1. Earth and the Environment
Geology 141
Earth and the Environment
Dr. Bruce F. Rueger
Natural Philosopher
Phone:
Office: Mudd 214 Lab: Mudd 218
Office Hours:
Monday, Wednesday: 10: :30
Tuesday: 9: :00
Thursday: 1:30 – 2:30
Text: Geology: An Introduction to Physical Geology (4th edit.)
Author: Stanley Chernicoff and Donna Whitney
Lab Manual: Laboratory Manual for Geology 141
Author: Bruce Rueger and Robert Nelson

2. Please provide the following on the 4x6 card:
1. Your name
2. Your hometown?
3. A recent geologic event that happened in
your hometown or near it.
4. Tell me about a place that struck you somehow,
just because of the geologic setting (particularly
if you go there often).
5. What specific topic interests you about this course?

3. Lecture Part of the Course
Consists of:
Three meetings each week.
Three written experiences (exams).
Exams will be worth 535 points
Written exercises are worth 200 points.
There will be some unannounced exercises.
Lecture portion of the course is worth 735 points.
Lecture is worth ~75% of your course grade.
I recommend that you buy the book.

4. Course Format
(What You Need to Know To Do Well)
1. Come to class (all the time).
2. Buy the textbook and the lab manual.
3. READ the textbook and the lab manual.
(Preferably before you come to class)
4. Do the assignments in lecture and lab.
5. Go to lab.
(the lab guy is really tough about this)
6. Study for the exams.

5. The Geology 141 Web Site

6. Laboratory Part of the Course
Consists of:
One laboratory session each week.
Lab exercises are worth 165 points.
Lab final is worth 100 points.
Lab portion of the course is worth 265 points.
Lab is worth ~25% of your course grade.
You do need the laboratory manual.
Lab does not start until next week.

7. Things You Might Find Useful to Bring:
1. Some colored pencils or pens
These will be useful for diagrams.
2. 4x6 index cards
These will be used for questions or
impromptu written exercises.
3. An interest in learning about the Earth.

8. IMPORTANT STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW
(at least to start with today)
You should be able to do simple conversion from English
measurements to Metric using the following:
1 inch = 2.54 centimeters
3.3 feet = 1 meter
0.62 miles = 1 kilometer
1.1 quarts = 1 liter
1 pound = 0.45 kilograms
C (Celsius) = (5/9)(F-32)
F (Fahrenheit) = C (9/5)+32

9. A Demonstration

11. I-70 Roadcut, Morrison, CO

12. The Players: Ellie Boyce ‘03 Jon Allen ‘03 Amy Lansdale ‘03
Rob Selover ‘04
Justin Ossolinski ‘03

13. Goosenecks of the
San Juan River, UT

14. Southern Coast of Iceland

15. Downtown Bedrock, Colorado

16. Carrabassett Stream, Canaan, ME

17. And it doesn’t
matter how you
get there……..
Just look!

18. A homework assignment:
1. Due at your convenience (better sooner than later).
Your opportunity to make the big screen in
Geology 141.
Bring in a picture from some place that you
think is a great geologic site or even
some place that you really just like to
hang out or would like to go back to, etc.
and I will try to work it in as the Point of
Geologic Interest

19. http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/ http://www.happyplanetindex.org/
2. Due September 16.
Go to the Happy Planet Website:
Read the Happy Planet Index 2.0
Then, under Engage, Calculate your personal
Happy Planet Index
Sign the Charter if so inclined.

20. Siccar Point, Scotland