Chemistry for Geologists
1.Introduction, basic definitions. Physical and chemical properties, quantities, units of measurement. Basic chemical and physical rules. Nomenclature. Basic calculations.
2.The structure of the atom, the nucleus, radioactivity, nuclear reactions. Electronic structure of the atom, Bohr's theory of the hydrogen atom.
3.Multielectronic atoms, quantum numbers and quantum theory, periodic relationship among the elements, periodic table, electron configuration.
4.Chemical bonding, electronegativity, polarity of the chemical bonding, hybridization, molecular geometry, polarization, intermolecular interactions.
5.States of matter, crystals and types of crystals. Isomorphy, polymorphy.
6.Chemical thermodynamics, chemical kinetics, equilibrium.
7.Solutions, electrolytes, acid-base equilibria, hydrolysis, solubility, redox processes, phase equilibria.
8.Periodic table, metals, nonmetallic elements. s1 and s2 elements. Hydrogen.
9.p elements. (carbon, silicon, aluminium, silicates).
10.p elements. (chalcogens, halogens).
11.Transition metals, coordination chemistry, crystallohydrates. Nomenclature of the coordination compounds.
12.Lantanides and actinides.
Mathematics 1
1. Standard functions and their plots: Real numbers, powers, inequalities. Trigonometric functions. Inverse functions. Exponential, logarithmic and hyperbolic functions. Geometric series.
2. Differentiation: Definition and notation of derivative. Derivatives of standard functions. Higher-order derivatives.
3. Taylor series and approximations: The index notation for derivatives. Taylor polynomials and expansions. l'Hopital's rule.
4. Complex numbers: Complex numbers in exponential form.
5. Matrix algebra: Rules of matrix algebra. Special matrices.
6. Determinants: Properties of determinants.
7. Vectors: Position vectors and vector equations. Unit vectors and basis vectors. Tangent vector, velocity and acceleration vectors.
8. Scalar product: Rotation of axes in two and three dimensions. Direction cosines.. General equation of a straight line. Curvature in two dimensions.
9. Vector product: Definition and interpretation of vector product. Vector triple product.
10. Linear algebraic equations: Cramer's rule. Homogeneous sets of equations. Gauss--Seidel iterative method of solution.
11. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors: Eigenvalues of a matrix. Eigenvectors. Diagonalization of a matrix.
12. Definite and indefinite integrals: Sum formula and its numerical illustration. Definite integral and area. Indefinite-integral notation. Improper integrals. Definite integrals with variable limits.
Mineralogy 1
1. Introduction to mineralogy - definition of minerals and their naming, history and economic importance.
2. Physical properties of minerals in hand specimen - form, habit, lustre, colour, streak. Other properties depending on light - transparency, translucency, opaque minerals and luminescence.
3. Other physical properties - cleavage, parting, fracture, hardness, specific gravity, magnetism, radioactivity and piezoelectricity.
4. Internal order and symmetry - symmetry elements, crystallographic axes and system, selected point groups.
5. Crystallization of minerals - stability, polymorphism, exsolutions, metamict minerals.
6. Crystal chemistry - bonding, coordination, structure, composition variations, graphic presentations of mineral composition.
7. Optical microscopy - polarizing light, nature of light, polarizing microscope.
8. Determination of minerals in polarizing light - isotropic, anisotropic, uniaxial and biaxial minerals in polarizing light.
9. Uniaxial and biaxial minerals between crossed polars - extinction, interference colour, accessory plates and symptoms of elongation.
10. Uniaxial and biaxial minerals in convergent polarized light, optic sign, apparent optic angle.
11. Optical properties of opaque minerals - reflecting light microscope.
12. Determination of crystal structure and composition - selected analytical methods.
Palaeontology and Palaeoecology
1. Palaeontology – terminology, general information;
2. Palaeoecology – aims and position of field of study, autecology, synecology, palaeoenvironments, primary production, trophic level and biodiversity, population dynamics, diversity and systematic assemblage analysis;
3. Importance of fossils in stratigraphy (biostratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy, eventostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy);
4. Facies analysis - macro and microfossils utilization in palaeoecology, palaeobiogeography, biostratigraphy, palaeoceanography and palaeoclimatology;
5. Palaeontology of Invertabrates I (Protozoa – Sarcodinia, Ciliophora, Metazoa – Poriphera, Archaeocyatha, Metazoa – Cnidaria, Acnidaria, Annelida, Arthropoda) – Characteristics, function morphology, fossil potential – composition of skeletal elements or tests, systematics, geological, stratigraphical and ecological potential;
6. Palaeontology of Invertebrates II (Metazoa – Mollusca, Bryozoa, Brachiopoda, Echinodermata, Hemichordata, Conodonta) Characteristics, function morphology, fossil potential - composition of skeletal elements or shells, systematics, geological, stratigraphical and ecological potential;
7. Palaeontology of Vertebrates – overview of vertebrates evolution, impact to biostratigraphy, palaeobiography and palaeoecology;
8. Palaeobotany, definition, taxonomy, rock-forming activity of algae;
9. Overview of fossil flora – phylogeny and stratigraphical index taxons of plants;
10. Palynology, pollen analysis – methods of pollen analytical data selection and collection;
11. Fossil flora and pollens – tools for stratigraphy, palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatological interpretations.
