GEO1101 Introduction to Physical Geography

• Course Description: This course examines the fundamental forces, patterns, and processes that shape the physical characteristics of the Earth’s surface. By the completion of the course, students should be able to explain how physical forces create physical features on Earth. The course covers the solar system, plate tectonics, rocks and minerals, continental drift hypotheses, geological faults and folding, mass wasting, erosion, soil formation and its importance and characteristics and weathering. Internal forces that cause physical characteristics of the earth, such as earthquakes and volcanism, and their measurement.
• Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students should successfully be able to:

1. Analyze the solar system and Earth’s place within it, emphasizing the significance of Earth’s physical characteristics.
2. Explain the theory of plate tectonics and its role in shaping the Earth’s surface, including the formation of mountains, valleys, and earthquakes.
3. Identify various types of rocks and minerals, understanding their formation processes and significance in the geological landscape.
4. Describe geological faults and folding, and explain how these processes contribute to the physical features of the Earth.
5. Analyze the characteristics and importance of soil, including its formation processes and role in agriculture and sustainability in Somalia.
6. Explain the mechanisms of weathering and how they affect the Earth’s surface, considering the local environmental context.
7. Apply the concepts learned to analyze local physical geography, fostering an understanding of how these forces affect life and development in Somalia.

• Required Materials
• Textbook
• Maps and Atlases
• Field Guides: Guides for identifying local rocks, minerals, and soil types, as well as flora and fauna related to physical geography
• Lab Equipment: Basic laboratory supplies for experiments and demonstrations, such as Magnifying glasses, Soil testing kits, Rock and mineral samples
• Geographic information systems (GIS) and simulation software for visualizing geological processes.