Topics to know about

Alternative energy: most are various forms of solar energy:

SOLAR

Heat 1. Direct power production from solar heat (mirror fields, Solar One, CA)

2. direct use of heat - a. passive

b. active

3. wind

4. OTEC

5. waves

Light -- 1. Photosynthesis - Biomass -- energy

2. PVC - electricity

OTHER: Tides

Know about the technologies, the amounts available, the surface area needed etc.
 
 

Climate

1. Know the principles of climate:

Radiative equilibrium,

Incoming radiation: solar constant S, S*, albedo, absorbtion in atmosphere

Outgoing radiation from heat absorbed by earth (IR)

Greenhouse heat trapping

Laws of physics: Planck, Boltzman, Wien

2. Unequal heating of the earth: convective heat transport, Coriolis, climate/weather

3. Changes in atmospheric composition: greenhouse gases: which gases trap heat (water, CO2, CH4, N2O, freons, ozone)

4. Principle of further greenhouse warming: more outgoing heat is trapped in the atmosphere so the temperature has to rise to keep the heat flux that is going out of the 'earth system' the same.

5. Climate sensitivity b is defined by : dF = b dT : how much temperature change for a given change in heat trapping (or radiative forcing).

6. Where do the greenhouse gases come from: fossil fuel burning (CO2), agricultural sources (CH4, N2O) human sources (freons), Nox pollution (ozone)

7. Carbon cycle insights (long and short cycle)

8. Climate record of the earth - long term (ice ages-interglacials), short term (last 1000 years), recent, (since 1850)

 9. Biodiversity issues, invasive species, mass extinction - complete handout on the website

10. Water pollution (mainly in the textbook)

Nutrients (eutrophication) NO3-, phosphates

Toxins - metals, including Hg and Pb

Water treatment

11. Air pollution

Smog and acid rain. Extensive accounts on the website

Ozone layer chemistry - extensively discussed on the website links