Earth Sciences 089G: Lecture Resources
Each powerpoint lecture presentation
will be posted here and will remain available for one week only—they will not be reposted under any
circumstances.
UPCOMING
ASSIGNMENTS
Hopefully
you have taken time to think of a suitable topic for your term
paper and now have something firmly in mind. As promised,
a short list of example topics is now available: (MSWord file) or (PDF file).
This
list should help you to better understand the kinds of topics
that are of relevance to this course. All topics should have
a strong and easily identifiable geological aspect which should be
blended in some manner with an element of human culture.
You
may use these topics as a starting point for your own term paper.
You will note, however, that most of them, as given, are
quite general in nature, and thus will require further refinement
and definition before they are acceptable. You are also cautioned
against picking the same topic as your friend and working collaboratively
on the paper. The term paper must be
the product of an individual effort!
For
those who are concerned about the formatting of references for
the proposal, the layout of your reference list should look something
like this: (MSWord file) or (PDF file).
Make sure you follow the CJES
instructions (for references) precisely. CJES
formatting: (HTML);
(PDF format).
You may deal with electronic
(i.e. website) references in the following manner: (MSWord file) or (PDF file).
Term paper
topic proposals will be accepted at any time up until the indicated
cutoff date (see outline). Please use the comments
in the course outline as the guide for assembling your proposal.
Additional
comments on the term paper topic proposal: (MSWord file) or (PDF file).
COURSE OUTLINE
(Word format) or (PDF format)
TEACHING ASSISTANTS
The teaching assistants (TAs) for this course
are as follows:
Arslan
Akhmetov (aakhmeto@uwo.ca); Staging Building, Rm. 209
Catrina Alexandrakis (calexan3@uwo.ca); Staging Building, Rm 213
Duncan Bain (dbain3@uwo.ca); Staging Building, Rm. 209
Pengfei Chen (pchen43@uwo.ca); Staging Building, Rm. 112
Ayumi Mae (amae@uwo.ca); Staging Building, Rm. 213
Jessica Metcalfe (jmetcal4@uwo.ca); Staging Building, Rm. 112
Derek Smyth (dsmyth@uwo.ca); Biological and Geological
Sciences Building, Rm. 1014
The first four assignments will be marked entirely
by the TAs.
If there are concerns about the way in which your
assignment has been graded, please contact the TA directly responsible.
Each TA should have identified themselves by their
initials or signature on your paper. If no identifying marks
are present, please contact Catrina for assistance.
In all cases, questions
regarding late penalties should be directed toward Catrina Alexandrakis.
LECTURES AND SUPPLEMENTARY READING
(NOTE: Online articles are primarily intended
to enhance the student's knowledge and appreciation of the material
covered in each lecture. Students are not responsible for
topics in online articles not addressed in the lectures, nor is
their level of comprehension of subject matter expected to exceed
that as required for the lectures and assignments.)
WEEK 1
JAN. 8 Introduction to Earth,
Art and Culture
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
JAN. 9 LECTURE: The Earth System:
Our View of Planet Earth
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Goldilocks
and the habitable zone
Factors affecting
stellar "habitable zones"
Would we recognize
life on another planet if we found it?
Solar
nebular hypothesis of origin of the Solar System
Earth structure
(core to atmosphere)
The
current scientific concept of "the underworld"
The structure
of Dante's Inferno
Overview of the
interior of the Earth
Earth's
four spheres
JAN. 11 LECTURE: Minerals and their
Properties
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Chemical bonding, ionic and covalent
General reference
for definition of minerals and mineral properties
Metallic
bonding and metal properties
WEEK 2
JAN. 15 LECTURE: Minerals as Gemstones
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Gems and
their valued qualities
Some physical
properties of gemstones
Gemology
and lapidary site
Grading gem clarity
Opal and
play of colours
Corundum
gems: rubies and sapphires
Corundum
gems and spinel. How would you distinguish them?
Estimating gem
weight through use of specific gravity (assuming it is the mineral it
is supposed to be)
Different types of gemstone cuts
Geometry
of the standard brilliant cut
The
Emerald cut: note the difference in price of Emerald cut and
equivalent Brilliant cut diamonds
JAN. 16 LECTURE: Igneous Rocks
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
The
three basic rock types
Igneous rocks: classification,
formation, environments, intrusions etc.
