Knowledge Goals

Students who have completed ESS 212 should

1.  Be able to describe the origin and relative abundances of elements in    

1. (a)solar system,
   

2. (b)in Earth’s core, mantle, and crust, and
   

3. (c)at the surface.
   

2.  Understand principals relating bonding and ion size to crystal structures

3.  Understand principals of symmetry as they relate to crystals, crystal properties, crystal structure, and the interaction of light with crystals

4.  Understand the basic silicate crystal structures and groups.

5.  Understand basic thermodynamic principals and phase equilibrium relationships.

6.  Predict what suites of igneous and metamorphic rocks should be found in different plate tectonic (geologic) settings

7. 7. Explain how magma is generated in the Earth's mantle and at least three ways magma typically evolves en route to the surface
   

8. 8. Be able to describe the processes leading to the creation and lithophication of sedimentary rocks
   

9. 9. Be able to apply knowledge from this course to other areas of geology

Skills Goals

Students who have completed ESS 212 to be able to

1. 1. Identify common rock-forming minerals using observed physical properties and know their chemical formula and (in some cases) their phase diagrams.
   

2. 2.  Describe the types and relative abundances of mineral phases in a rock based on observations from hand specimens and in thin sections
   

3. 3. interpret the geologic history of rocks based on mineral assemblage and textures using both hand sample and microscope techniques
   

4. 4.  Use igneous mineral assemblages and textures to constrain the history of magma fractionation and cooling
   

5. 5.  Use metamorphic mineral assemblages and textures to constrain deformation history and P-T conditions
   

6. 6.  Use mineralogy and petrology of sedimentary rocks to constrain the history of deposition and lithification

Attitudinal Goal

By the end of ESS 212, students should be confident of their abilities to "read" rocks