Structure of Earth Materials OpenCourseWare: A Free Undergraduate Earth Science Course by MIT
Probe the world of crystals and crystalline materials, including their structure, symmetry and formation in this free online OpenCourseWare from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). 'Structure of Earth Materials' is a comprehensive introductory course that relates the characteristics of crystals to attributes, such as the modulus of elasticity, index of refraction and the speed at which seismic waves travel. It is recommended that students first complete 'Introduction to Solid-State Chemistry' or 'Principles of Chemical Science' OpenCourseWare before taking this free course.
Structure of Earth Materials: Course Specifics
| Degree Level | Free | Audio | Video | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Lectures/Notes | Study Materials | Tests/Quizzes |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | No |
Structure of Earth Materials: Course Description
This course examines the forces that result in bonding in rock-forming minerals and the distribution of various minerals on the surfaces and in the interiors of Earth and other planets. The course also covers material relating to the earth's bulk composition, structure and the important minerals. Topics include the stress and strain on earth materials, optic signs of minerals and mineral groups that make up tectosilicates, which represent more than 60 percent of the earth's crust. Readings that correlate with the lectures cover crystallography and mineralogy. An image gallery provides more than 80 photographs of the minerals discussed in the lectures. Professors J. Brian Evans and Timothy Grove of the MIT Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences jointly teach the course. This is an undergraduate-level OpenCourseWare.
Course materials, which are available for free download on the site, include lecture notes, reading list and the image gallery. If you are interested in enrolling in this free online course, visit the Structure of Earth Materials course page.
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