A heat source for magma generation
Mineral classification and the silicates
The
Silica Tetrahedron
Obsidian
Pumice
Only for those who are really curious
Short Practical Assignment #1: Minerals, Art and
Architecture
JAN. 18 PRE-ASSIGNMENT
PRESENTATION (Powerpoint Presentation)
or (PDF file)
ASSIGNMENT #1 (MSWord file)
or (PDF file)
WEEK 3
JAN. 22 LECTURE: Sedimentary Rocks
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Mechanical and Chemical weathering 1
Mechanical and Chemical weathering 2
Mechanical
and Chemical weathering 3
Mechanical
and Chemical weathering 4
Felsenmeer
Weathering
and clay minerals
Sedimentary Rock
types and Classification 1
Sedimentary
Rock types and Classificaton 2
Laterites
JAN. 23 LECTURE: Metamorphic Rocks and
Environments
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Metamorphic Rock Classification
Metamorphism and
Metamorphic rocks 1
Metamorphism and Metamorphic rocks 2
Metamorphism and Metamorphic rocks 3
Shale to Gneiss transformation; Migmatites
Slate, Phyllite, Schist, Gneiss
Metamorphic
grade
An interesting case of retrograde metamorphism
Suiseki
Metasomatism
Soapstone
and Talc
Short Practical Assignment
#2: Rocks and Art
JAN. 25 PRE-ASSIGNMENT
PRESENTATION (Powerpoint Presentation)
or (PDF file)
ASSIGNMENT #2 (MSWord file)
or (PDF file)
For those of you who are not completely familiar
with the locations of the various buildings on campus, please see
the following link. Most of the buildings that you are required
to look at are in relatively close proximity to Natural Sciences.
UWO
campus map
The windowsills
in the Biological and Geological (B&G) Sciences Building
are best observed in rooms along the hall where the mineral display
case are found, particularly in rooms 116 & 122 (classrooms)
as well as in Rm. 119 (the outcrop room).
WEEK 4
JAN. 29 LECTURE: Fossils and their preservation
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
A brief explanation of fossils
Fossilization modes and processes
Taphonomy and preservation 1
Taphonomy and preservation2
Siberian Mammoths
Petrified wood: permineralization and replacement
A simple explanation
of moulds and casts
Fossilization,
fossil classification etc.
Trace fossil
nomenclature and classification
JAN. 30 LECTURE: The Devil's Doing: Fossils and Mythology
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Fossils
and Folklore 1
Fossils and Folklore 2
Fossils and Folklore
3
Fossils and Folklore 4
An interesting
book on the subject
Gryphaea
The Griffin in Heraldry and other symbolic imagery
Griffins and dinosaurs
Protoceratops, Oviraptor and the Griffin Myth
The habitat of Protoceratops and Oviraptor
Placer deposits
Specific gravity of gold and placer gold prospecting
Myths
associated with cephalopod fossils
Short Practical Assignment
#3: Paleontology and Culture
FEB. 1 PRE-ASSIGNMENT
PRESENTATION (Powerpoint
Presentation) or (PDF file)
ASSIGNMENT #3 (MSWord file)
or (PDF file)
For those of you who are still not aware:
All assignments must be submitted as hard copies in the drop
box outside B&G Rm 118 by 4 pm on the due date. This means
that assignments handed in during Thursday lectures (5:30-6:30 pm)
will normally be considered one day late. This policy is clearly
established in the course outline and is expected to be adhered to
precisely.
WEEK 5
Short Written Assignment: Our Perceptions of Geological
Time (Due March 8, 2007)
ASSIGNMENT (MSWord file) or (PDF file)
FEB. 5 LECTURE: An Introduction
to Geological Time
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
FEB. 6 LECTURE: Earth's Changing Face: the basics of
plate tectonics.
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Plate Tectonic
Mechanisms
Alfred Wegener
1
Alfred
Wegener 2
Magnetic Reversals
and Seafloor Spreading
Convergent plate
boundaries, associated features and processes
Mountain
Building (Orogeny)
Plate
Tectonics and the Supercontinent Cycle
J. Tuzo Wilson
Short Practical Assignment
#4: Working in Three Dimensions
FEB. 8 PRE-ASSIGNMENT
PRESENTATION (Powerpoint
Presentation) or (PDF file)
ASSIGNMENT #4 (MSWord
file) or (PDF file)
The midterm on Monday Feb.
