2021 Faculty Courses School of Science Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
Experiments in Earth Material Science
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Earth and Planetary Sciences
- Instructor(s)
- Kenji Ohta
- Class Format
- Exercise/Experiment
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-8 Tue (石川台2号館, 318, Ishikawadai Bldg. 2) / 5-8 Fri (石川台2号館, 318, Ishikawadai Bldg. 2)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- EPS.L331
- Number of credits
- 011
- Course offered
- 2021
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
Students will synthesize rocks in the Earth, and analyze them via X-ray diffraction measurements for phase identification, electron microscope for texture and chemical analyses. Students will learn the important experimental skills to study Earth, Planetary and material sciences. This course is an advanced Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences.
Course description and aims
Experimental practical training on basic methods of artificial synthesis, analysis and analysis of rocks and minerals. Synthesizer such as resistance heating furnace used for synthesis and electron microscope / X-ray diffraction device used for analysis are important devices widely used not only for earth and planetary material science but also material research. We also learn the principles of these devices and analysis.
Keywords
mineral, rock, X-ray diffraction, electron microscope
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Lectures regarding the fundamentals of experimental apparatus, and some laboratories.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | The importance of the material experiment in Earth and Planetary Science field. | Understanding the importance of material experiments, and learning the major methods. |
| Class 2 | Microscope observation of rocks, part1 | Understanding the methods of rock synthesize, and learning how to observe the synthesized rocks. |
| Class 3 | Synthesizing the rocks and microscope observation, part2 | Understanding the methods of rock synthesize, and learning how to observe the synthesized rocks. |
| Class 4 | Synthesizing the rocks and microscope observation, part3 | Understanding the methods of rock synthesize, and learning how to observe the synthesized rocks. |
| Class 5 | Synthesizing the rocks and microscope observation, part4 | Understanding the methods of rock synthesize, and learning how to observe the synthesized rocks. |
| Class 6 | X-ray diffraction measurement and its fundamentals, part1 | Understanding the fundamentals of X-ray diffraction, and learning how to operate the XRD apparatus. |
| Class 7 | X-ray diffraction measurement and its fundamentals, part2 | Understanding the fundamentals of X-ray diffraction, and learning how to operate the XRD apparatus. |
| Class 8 | X-ray diffraction measurement and its fundamentals, part3 | Understanding the fundamentals of X-ray diffraction, and learning how to operate the XRD apparatus. |
| Class 9 | Electron microscope: fundamentals and operation, part1 | Understanding the fundamentals of electron microscope, and learning how to operate the apparatus. |
| Class 10 | Electron microscope: fundamentals and operation, part2 | Understanding the fundamentals of electron microscope, and learning how to operate the apparatus. |
| Class 11 | Electron microscope: fundamentals and operation, part3 | Understanding the fundamentals of electron microscope, and learning how to operate the apparatus. |
| Class 12 | Mass spectrometer: fundamentals and operation, part1 | Understanding the fundamentals of mass spectroscopy, and learning how to operate the apparatus. |
| Class 13 | Mass spectrometer: fundamentals and operation, part2 | Understanding the fundamentals of mass spectroscopy, and learning how to operate the apparatus. |
| Class 14 | Mass spectrometer: fundamentals and operation, part3 | Understanding the fundamentals of mass spectroscopy, and learning how to operate the apparatus. |
| Class 15 | Summary and application | To review the contents in previous classes |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend a certain length of time outside of class on preparation and review (including for assignments), as specified by the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Undergraduate Learning (東京工業大学学修規程) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology Rules on Graduate Learning (東京工業大学大学院学修規程), for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Texts will be provided for each class.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Texts will be provided for each class.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students will be evaluated from the intelligibility for material experiments. The score of this class is based on the score of reports and attitudes in every class.
Related courses
- EPS.L201 ： Experimental Methods of Earth and Planetary Sciences (safety and data analysis)
- EPS.L202 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (petrology)
- EPS.L203 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (geochemistry)
- EPS.L204 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (geophysical measurements)
- EPS.L205 ： Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences (field geology)
- EPS.A331 ： Earth Materials
Prerequisites
Students must have taken EPS.L201 ： Experimental Methods of Earth and Planetary Sciences (safety and data analysis), and Laboratory in Earth and Planetary Sciences. It is desirable that students have taken EPS.A331 ： Earth Materials.