Planet Earth…and You!

Earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, ice ages, landslides, floods, life evolution, plate motions—all of these phenomena have interacted over the vast expanses of deep time to sculpt the dynamic planet that we live on today. Planet Earth presents an overview of several aspects of our home, from a geological perspective. We begin with earthquakes—what they are, what causes them, what effects they have, and what we can do about them. We will emphasize that plate tectonics—the grand unifying theory of geology—explains how the map of our planet’s surface has changed radically over geologic time, and why present-day geologic activity—including a variety of devastating natural disasters such as earthquakes—occur where they do. We consider volcanoes, types of eruptions, and typical rocks found there. Finally, we will delve into the processes that produce the energy and mineral resources that modern society depends on, to help understand the context of the environment and sustainability challenges that we will face in the future.

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Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Orientation
Week 1: Earthquakes!
Week 2
Week 2: Plate Tectonics
Week 3
Week 3: Volcanoes!
Week 4
Week 4: Rocks and Mineral Resources
Week 5
Week 5: Energy Resources

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Reviews

Very good information - I loved the Google Earth Labs you guys set up for us. Really useful and a fun way to connect knowledge with real life.

Highly appreciate his course. Well explain different topics related to Earth Sciences and design tough assignments which are very effective in learning.

Excellent course. The content was well delivered. If you are not a geology student and don't intend to be one but wish to find out more about the planet you lived on, this is the course for you.

Great course, despite the glitches in the links, etc., which seemed to be outdated. i really gained little from the forum.