Welcome to

GEOL 107: Physical

Geology
Dr. Lijun Liu
Department of Geology

Security Advice

Syllabus
Can be downloaded from compass 2g
Dr. Liu office: 61 Computing
Applications Building (CAB)
Email: ljliu@illinois.edu
Office hour: Thu 1-4 pm

Syllabus Highlights

You must earn > 60% on the lab portion of the course to pass

Textbook
Earth: Portrait of a Planet, 5th edition
By Stephen Marshak
5th edition

4th edition

Weekly online quiz:

Syllabus quiz due
Friday Aug 28 by
10pm
Online Quiz, Chapter
3 due Mon. Aug
31 by 11am
Also on reserve at Granger Engineering Library
E-book available for purchase

Labs
Labs meet in Davenport 219
Labs will meet this week (Aug 27 &
28)
Lab manual available in book store
You must earn > 60% on the lab
portion to pass the course

I->Clicker registration
Register your i->clicker in compass
2g.
We use i->clicker in every lecture, so
bring it every time.
This is the majority of our in-class
assignments

CPR Writing Assignments

Calibrated Peer Review writing:
https://cpr.molsci.ucla.edu/cpr/cpr/
login.asp

A total of 4 assignments (drop two

lowest)
We will set up your accounts
More instructions later
1st assignment due in week 3

Field trip - mandatory

Time: Oct. 10, Saturday
Location: Turkey Run national park,
Indiana
More updates to come

Some policies to keep in

mind
Absence of class
Proof of absence required

Late assignment policy

I usually dont allow late assignments, unless
you have a legitimate reason, such as sickness

Complaints about class or

assignment
Written (including emails) material required.

What is Geology?
Geology from the Greek: geo
Earth

The study of Earth

11

What is Geology?
Geology is the science that
pursues an understanding of
planet Earth.
Geology uses scientific
methods to explain natural
aspects of the Earth
For example, how mountains form, or
why oil resources are concentrated in
some rocks and not in others. 12

Why is Geology
important?
Natural Hazards
Resources
Environmental Issues

13

Why is Geology
important?
Natural Hazards

14

Why is Geology
important?
Resources

15

Why is Geology
important?

Environmental issues

16

Physical Geology
Physical Geology examines the
materials composing Earth and
seeks to understand the many
processes that operate both
beneath and upon its surface.
Earths composition
Temporal evolution of Earths interior
and its surface

It took time to reach todays underst

anding.
17

I-clicker question:

Which of the following best

illustrates that Earth is a
dynamic planet?
A.Its regularly orbits the Sun
B.It has a thick atmosphere
C.It has similar topography to the Moon
D.It has earthquakes and volcanoes

Formation of Earth

Modern view
on the origin
and evolution
of the
universe.
Big Bang theory

+
Nebula theory

20

The nebula theory

1) 14 billion years ago:
the Big Bang: a huge
explosion. Debris from
this explosion began to
cool and condense into
the first
stars and galaxies.

21

The nebula theory

2) In our galaxy
our solar system
evolved.

22

The nebula theory

3) 5 billion
years ago, the
bodies of the
solar system
condensed from
an enormous
cloud (the
solar nebula)
23

The nebula theory

4)
Contraction
of the nebula
started to
form the
protosun; it
also sped up
the rotation
and flattened

24

The nebula theory

5) The
protoplanets
formed from
materials
condensed
and
accreted
inside the

25

Solar planets

Evolution of Earth
At first, the proto-Earth was likely
uniform in composition

Evolution of Earth
As it grew, it began to heat up
Energy from collisions
Radioactive decay

Evolution of Earth
The proto-Earth became so hot that
it melted and denser materials sank
to the interior in a process called
differentiation

Present-day Earth

A thick atmosphere similar to many other planets

Bi-modal topography unique for Earth
Earthquakes & volcanoes unique for Earth
Layered internal structure similar to many other planets