Introduction to Geology

GEOL 102 — Winter Quarter 2023

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Previous GEOL 102 students that are super-stoked to be at the Avila Beach exposure of pillow basalts.

Once you learn how basalt forms, you will have to wonder just how basalt came to be here at Avila Beach (??)

Stay tuned ...

General Navigation

Topical Webpages

These pages contain supplemental materials I provide that correspond the chapter readings. The materials include:

Additional readings via linked documents and websites. You will be responsible for this material on quizzes and exams.
PowerPoint files (usually, but not always). Important note: You should not consider the PowerPoint files to be a primary learning resource. Usually they are collections of images that I have collected which may be useful to illustrate something in class, or to refer to in answering a question. They are not necessarily in a linear order! Therefore you should only refer to them after you have digested the other course materials.
Images, animations/videos, and other descriptions of topics related to the chapter readings.

Generally speaking the Topical Webpages are meant to extend chapter material, and often will take a particular topic and focus on it.

As an example, in the case of earthquake magnitude the Topical Webpage may describe a method for determining magnitude not discussed in the textbook. Or, in the case of metamorphic rocks, discuss an application of metamorphic rocks to an area of geology not discussed in the tectbook. You get the idea.

Here are the Topical Webpage links:

Course Introduction → Chapter Reading: CH 1.1, 1.2, and 1.4

There will not be a Chapter Reading Quiz on this material - but I encorage you to look at the end of chapter questions relevant to these sections. In fact, you should look at the end of chapter questions for all the chapters as a personal exercise 😉

Minerals → Chapter Reading: CH 2

Notes and Other Commentary

The Essentials of Plate Tectonics → Chapter Reading: CH 1.3
- Notes and Other Commentary
Igneous Rocks and Processes → Chapter Reading: CH 3
- Notes and Other Commentary
Volcanism → Chapter Reading: CH 4
Sedimentary Rocks and Processes → Chapter Reading: parts of CH 5 for background (see schedule spreadsheet) | CH 6
- Notes
Metamorphic Rocks and Processes → Chapter Reading: CH 7
- Notes
Geologic Time → Chapter Reading: CH 8
Geologic Structures (Structural Geology) → Chapter Reading: CH 15

~~Surface Water → Chapter Reading: CH 10~~

Groundwater → Chapter Reading: CH 11

~~Glaciers and Glaciation → Chapter Reading: CH 12~~

~~Mass Movements → Chapter Reading: CH 9~~

Earthquakes → Chapter Reading: CH 16
Plate Tectonics Part II: History and Evidence → Chapter Reading: CH 19
Energy and Mineral Resources and Exploration

Minerals → Chapter Reading: CH 22
Energy → Chapter Reading: CH 22

Discussion Meeting Materials

Here you will find the handouts, and possibly other materials, from each week's Discussion Meeting

Week 1 | Minerals

In class activity handout: Mineral Identification.
Here is a minerals take home activity to try.

Week 2 | The Essentials of Plate Tectonics

In class activity handout: Geologic Observations and Plate Boundaries.
MAP: Geography (Topography)
MAP: Geochronology (Age)
MAP: Volcanology (Volcanoes)
MAP: Seismology (Earthquakes)
MAP: Plates
Google Earth "kmz" files. Download and open with Google Earth

Finally, if you want to interactively look at earthquake distributions, try the IRIS Earthquake Browser.

Week 3 | Identification of Igneous Rocks

In class activity handout: Identification of Igneous Rocks.
In the class handout for Sample Ig3, it was mentioned that pyroxene and plagioclase feldspar could be detected using a microscope. Here are microscopic images of these minerals.

Week 4 | Identification of Sedimentary Rocks

In class activity handout: Identification of Sedimentary Rocks.
Here are some Supplemental Questions you can try at home.

Week 5 | Cancelled 😒

Week 6 | Metamorphic Rock Identification

Also, review of all your previous work on minerals, igneous rocks, and sedimentary rocks

In class activity handout: Identification of Metamorphic Rocks in Hand Sample.

Week 7 | Geologic Maps and Structures

In class activity handout: Cross sections and geologic history.

Here is another example: Inferring subsurface geologic structure.

Week 8 | Earthquakes → Paleoseismic Trench Analysis at Pallett Creek

Handout: Pallett Creek Trench 11.

Extra Practice: Pallett Creek Trench 10.

Week 9 |

Week 10 |

(Optional) Self-guided Field Trips

Optional self-guided field trip guides will be posted/linked below as they become relevant to our course material. Please read and follow all the instructions on each guide carefully.

Field Guides

Poly Canyon Walk

If we have time, we will meet for a short walk in Poly Canyon instead of a regular meeting. Stay tuned 🙃

Bumper Music

Like the pre-class bumper music? Here it is (most recent at the top). The mp3 file might play in the browser, otherwise you can right-click and download the file itself.

Song Without Words by Mendelssohn (played by Andres Segovia)
Slave by The Rolling Stones
Swingin by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Sleepy Lagoon by The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra
Sidewinder by Vernon Reid & Masque
Lowrider by War
Chankity Chank Chank by Louisiana Red
Afrique Kane by Will Calhoun
Thumbelina by The Pretenders
No. 1 Green Street by Grant Green
Dirty Girl by Jimmie Vaughn
Pagan Love Song performed by Firehouse Five Plus Two
Oriental Shuffle performed by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli
Blues for Roy by Jim Campilongo
Whipping Boy by Ben Harper
Step In by Cedric Burnside

IMPORTANT: Signing up for Textbook Access and the "Connect" Website.

Please see this PDF document for how to sign up on the book publisher's Connect Website to access the textbook reading materials and access the Chapter Reading Quizzes (CRQ).

If you stay enrolled in the course then the fee (~ $70) for the textbook access will later show up on your student account. If you drop the course by the deadline then your student account will not get charged.