I am pretty familiar with some parts of Geology although it has been quite a while since I last took a class on it. I have an understanding of how the planet is formed, and how the biosphere works, and how we work within it as a species. I do not know anything specific about Earth's interior, although I do know there are continental plates, and these plates shift and cause earthquakes and tsunamis. I am not able to identify rock forming minerals, or recognize common earth minerals, aside from graphite. I do know the three major rock types are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. I have never heard of geologic deep time or a geologic chart before, or if I have, I do not recognize that phrasing. I can recognize locations on a map, but I am bad at scaling things with a map.

Currently, I do not know a lot about the ocean aside from watching a few shows on Nat Geographic and Discovery. I do know we as a species have a major impact on our ocean, especially with how much our waste and pollution end up in it, as well as other things like oil. I am aware of plate tectonics, and I understand that as they shift, they can alter the seafloor. I do not know how to reconstruct the circulation patterns of both the ocean and atmosphere, but I do understand that they are related to each other. As far as I know, the formation of tides comes from the gravitational effect of the moon that acts on the Earth, but that is the extent of my knowledge. I do know that the tides cause weathering on the coasts, and also make unique rock formations as well. I don’t know much about the physical properties of the ocean aside from the temperature of the water changing depending on location and season. I would really like to be able to answer most of these questions in greater detail by the end of the course.