The Introduction to Earth Sciences and Geological Field course aims to provide students with basic theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of Earth Sciences. The course is divided into four modules: Introduction to Geology, Introduction to Paleontology, Introduction to Lithology, and Introduction to Geomorphology.

The Introduction to Lithology module (Module 4) introduces the student to the composition of the Earth, the dynamics of the planet and its deep and superficial structure, the knowledge of the lithogenic cycle, and the exogenous and endogenous processes that oversee the formation of magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.

At the end of the Introduction to Lithology Module, the student is expected to be able to:

- possess the basic knowledge of the physical structure of the Earth and its superficial and deep geological processes
- know the difference between minerals and rocks
- present the rock cycle and the related endogenous and exogenous processes
- know how to describe and classify the main types of rocks
- write short technical-scientific reports on laboratory experiences and/or on specific assigned topics

Planet Earth. Geology as a science. Shape and size of the Earth. General characteristics and internal structure of the Earth: direct and indirect observations. Drilling, xenoliths, meteorites, tectonics, seismic. P waves and S waves. Propagation of seismic waves at depth. Physical, chemical and mineralogical changes. Oceanic crust. Continental crust. Lithosphere and asthenosphere. Mantle. Core. Notes on plate tectonics. Composition of the Earth. Distribution of chemical elements. Geothermal gradient. Heat sources and thermal flow. Pressure and density variations with depth. The Earth as a system. Seismic tomography. The Earth's magnetic field.

Volcanoes. Volcanoes as geosystems. Elements of a volcanic apparatus. Volcanic activity: exhalative, effusive, explosive. Volcanic products: lavas, pyroclastites, ignimbrites. Primary volcanic forms: shield volcanoes, lava domes, cinder cones, stratovolcanoes, calderas, diatremes. Types of eruption: Hawaiian, Strombolian, Vulcan, Plinian. Particular volcanoes: hot spots and basaltic expansions. The global distribution of volcanism. Age of volcanoes. Dangerousness. Volcanoes and man.

Earthquakes. What is an earthquake. Hypocenter and epicenter. How an earthquake is born. Elastic rebound theory. Mainshocks, preliminaries and aftershocks. How earthquakes are studied. Types of seismic waves. Seismograph and seismogram. Magnitude and intensity of an earthquake. Richter scale and MCS scale. Focal mechanism. Causes of earthquakes. Earthquakes and tectonic environments. Earthquake hazards and risks. Seismic risk. The seismic hazard map. Earthquake prediction and prevention concepts.

Minerals and rocks. States of matter. The solid state. Crystalline and amorphous state. Minerals and mineralogy. What are minerals. Minerals and crystals. Crystal morphology. Genesis of minerals. Nucleation and growth. The atomic structure of matter. Minerals as chemical compounds. Bonds in minerals. The classification of minerals. The chemical-structural classification. The rock-forming minerals. The physical properties of minerals: habit, brightness, transparency, color, powder color, hardness, cleavage, density and specific weight, solubility, fusibility, electrical properties. What are rocks. Rock formation. Petrogenetic processes. Magmatic process and igneous rocks: extrusive, intrusive. Sedimentary process and sedimentary rocks: siliciclastic and chemical. Metamorphic process and metamorphic rocks: metamorphic environments and main types of metamorphism. P-T environments. The rock cycle. Characteristic minerals.

Classroom and/or field exercises. Visit museums and mineralogical collections; recognize and describe the main types of minerals and rocks.

Knowledge and understanding. At the end of the module, the student must have assimilated the basic knowledge of the structure and composition of planet Earth, its endogenous and exogenous processes and the main types of minerals and rocks.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. The student must be able to correctly use the basic terminology in the field of mineralogy and lithology. The student must also demonstrate the ability to recognize and describe the most common magmatic, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks on a macroscopic scale.

Judgment autonomy. The student will have to demonstrate that he possesses the basis for critically addressing the arguments on Planet Earth and being able to autonomously and critically evaluate the relationships between minerals and rocks, also integrating this knowledge with that acquired in the other courses of the Degree Course.

Communication skills. The student must be able to correctly describe sample minerals and rocks using specific technical language.

Learning ability. The student must be able to build his own scientific growth path in Earth Sciences and in particular in the mineralogical and petrographic fields in a critical and autonomous way, using the knowledge acquired. These skills, as far as possible, will be stimulated by the teacher by proposing continuous insights.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

There are no activities to support teaching and ongoing assessment.

Teaching

The course will take place through continuous interaction between lectures and exercises in the laboratory and/or in the field.

Innovative teaching methods

Attendance

The course does not require attendance.

Course books

1) J.P. Grotzinger & T.H. Jordan – Understanding the Earth – Zanichelli III Italian edition

2) PowerPoint presentations of the lectures held during the course. Reference texts on specific topics and insights indicated during the course.

Assessment

The expected learning outcomes will be evaluated with a written paper with fifteen open questions, also with the help of graphs and figures. This exam method was chosen as it allows for the adequate verification of the student's preparation. The evaluation criteria are knowledge of the basic concepts, the degree of articulation of the answer, and the mastery of the specific language. Each of the criteria is evaluated based on a three-level scale of values. The time available to answer the questions is 3 hours.

The criteria underlying the evaluation are:

• Level of mastery of knowledge (verification of acquired knowledge)
• Degree of articulation of the answer
• Ability in thematic connection and ability to synthesize

Grade classes:

• <  18: level of competence not sufficient
• 18-20: sufficient level of competence
• 21-23: satisfactory level of competence
• 24-26: good proficiency level
• 27-29: very good level of proficiency
• 30-30 cum laude: excellent level of proficiency

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students are invited to contact the teacher for information on the program.

Attendance

The course does not require attendance.

Course books

1) J.P. Grotzinger & T.H. Jordan – Understanding the Earth – Zanichelli III Italian edition

2) PowerPoint presentations of the lectures held during the course. Reference texts on specific topics and insights indicated during the course.

Assessment

The expected learning outcomes will be evaluated with a written paper with ten open questions also with the help of graphs and figures. This exam method was chosen as it allows to adequately verify the preparation of the students. The evaluation criteria are knowledge of the basic concepts, the degree of articulation of the answer and the mastery of the specific language. Each of the criteria is evaluated on the basis of a three-level scale of values. The time available to answer the questions is 2 hours.

The criteria underlying the evaluation are:

• Level of mastery of knowledge (verification of acquired knowledge)
• Degree of articulation of the answer
• Ability in thematic connection and ability to synthesize

Grade classes:

• <  18: level of competence not sufficient
• 18-20: sufficient level of competence
• 21-23: satisfactory level of competence
• 24-26: good proficiency level
• 27-29: very good level of proficiency
• 30-30 cum laude: excellent level of proficiency

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.