Geology 1
1. Introduction to Physical Geology.
2. Earth in Space. 3. The Earth’s interior.
3. Energy of geological processes.
4. Chemical and mineralogical composition of the earth’s crust.
5. Magmatism.
6. Volcanism and extrusive rocks.
7. Sedimentation – origin of sediments.
8. Metamorphism.
9. Time and Geology.
10. Weathering, soils and morphology.
11. Landslides and earthquakes.
Physics for Geologists
1. Mechanics: path, velocity and acceleration, free fall, rotational motion, Coriolis force, Newton’s laws of motion.
2. Newton’s law of gravity, gravitational potential, basic laws of Kepler.
3. Energy and power, various kinds of energy, the law of energy conservation.
4. physical properties of gases, molecular kinetic theory of matter, state quantities, ideal gas.
5. processes in ideal gases, thermodynamic equilibrium, reversible processes, thermodynamic cycle of Carnot.
6. thermodynamic notion of phase, Gibbs’s phase rule, evaporation, melting, freezing, sublimation, phase transitions, phase diagram of water ice.
7. internal structure of solids, binding forces in crystalline solids, mechanical properties of solids, notions of strain and stress, the stress tensor, the Hooke’s law, stress-strain diagram, crystalline defects.
8. Flow of liquids and gases, viscosity of liquids and gases, the viscous coefficients, the laminar and turbulent flow, Bernoulli’s equation, Navier-Stokes equations, the theory of geodynamo.
9. Basic electromagnetism, polarization of dielectrics, electrostatic induction, system of Maxwell's equations, Lorentz force, magnetic induction, electromagnetic field.
10. electric and magnetic phenomena in technical praxis.
11. use of electromagnetic phenomena in geology.
English 1
The purpose of this course is :
• to introduce students to the content of Earth Sciences
• to provide examples of authentic texts typical of the subject
• to help students practise the skills they will need in order to study the subject via English and to use it when they have learned it
Mathematics 2
1. Introduction to vectors and matrices in linear algebra.
2. Matrix transformations.
3. The determinants and their properties, systems of linear equations.
4. Important forms of matrices, accompanying vector spaces. The eigenvalues and eigenvectors.
5. The vector projections – application of matrix methods in statistics.
6. The general recapitulation, questions and answers.
7. Basics of the theory of probability. Random experiments. Probability. Frequency and statistical probability of the phenomenon. conditional probability. Independence of random experiments. Bayes' theorems.
8. Concept of random variables. Discrete and continuous random variable. Probability distribution. Cumulative distribution function and probability density function. Random variable, random choice, relation to statistics.
9. Examples of the probability distributions. Quantitative characteristics of the random variables, measure of location, measure of statistical dispersion, measure of the shape.
10. Law of large numbers and limit theorems. Normal distribution. Parameters of the normal distribution.
11. Simple statistical set. Statistical distribution functions. Quantitative characteristics of the statistical distribution. Determining the probability distribution. Using the data.
12. Point estimation. Confidence intervals for parameters of the normal distribution. Testing statistical hypotheses. Nonparametric hypotheses tests. Correlation and regression.
Geology 2
1. Precipitation and morphology.
2. Ground water.
3. Karst geology.
4. Rivers.
5. Lakes.
6. Waves, beaches and coasts.
7. Glaciers and glaciation.
8. Deserts and wind action.
9. Geological structures.
10. Earthquakes.
11. Plate tectonics.
12. Orogenesis and mountain belts.
Mineralogy 2
1. Introduction to the study of minerals; economic importance of minerals, diagnostic features of minerals. Mineral reactions; origin in an igneous regime, under metamorphic condition and in a weathering environment.
2. Mineral classification; systematic descriptions of minerals – physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence, use. Native elements. Diamond synthesis.
3. Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of sulphides, sulphosalts. Veins and vein mineralization, sulphide minerals as ores and as mining related contaminants.
4. Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of oxides, hydroxides. Ore minerals for the steel industry. Bauxite.
5. Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of halides, carbonates, nitrates, borates. Evaporite minerals.
6. Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of sulphates, chromates, tungstates, molybdates, phosphates, arsenates and vanadates. The source of chemicals in fertilizers.
7. Classification and physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of rock-forming silicates; nesosilicates.
8. Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of sorosilicates, cyclosilicates and inosilicates. The two most common crustal rock types: basalt and granite.
9.Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of phyllosilicates. Clay minerals and some of their applications.
10. Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of tectosilicates. I0. Mineral dust in the environment.
11. Physical properties, composition, diagnostic features, occurrence and use of tectosilicates. II. Minerals in pegmatites. Zeolites and their many unique properties.
12. Gem minerals. Gem qualifications, important gems, determination. Synthetic and treated gems.
Physics of the Earth
1.Gravity field and the Earth’s figure, geoid; the Earth’s rotation and its relations to geological phenomena.