19 will cover all lecture material up to this point (end of Week
5). You are also responsible for concepts and fundamental
information relating to assignments 1-4 (this means the introductory
lectures and the written prelude to the assignments. We will
not expect you to know the mineral formulae as in #1, the distribution
of rocks in campus buildings as in #2, nor will we expect you to draw
a cross section as in #4, though the latter may be asked of you on the
final exam). The midterm will involve the following question formats: 1)
Multiple choice, 2) Short answer (e.g. fill in the blank), and 3) Short
essay-type questions. In the latter case you will have some flexibility
(i.e. choice) in selecting the topics you write about.
The midterm will be held in Natural
Sciences Rm. 1, during the lecture period (5:30-6:30). 50
minutes will be available for you to complete the test. You should
allot your time for each question on the basis of its indicated
value (# of points), concentrating the majority of your time on
answering the questions with the greatest value. Remember,
if you are not sure of the answer to a question (especially
one of low value), move on to something
else and come back to it later.
Good Luck to All !!
WEEK 6
FEB. 12 LECTURE: Mother Nature's
Chisel: Processes of weathering and erosion
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
FEB. 13 LECTURE: Stolen Land: Famous erosional landforms
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF
file)
WEEK 7
FEB. 20 LECTURE: Clay: From weathering
product to art medium
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
FEB. 22 LECTURE: Rivers: The
geological and cultural significance of rivers 1
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
WEEK 8
MAR.
5 Due to poor weather conditions, the lecture today is cancelled.
The deadline
for the short written assignment is officially extended to Monday
March 12 at 4 pm. Several students have experienced difficulty
in obtaining useful printed reference material in the library,
particularly books. For this reason, students are
asked to return all reference materials of relevance to this assignment
to the library as soon as possible.
During the lecture period on Thursday (March 8),
a video entitled "Egypt: Quest for Eternity" will be shown.
As this will obviously not be posted on the website, all students
are strongly encouraged to attend.
MAR.
6 Today's lecture is also cancelled. Your instructor is
still stranded out of town!
MAR. 8 As indicated, during the lecture
period today, a video will be shown which highlights many interactions
between the geological and cultural environments of Egypt from
ancient to modern times. Please come prepared to take notes.
OK! I've received enough e-mails from
students about the short written assignment over the weekend
to realize that too many of you are still having problems with this.
For this reason, I am extending the deadline (once again) to
this Thursday (March 15) at 4 pm. I'm not really sure where the
main difficulty lies, short of the perception of many students that they
need to get their hands on books in the library that deal specifically
with one, or a few, of the individuals and concepts in question. I
have indicated that web references are acceptable for this assignment.
"Web references" mean websites (authored or unauthored-usually
most are the latter) on the subject of interest. It does not refer
to any references you might obtain by searching JSTOR or other similar
databases. These are electronicized collections of periodical
articles which were originally provided in print form, and therefore qualify
as print resources. Some of you have told me that you were looking
for material for this assignment in scientific journals such as the Canadian
Journal of Earth Sciences. Scientific journals are not the place
to look for this information, being as they are vehicles for publishing
new data and concepts. Though you might find something that is broadly
relevant, it is not likely that anything in such publications will be of
great use to you. I did suggest, however, that you look for articles
in scientific magazines (e.g. Natural History, Scientific American). General
text books on geology might also provide some useful information. Otherwise,
the majority of this assignment can be completed by using websites.
The extension to Thursday is the absolute last one
that will be authorized, so please make every effort to get the
assignment completed by that time. Do not expect that the
extra time will allow you to acquire the books you are seeking. You
must do the best you can with whatever is immediately available.
If you have finished the assignment, you may submit
it before the deadline, however, it might be wise to take the
extra time to check things over (particularly your reference citations-
make sure everything that is not your idea is properly cited) if you
haven't already done so. If you continue to have problems, please
make the instructor aware of them as soon as possible.
