Building Blocks of Earth and Life
Undergraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 10
- Teaching semesters
- Autumn
- Course code
- GEOV103
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- Norwegian. Parts of the course will be taught in English.
- Resources
- Schedule
- Reading list
Course description
Objectives and Content
Earth is a dynamic planet with four major systems: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. Chemical elements and compounds interact and cycle through these different spheres, and ultimately influence the composition and evolution of our planet and the life living on it.
In this course, students explore the building blocks of these geochemical systems, from the scale of an atomic nucleus and cells of living organisms to the minerals that make up the lithosphere. It aims to provide the fundamental knowledge required to understand interactions between Earth’s systems and the evolution of these through geological time.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence.
Knowledge
The student:
- can explain the origin of the chemical elements and their representation in the periodic table
- can differentiate between atoms, ions and isotopes and examine their distribution on Earth
- can explain why and how chemical elements combine to form minerals
- can recognize and describe the basic properties and chemistry of rock-forming minerals
- can explain the basic principles of the evolution and diversity of life
- can describe the fundamental molecular principles of life
Skills
The student:
- is able to use the periodic table as a tool to predict element behavior
- is able to calculate simple mineral formulas from geochemical analyses
- is able to identify and describe the rock-forming minerals in hand specimen
- is able to construct simple phylogenetic trees from real data
General competence
The student:
- can evaluate and compile information from sources online
- can effectively use graphical and visual aids to present findings
- can use precise scientific language to communicate results
- can assess uncertainty using resampling
- can demonstrate the ability to function individually and in co-operation with others
- can give constructive feedback and make productive use of peer-feedback
ECTS Credits
Level of Study
Semester of Instruction
Place of Instruction
Required Previous Knowledge
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Access to the Course
Teaching and learning methods
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
It is mandatory to attend and submit assignments for all course activities. We aim to ensure that all students have equal opportunities to engage in the mandatory activities in this course.
Approved compulsory assignments are valid only in the teaching semester.
Forms of Assessment
Portfolio assessment.
It is not possible to appeal the grade of this portfolio assessment. This is because a large part of the assessment in this course takes place in the classroom and would not be possible to reevaluate.