2.The Earth’s magnetic field and palaeomagnetism.
3.The Earth’s thermal history, the internal heat and heat transfer.
4.Seismic waves; Physical background of earthquakes and other tectonic phenomena; physical arguments for New Global Tectonics.
5.Stresses and strains.
6.Hooke’s Law; Modeling of states of stresses and strains after erosion, sedimentation,.
7.Elasticity and flexure.
8.Flexural phenomena in Lithosphere.
9.Fluid mechanics in geological applications; 1-D flows.
10.2-D flows; 2-D continuity equation, 2-D Navier-Stokes equation of motion.
11.Fluid mechanics models of some geological phenomena: postglacial rebound, diapirism, folding,.
12Thermal convection – basic explanation of tectonics of the Earth and planets
Geomorphology
1. Basic information on subject and scientific discipline, evolution of geomorphology, its basic paradigms, theories, conceptions.
2. Definition and importance of basic morphometric characteristics, morphographic-morphometric relief types, hierarchy of landforms.
3. Geomorphic conditions and factors, processes and landforms – principles of geomorphological systematics.
4. Geomorphosystems – systemic approach to investigation of geomorphic processes and landforms.
5. Investigation and mapping of geomorphic processes – general principles.
6. Investigation and mapping of geomorphic processes on the example of runoff processes.
7. Investigation and mapping of landforms – general principles.
8. Complex geomorphological mapping.
9. Geomorphological information system.
10. Geomorphic response to environmental changes in the landscape.
11. Georelief and assessment of natural hazards and potentials.
12. Regional geomorphology of Slovakia.
Geochemical Thermodynamics
1. State and non-state quantities; Laws and relationships for ideal gases.
2. Real gases and equations of state for real gases; P-V isotherms of real gases and critical phenomena; Corresponding state theory; Thermodynamic system and surrounding; Reversible and irreversible processes.
3. First and second law of thermodynamics and combined first and second law; Application on main (geo)chemical processes.
4. Gibbs free energy as a criteria for equilibria of mineral reactions and for stability of mineral phases at fixed conditions; Effects of temperature and pressure on enthalpy and entropy.
5. Phase equilibria in simple mineral systems; How to understand and read phase diagrams (what is liquidus, solidus, solvus or lever rule?).
6. Effects of temperature and pressure on Gibbs free energy and calculations of simple phase P-T diagrams for mineral reactions.
7. Brief introduction to thermodynamics of ideal solutions (partial molal quantities, Gibbs-Duhem equation, mixing functions).
8. Real solutions (fugacity f, activity a); Electrolyte theory (ionic strength I, activity coefficients, consequences of ionic dissociation, equations for activity coefficients – e.g. Debye-Hückel equation, Davies and Truesdell-Jones equations); Activity coefficients in highly concentrated natural solutions, such as sea waters, hydrothermal solutions, brines, etc.
9. Equilibrium constant; Temperature dependence of equilibrium constant (e.g. calcite solubility with temperature); Pressure dependence of equilibrium constant (e.g. quartz solubility with pressure); Compositional dependence of equilibrium constant (e.g. equilibrium between jadeite + quartz = albite).
10. Application of the equilibrium constant in solving different geochemical processes (pH of acid rain, Ion-activity product IAP as an index of saturation degree in water solutions, stability diagrams for minerals as a function of composition); Fundamentals of geothermobarometry as a tool for determination of temperature-pressure conditions under which rocks are formed.
11. Redox equilibria; Electrochemical conventions (electrode reactions in the Daniell cell, standard hydrogen electrode, standard electrode potential E°); The Nernst equation, pe concept.
12. pe-pH diagrams (construction of pe-pH diagrams, what do pe-pH diagrams tell us?); Significance of pe-pH diagrams in solving environmental problems.
English 2
The purpose of this course is:
• to introduce students to the content of Earth Sciences
• to provide examples of authentic texts typical of the subject
• to help students practise the skills they will need in order to study the subject via English and to use it when they have learned it
Exploration, Mining, Drilling
Requirements for mining works. Methods of prospecting: geological, mineralogical, geochemical. Geophysical investigation methods. Parameters and methods of mineral resources calculation. Subsurface workings - shafts, mine adits, inlined shafts, chutes, trial pits, boreholes. Requirements for geological works. Sampling, geological documentation, laboratory works. Surface workings - quarries, surface stopes, prospecting pits, furrows, boreholes. Drilling engineering - fundamental drilling methods, fundamental parameters and drilling rigs components. Shallow Drilling investigation works - engineering, hydrogeological, dewatering. Deep drilling investigation works - structural, geothermal, oil prospection. Design, management and evaluation of drilling works.
Hydrogeology
1. Introduction to hydrogeology – position of the subject within the system of geological sciences, main research topics, internal division.
2. Subsurface hydrosphere – groundwater origin, various classifications.
3. Groundwater regime and regime affecting factors – endogeneous, exogeneous, relatively static, dynamic.