P310/510
Environmental Physics
Indiana
University
Fall
2011
 |
A
quantitative understanding of our world's energy is central to our
future. Environmental Physics is a distillation of the key
problems
facing us as we move through the early years of the 21st century.
I
encourage you to come join us in preparing yourself to deal effectively
with this quantitative world. The Course: P310/P510
Environmental
Physics (3 cr) The Instructor
:
Ben
Brabson, Professor
of Physics |
 Blood Hill, Norfolk, UK |
Goals
of the
course: With
increases
in world population and in per capita energy use, we must understand
the
physics of energy and the consequences of our uses of this
energy.
Avoiding serious problems both at the global level (acid rain, and
global
climate change) and at the local level (urban air and water pollution)
places
great demands on all of us.
Your Role: Scientists and
educators are on the
front
line in coming to grips with these problems. Solving environmental
problems is
essentially always an interdisciplinary effort and the discipline of
physics is
a major player in this effort. As with most problems of science,
a
quantitative understanding is essential to their resolution. Environmental Physics P310/P510
is designed
to enhance your quantitative capabilities.
If you are an Undergrad: Students from essentially
all majors have taken Environmental Physics P310. Many of the
physical and biological science majors also take this course including
majors from SPEA, Geology,
Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Mathematics, Computer Science, &
Physics.
If you are a Science Education major: this course should be
of great value because of the highly interdisciplinary nature of
secondary school education and the connections to real-world
problems.
If you are a Physics major: this
course provides a wealth of applications of the
theoretical
laws of physics to these very real and demanding problems of the
environment.
If you are a student with interest in the environment: the course will broaden your base of attack strategies for this exciting array of problems.
If you are a Graduate Student: Environmental Physics P510 is designed
specifically
for graduate
students outside of Physics.
The course requirements are identical to P310 with the exception of a
final
presentation accompanied by a 10 page research paper on the same
topic. In recent years graduate students in Education
have found this course most useful. The course has also been
offered as a
distance learning course for students who are not on the
Prerequisites for P310/P510 Environmental Physics: Students will have taken a minimum of a semester of elementary physics at the level of P201 or P221, and a semester of calculus at the level of M119 or M211.
The Content of the Course: Environmental Physics divides itself into four energy related areas, the identification of our current energy resources, the conversion of energy from less useful to more useful forms, the utilization of energy, and finally, the environmental consequences of our energy use. We list these here with example sub topics.
I. Identification
of our current energy resources:
-
Fossil
fuels,
methane
hydrates, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal
- Nuclear,
solar and
tidal energies
II. Energy Conversion
Processes:
-
The
first and second laws
of thermodynamics.
-
The
generation of heat from fuels, geothermal, nuclear fission, nuclear
breeders,
nuclear
fusion, solar thermal processes.
-
Heat
pumps, refrigerators, internal combustion engines, turbine engines.
-
Photovoltaics, magneto-hydrodynamics,
battery
development.
-
Heat
management with cogeneration, and waste heat disposal.
III. Energy Utilization:
- Energy
transmission,
superconductivity.
-
Efficient
use of energy in industry, transport and heating.
IV. Environmental
consequences of energy
use:
- Global
climate change.
-
Tropospheric and stratospheric ozone.
-
The
physics of El Nino.
-
Air
and water pollution.
-
Nuclear
radiation.
-
Heat
and micro climate.
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|
Wicklewood Mill, |
Physics
Minor with an P301
Modern Physics (3 cr) P309 Modern
Physics Laboratory (2 cr)
P310 Environmental Physics (3 cr). |
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