I have also decided to extend
the term paper deadline to March 30 at 4 pm as more time is needed
for the instructor and TAs to evaluate topic proposals. If
you don't hear from the instructor by the end of this week (Friday March
16), you may assume that your topic has been approved.
WEEK 9
MAR. 12 LECTURE: Minerals and
Paint: The use of minerals as pigments
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF
file)
MAR. 13 LECTURE: The Geology
of Ancient Monuments: When human hands meet stone
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
MAR. 15 LECTURE: Metal Madness:
The geology of metallic mineral deposits
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
WEEK 10
MAR. 19 SPECIAL LECTURE: Instructions for completing
the ES089g term paper
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
MAR. 20 LECTURE: Heavy Metal
Thunder: Early history of metal use in human culture
(Powerpoint presentation) or
(PDF file)
MAR. 22 LECTURE: Coal and Petroleum:
Fuel, Fad and Fashion
(Powerpoint presentation) or
(PDF file)
Since it appears unlikely
that the proposals will be available for return on Tuesday (these
will be returned one way or another at the lecture on Thursday March
29th) and for other reasons, I have decided to extend the deadline
for the term paper to Monday April 2 at 4 pm. This date is final
and no further extensions will be considered.
If you want to see your
proposal before Thursday, please come to the instructor's office
following the Monday or Tuesday lectures or make alternate arrangements
(via e-mail). If, for some reason, you wish to change your
topic please consult the instructor first.
A NOTE ABOUT PROPOSALS: If you haven't heard from
the instructor about problems with your term paper topic or approach,
please continue with your research and the writing of the paper itself.
Generally speaking, as long as the information presented in the
proposal was reasonable and correct, very few content-related comments
were made. Consequently, it is unlikely that the returned proposals
will help you considerably with the content of your term papers. Decisions
concerning the latter are ultimately the student's.
A NOTE ABOUT THE TERM PAPERS: Obviously, for the
term paper, a different approach is required than was used for the
proposals. Since we are modelling this paper after an article
in a scientific journal (to some extent), you should write it in a
similar manner (see some online examples below). In scientific
writing of this sort, the emphasis is always on substantiating claims
through the presentation of data/information in the most economical
fashion possible. Consequently, whether you have a thesis or
not, you have to logically and efficiently build up you case and present
data that supports (directly or indirectly) whatever view you are trying
to put forth. "Economical" means you should leave out information
that doesn't contribute to the picture in any meaningful way.
As such, you will have three major goals in writing the
term paper (as per my directions of March 19): 1) Effectively introduce
your topic and show how it is significant within a larger (geological
or cultural) context; also develop a logical foundation for your theme/thesis.
2) Present information and interpretations which support your
theme or thesis--you may also present information to the contrary (be
balanced to some extent), but this should not outweigh information in
favour of your position (make sure you do this in some detail--papers
which cover a large number of subtopics lightly are generally not very
insightful and usually, little can be learned by reading them; as such
make sure that the information you present is not just a collection
of "facts" but instead is a reasonably robust synthesis of the available
data which improves the comprehensibility of your topic or related issues
for the general public), and 3) develop some reasonable and significant
conclusions as suggested by your "data" and interpretation. Here
you should clarify your position on the various subtopics if you have presented
a number of alternate explanations, and the reasons for your support of
this position.
It is fine to interject your opinion in the paper (especially
in the conclusions--of course this must be based on your evalution
of the data available) however, generally, you should confine your
discourse to the presentation and interpretation (usually that of reference
authors) of the relevant information. Extensive use of the first
person in these communications is usually not proper or desirable.
Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
sample volume (please use papers here as models for reference
formatting and writing style): CJES
Sample Issue
WEEK 11
MAR. 26 LECTURE: Nacre:the natural beauty of mother of
pearl
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF
file)
MAR. 27 MIDTERM EXAM REVIEW
(Powerpoint
presentation) or (PDF file)
MARKING KEY (MSWord file)
or (PDF file)
It is highly recommended that
all students come to the lecture on Thursday (March 29th) to pick
up their midterms, topic proposals and any of the first four
assignments that they may not already have. These will not be available
at the lectures again until the final week of classes.
