earthquakes.
• Identify locations most likely to experience an earthquake.
• Define and describe different kinds of faults.
• Explain how movements on faults trigger earthquakes.
• Relate characteristics of seismic waves to one another.
• Describe how scientists detect and measure the size of earthquakes.
• Evaluate the risk that a particular location will be damaged in an earthquake.
• Relate earthquake information to science, society, and everyday life.

Volcanoes and Other Mountains

• Explain concepts related to volcanic activity and mountains.
• Explain the relationship between viscosity, eruption violence, and magma composition.
• Describe the relationship between magma source and magma composition.
• Interpret the eruption of Mount St. Helens in terms of the scientific method.
• Describe products of volcanic eruptions.
• Compare and contrast three types of volcanoes.
• Describe volcanic landforms
• Explain the process of mountain building, erosion of mountains, and the effect of mountains on Earth’s climate.

Rocks and Minerals

• Explain concepts related to rocks and minerals.
• Explain the relationship between atoms, elements, minerals, and rocks.
• Describe characteristics of minerals.
• Relate the processes of rock formation to the characteristics of the rock.
• Correlate rock texture with the processes by which the igneous rock formed.
• Compare and contrast the features and processes associated with clastic, chemical, and biochemical sedimentary rocks.
• Compare and contrast contact and regional metamorphism.
• Explain the links of the rock cycle.

Geologic Time

• Explain concepts related to geologic time.
• Explain rules that are used to determine the sequence of geologic events: the principles of superposition, cross-cutting relationships, and original horizontality.
• Apply the principles to determine the order of geologic events.
• Recognize the importance of index fossils and identify the best index fossil in a sequence of rocks and fossils.
• Describe characteristics of the eons of the geologic time scale.
• Determine how the age of a rock is related to the relative proportions of parent and daughter isotopes.
• Distinguish between high- and low-magnitude events and list examples of each.

Weathering and Soils

• Explain concepts related to weathering and soils.
• Distinguish among physical, chemical, and biological weathering.
• Analyze the environmental factors that contribute to physical weathering.
• Describe the processes and products of hydrolysis, dissolution, and oxidation.
• Compare biological weathering processes to those of physical and chemical weathering.
• Describe the factors responsible for different weathering rates.
• Identify the key factors that contribute to the formation of different soil orders.
• Compare and contrast soil erosion due to water and wind.
• List methods to combat soil erosion.

Landslides and Slope Failure

• Explain concepts related to slope failure.
• Identify how weathering is related to mass wasting.
• Evaluate the factors that would increase or decrease the risk of landslides.
• Summarize the characteristics of slope failure processes.

Streams and Floods

• Explain concepts related to streams and floods.
• Synthesize all the components and processes of the hydrologic cycle.
• Describe and distinguish among various stream drainage patterns.
• Identify the factors that influence stream velocity.
• Explain the erosion, transport, and deposition of streams.
• List factors that contribute to flooding.
• Identify examples of flood protection and adjustment.

Groundwater and Wetlands

• Explain concepts related to groundwater and wetlands.
• Describe how porosity changes with different arrangements of materials.
• Determine which factors are likely to favor the flow of precipitation to streams or groundwater.
• Describe and give examples of porosity and permeability.
• Explain the link between streams and groundwater.
• Evaluate which factors make the best site for a well.
• Compare and contrast the depletion of the High Plains aquifer with the distribution of precipitation and regional streams.
• Describe natural and artificial causes of groundwater pollution.
• Identify the characteristics of wetlands.

Oceans and Coastlines

• Explain concepts related to oceans and coastlines.
• Identify and describe bathymetric features of the sea floor.
• Describe differences in the salinity of ocean waters and account for these differences.
• Describe differences in the temperature of ocean waters and account for these differences.
• Explain the relationship of the salinity, temperature, and density of seawater.
• Define and describe the Coriolis Effect.
• Predict why salinity values vary from one geographic location to another.
• Explain why tides occur and describe the variety of factors that determine high and low tides.
• Discuss the features of waves and their effects on the shoreline.
• Compare and contrast sediment transport and sediment budget.
• Describe examples of prevention and adjustment strategies for managing coastal erosion.

The Atmosphere

• Explain concepts related to the atmosphere.
• Describe the makeup of the atmosphere and its layers.
• Explain the connections between solar radiation and the atmosphere.
• Identify how humidity measurements will differ as atmospheric conditions change.
• Relate air pressure to air temperature and air density.
• Explain what happens to rising air and analyze how adiabatic temperature changes occur.
• Describe the process of cloud formation and recognize some basic cloud types.
• Describe the causes of winds, cyclones, and anticyclones.
• Interpret a weather map to determine wind directions and relative wind speeds.

Weather Systems

• Explain concepts related to weather systems.
• Recognize the role of technology in our knowledge of weather patterns and forecasts.
• Classify air masses based on their locations.
• Compare and contrast warm, cold, and occluded fronts.
• Synthesize the development of mid-latitude cyclones and frontal systems.
• Describe the process of thunderstorm, tornado, and hurricane formation.
• Recognize when/where tornadoes are most likely to occur.
• Place hurricanes within the context of the Earth system.

Earth’s Climate System

• Explain concepts related to Earth’s climate systems.
• Explain why areas with the same latitude have different climates.
• Summarize the features of the global climate regions.
• Predict the climate for a location given rainfall and temperature data.
• Describe types of glaciers, glacial features, and describe how glaciers are formed.
• Analyze patterns in temperature and cloud cover, precipitation, and air pressure and relate these patterns to Earth’s deserts.
• Identify the features of a desert.
• Compare the action of glaciers with desert wind action.
• Describe proxy indicators used to determine past climates.
• Explain natural causes of climate change.

Global Change

• Explain concepts related to global change.
• Describe characteristics of ozone in the atmosphere in relation to components of the Earth system.
• Compare and contrast global warming and the greenhouse effect.
• Explain how carbon dioxide moves between components of the global carbon cycle.
• Explain how climate forcings and feedbacks impact climate.
• Describe predictions for our future climate from climate models.
• Identify what can be done to reduce greenhouse gases.
• Clarify your own ideas about their role in Earth’s future.

 

Course Texts:

There is one textbook required for this course. You can obtain it through your favorite bookstore.

McConnell, Steer, Knight, Owens and Park “The Good Earth: Introduction to Earth Science” McGraw Hill: 2008 ISBN: 978-0-07-301847-8

 

Please note that textbooks are subject to change. Please contact your advisor before purchasing the textbook for your class to confirm.