B006263 - GEOLOGY I

The universe, the solar system and the Earth. Igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. Environments and mechanisms of the sedimentation. The emergence of life and its importance in petrogenesis. The basic principles of stratigraphy. The scale of geological time.

Marshak S., “LA TERRA: ritratto di un pianeta”, Zanichelli ed.
Tucker M. E. “Rocce sedimentarie: guida alla descrizione sugli affioramenti rocciosi”, Dario Flaccovio ed.

Knowledge acquired: The course is introductory and aims to address the topics of the magistral degree providing the basic knowledge on the rocks and their genesis, stratigraphy and the fundaments of the historycal geology.
Competence acquired The student describes and discusses the genesis of the rocks, knows of the main geological events of the evolution of the Earth and their chronology, reads and interprets the geolocal maps, knows the fundaments of the natural environments and the mechanisms of the sedimentation.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course):The students will be capable to collect rocky samples in the field and discuss their lithologies, to reconstruct the structural and stratigraphical scheme and the rock-forming mechanisms of the sequences observed in the field or mapped in a geological map.

Courses recommended Chemistry

Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 225
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: about 130
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 60
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 20
Hours for: Laboratory-field/practice (hours): 8
Seminars (hours): 0
Stages: 0
Intermediate examinations: 6

Frequency of lessons is highly recommended, but not mandatory; frequency of at least 2/3 of practice and lab is required.
Office hours: by appointment.

There will be two midterm examinations with open questions on topics of the first and second part of the course, respectively. Their evaluation will considered during the final oral examination of the course.

The universe, the solar system and Earth. The composition and internal structure of the Earth. Rocks and their genesis. Igneous rocks. Sedimentary rocks. The metamorphic rocks. Environments and mechanisms for settling. Fundamentals on plastic deformation and brittle rocks. Outline of Historical Geology: synthetic notions on eons. The emergence of life and its importance in petrogenesis. The basic principles of stratigraphy: geochronological and lithostratigraphic units. The scale of geological time.