MAR. 29 TOPIC PROPOSAL COMMENTS
(Powerpoint presentation)
or (PDF file)
MARKING KEY (MSWord file) or (PDF file)
Remember that the evaluation of your topic proposal was
not related to your topic. If you did poorly on the proposal,
it means you either failed to include enough content, or did not follow
the formatting instructions properly (most of the marks [13/20] were for
format). Consequently you must ensure that you format your term paper
exactly as prescribed and ensure that you include enough content to adequately
cover your topic and support any general statements (themes) or arguments
(theses) that you have decided to make.
WEEK 12
APR. 2 LECTURE: Pearls: irritants, iridescence and
industry
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
APR. 3,5 LECTURE: The Dinosaur: Dragon or Doofus?
(Powerpoint
presentation) or (PDF file)
WEEK
13
APR. 10 LECTURE: Volcanoes, Frankenstein, and The Scream
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
Please come to the final lecture on
Thursday to pick up any assignments (1-4, topic proposals) or midterms which
are not in your possession. Your short written assignments are not
quite ready to be returned, but will be available next week (watch the website
for details concerning when and where). I am planning to set up a few
drop-in review sessions before the final exam starting next week, time and
location to be announced. Individuals or small groups of students can
arrange a time to meet with me in my office at any time. Larger group
meetings may also be arranged, but will require a bit more time to set up.
I do not expect that your term papers will be available for pickup
until the final exam.
I have made a decision regarding the upgraded midterm test marks:
In addition to eliminating either Parts 1&2 or Part 3 from
the evaluation (poorest performance out of 20 marks total eliminated),
I have decided to raise the marks uniformly from the base percentage (recalculated
using 50 mark total) by 20%. This means a 50% base mark will translate
into a 70% overall mark on the test. If your base percentage was
80% or above, you now have an overall mark of 100% on the midterm. This
seems to be the fairest and most transparent way of upgrading your marks,
and produces a more acceptable average of ~64%.
If you want to verify your recorded marks on the midterm or any
assignments, you must contact the instructor and arrange for a meeting.
Regrettably, display of grades will not otherwise be possible.
APR. 12 Details of the Final Exam
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF
file)
Please note
that there will be no cross section on the final exam (this was previously
suggested as a possibility).
The content of the short written assignment will not be tested
as such, though there are some obvious overlaps with the lecture on geological
time.
As for the midterm(see above), some aspects of the content
of the first four assignments are still fair game.
You should study the content of the latter (post-midterm) portion
of the course in the greatest detail. Make sure you also study well
any earlier course content which is significantly related to topics in
the latter half of the course.
Once again, the exam is cumulative, so almost anything covered in
the lectures could appear there.
LECTURE FOR YOUR INTEREST ONLY: Odd Earth Objects: Unusual sights
and sounds of Earth
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
I started this
lecture, but did not have time to finish it. It is included here
for your interest (i.e. none of the content will be tested).
SPECIAL LECTURE:
Modern Doomsday Scenarios: Global catastrophe at the movies.
(Powerpoint presentation) or (PDF file)
As indicated,
one of the 12 short-essay type questions on the final exam will concern
content in this lecture. This is an entirely optional lecture, and
as such, the onus for learning the content is entirely on the student.
The study guide will appear here soon. It will be best used as
a checklist to ensure that you have covered all of the necessary information,
but will not narrow down the content required to be studied to any significant
degree. Consequently, there is no need to delay your review until
it is available.
No drop-in review sessions will be held this week, but I will be arranging
something for early next week (probably Tuesday and Wednesday). Please
let me know if there are any preferred times for this. Please bring
your notes and questions with you. Projection facilities will most likely
not be available.
There will be a drop-in review session
on Tuesday (April 24th) between 4 and 6 pm and also one on Wednesday (April
25th) at the same time. These will be held in Biological and Geological
Sciences Building Rm 118 (the large teaching lab next to the drop box for
this course).
Short written assignments will be returned during these times, so please
come and pick up your assignments even if you don't wish to ask questions.
These assignments will also be available later in the week from the
TAs. Details of times and locations for pick up will be provided on
this webpage.
STUDY GUIDE (MSWord file) or (PDF file)
SHORT WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT MARKING KEY (MSWord file) or (PDF file)
Please note that
the total for this assignment is 150 (not 160).