20440008 - PETROGRAPHY

The course aims to provide knowledge of the behavior and properties of metamorphic and sedimentary igneous rocks in the evolution of planet Earth. The expected learning outcomes are the students’ ability to recognize and contextualize rocks and minerals in the territory, to have perception of their meaning in terms of genesis and geological evolution, and to understand their human use in the context of respect for the environment.
teacher profile | teaching materials

Programme

PART I – THE GEOLOGICAL CONTEXT
Lesson I – Composition and Structure of the Earth
Lesson II – Plate Tectonics and the Rock Cycle

PART II – IGNEOUS ROCKS
Lesson III – The Nature of Magma
Lesson IV – Occurrence and Classification of Igneous Rocks
Lesson V – Magma Generation, Ascent, and Differentiation
Lesson VI – Rock Melting and Magma Crystallization
Lesson VII – Volcanism

PART III – SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
Lesson VIII – Sediment Formation, Transport, and Lithification
Lesson IX – Classification of Sedimentary Rocks

PART IV – METAMORPHIC ROCKS
Lesson X – The Metamorphic Process and Metamorphic Rocks

PART V – ROCK IDENTIFICATION IN THIN SECTION (LABORATORY OF OPTICAL PETROGRAPHY)

Core Documentation

MINERALOGIA E PETROGRAFIA – C. Klein, A.R. Philpotts (Zanichelli)
Course material (texts, figures, and exercises) provided by the instructor

Attendance

The attendance of theoretical lectures and practical teaching in the optical mineralogy and petrography laboratory is mandatory.

Type of evaluation

The exam consists of a written test with both multiple-choice and open-ended questions on the theoretical knowledge of petrography acquired during the course, lasting 1.5 hours. The written test includes a series of questions on the petrography of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks, aimed at assessing the students' actual understanding of the concepts and their ability to apply them in real-world contexts.