ESC 1000 - Earth Science

College of Natural Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Spring 2012 (450)

Requisites

(Prerequisite ENC 0025 and
Prerequisite REA 0017 and
Prerequisite MAT 0028) or
(Prerequisite EAP 1695 and
Prerequisite MAT 0028)

Course Description

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the integrating principles and the theory of the Earth Sciences. With the practice of the scientific method, the student is afforded the opportunity to be exposed to useful knowledge in selected areas of Earth Science. (Note: Credit is only given for ESC 1000 or ESC 1000C).

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the principle features of the Solar System including the Earth - Moon relationship, the galaxies and star brightness, and the prominent constellations and significant coordinates on the celestial sphere by:
    1. defining the term solar system.
    2. describing the physical characteristics of the Sun including size and temperature of the core, photosphere, chromosphere, corona, prominences, solar flares, and sunspots.
    3. explaining how the Sun produces energy and describing the sequence of events in the Sun's evolution as it begins to run out of fuel.
    4. listing the planets in order from the Sun, describing the type of atmosphere, number of natural satellites, size as compared to the Earth, and any outstanding feature that has been observed on each planet.
    5. describing the rotation and revolution of the Moon.
    6. describing the phases of the Moon showing the relative positions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun at new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, and full stages.
    7. explaining the following types of eclipses: total solar, annular, partial solar, total lunar, and partial lunar.
    8. describing the following lunar features: maria (seas), craters, mountains, rills and rays.
    9. describing the methods of space exploration from Galileo to the present, and relating the results to the study of Earth Science.
    10. describing star parallax.
    11. describing the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram and identifying the types of stars, their temperatures, absolute brightness, and size.
    12. explaining how the apparent brightness and period of pulsation can be used in determining the distance to a cepheid variable star.
    13. describing how pulsars and black holes are different from our Sun.
    14. defining the components of the Universe: stars, clusters, nebulae, and galaxies.
    15. describing the dimensions of the Milky Way Galaxy and locate our Solar System in that galaxy.
    16. identifying important features on a celestial chart or sphere:
    17. identifying the following constellations: Big Dipper (Ursa Major); Little Dipper (Ursa Minor); Cassiopeia (Queen); Orion (the Hunter); Taurus (the Bull); Canis Major (Dog); Cygnus (Swan); and Scorpius (Scorpion).
  2. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the nature and conditions that prevail in our atmosphere including weather and climate by:
    1. describing the nature of the Earth's atmosphere.
    2. listing by percent volume, the two most abundant atmospheric gases, and explain the importance of the minor gases.
    3. explaining the effect of heat energy on molecular motion and the state of matter.
    4. describing the "greenhouse effect" and showing how the Earth's surface is heated by conduction, convection, and radiation.
    5. explaining how temperature, pressure and volume effect atmospheric gases.
    6. explaining how the temperature of a gas may change by the adiabatic effect.
    7. describing how heat is distributed on the Earth's surface.
    8. explaining the formation of the three atmospheric circulation cells in the northern hemisphere.
    9. explaining the difference between weather and climate.
    10. describing temperature and how it is measured.
    11. describing barometric pressure and how it is measured.
    12. describing the relationship between air temperature and the capacity of the air to hold moisture.
    13. defining relative humidity, absolute humidity, and dew point.
    14. describing the products of condensation and precipitation and describing the effect that a temperature change will have on their formation.
    15. describing the cloud classification system.
    16. explaining the origin of high and low pressure systems that result in the formation of land and sea breezes.
    17. explaining an isobaric map.
    18. explaining the clockwise and counterclockwise flow of air around high and low pressure systems in the northern hemisphere.
    19. defining an air mass, name the six most common types, and identifying weather elements characteristic of each.
    20. describing how the prevailing wind systems affect the movement of air masses and influence weather conditions.
    21. identifying the basic characteristics of the four kinds of weather fronts.
    22. applying knowledge of the characteristics of fronts to make weather predictions.
  3. The student will demonstrate an understanding of rocks and minerals and processes and products of the rock cycle by:
    1. defining and interrelating the following structural units: atom, element, molecule, compound, mineral, crystal, mixture, and rock.
    2. explaining how evaporation or cooling rates determine the size of crystals.
    3. describing and recognizing the major physical properties of minerals.
    4. describing and recognizing the minor physical properties of minerals.
    5. identifying minerals using simple mineral keys, relying on the major and minor physical properties.
    6. showing how the physical and chemical environment influences mineral formation.
    7. describing the rock cycle in terms of the processes that act on earth materials and the products that result.
    8. describing the history of the formation of an igneous rock in terms of its temperature and rate of cooling.
    9. classifying igneous rocks.
    10. classifying sedimentary rocks.
    11. describing the change in metamorphic rocks as a result of exposure to heat and pressure.
    12. classifying metamorphic rocks.
  4. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the plate tectonic model and the Earth's layers by:
    1. explaining the mechanism of earthquakes.
    2. recognizing a cross-sectional view of the Earth and identifying the major rock type of each layer.
    3. describing evidence for uplift of the Earth's crust.
    4. explaining the mechanism of convection currents within the Earth's mantle and showing how this theory can account for mountains, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
  5. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the Geologic Time Scale and its developmental history by:
    1. defining the following fundamental concepts of historical geology.
    2. describing three types of unconformities.
    3. explaining how fossils are preserved for the geologic record.
    4. discussing the principle of organic evolution.
    5. discussing or showing with simple diagrams the following radiometric procedures
    6. recognizing the components of the geological time scale.
    7. relating the major evolutionary changes in life to the Geologic Time Scale.
  6. The student will understand the use of topographic maps by:
    1. examining a map.
    2. recognizing latitude and longitude.
    3. identifying symbols used on maps.
  7. The student will demonstrate an understanding of land form development through the erosional and depositional processes of streams, ground water, shore processes, glaciers and wind by:
    1. recognizing the processes and products of the hydrologic cycle and showing their relationship with solar energy and gravity.
    2. describing how running water effects erosion transportation and deposition of sediments.
    3. recognizing the natural change in stream valleys as the slope of the river changes.
    4. describing stream equilibrium, using the scale balance model, and explaining how changes in slope, discharge, sediment load, and sediment size can cause a stream to erode or deposit.
    5. describing the hydrologic cycle.
    6. defining percolation, porosity, and permeability.
    7. describing the free and artesian ground water systems.
    8. explaining the process by which calcite is chemically decomposed by ground water and showing how this process relates to the formation of caves, cave features and sinkholes.
    9. recognizing several Karst features.
    10. explaining the characteristics of the Floridan Aquifer.
    11. labeling the parts of a wave and comparing the movement of wave energy and the movement of water molecules in the wave.
    12. describing the process of wave refraction and the formation of longshore current.
    13. describing several shoreline erosional and depositional features.
    14. describing how glacial ice breaks up and transports rock materials.
    15. differentiating between alpine, and continental glaciation.
    16. describing several glacial erosional and depositional features.
    17. describing how the action of wind breaks up and transports rock material.
    18. describing several wind erosional and depositional features.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

Revised 8/84 DBT 7/26/89 Effective Session 19891 3 YR C&I Review 1993-94 DBT 5/16/95 Effective Session 19951 3 Year Review 99-00. Effective 20011. On-line/CD Rom. Effective 20041. Prefix & # changed from ISC1141 by SCNS effective 20071(0385). 3 Year Review 2007. Amended prerequisites effective 20112(0450).
C&I Approval: 01/27/2004, BOT Approval: 02/17/2004, Effective Term: Spring 2012 (450)