Syllabus
ESR 320
Environmental Systems 1:
Physical Systems
Fall 2009
Instructor: William Fish, Ph.D.
Room: CH 183
Time: TR 10:00-11:50 am
Office Hrs: M, T, W 1:00-2:00 pm, EB 202E
Email: fishw@cecs.pdx.edu
Website:
www.cee.pdx.edu/~fishw
Format: Lecture and discussion during the class periods. Students are expected to have completed the assigned reading before class and be prepared to discuss the material during class and answer questions from the instructor.
Grading:
Problem Sets 20%
Midterm Exam 1 20%
Midterm Exam 2 20%
Final Exam 30%
Class Preparedness 10%
Problem sets are weighed heavily in the final grade to encourage students to keep up with the weekly assignments. The 10% for class preparedness is based on class participation and the occasional short quiz.
Problem Sets:
By Tuesday of most weeks a problem set will be assigned by the instructor. Each assignment is due in class on Thursday of the following week. (I.e., you have 10 days to work on a problem set and time to ask questions in class.)
Late problem sets will not be accepted unless permission has been obtained from the instructor at least 24 hr in advance.
Students are required to prepare neat, clear answers and solutions to all problems, written by hand, preferably on engineering paper. The exception is if we use a model or spreadsheet to generate answers which may then be presented in computer‑generated tables or graphics.
Also, my classroom is a safe space for respect and open inquiry by all students. Therefore, in class you should not be afraid to express your confusions or to ask Adumb@ questions. The main goal is participation and learning. (But do try to prepare thoroughly for each class in advance).
Course Schedule UPDATED 11/09/2009
Downloadable
Week Day Topic Materials
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1 |
T R |
Course introduction; Review of basic physics Basic physics in the environment, cont'd |
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2 |
T
R |
Energy, Latent Heat. Ideal Gas Law and its Applications
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Prob-set 2 LectNotes-4, 2, 3
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3 |
T R |
Moisture in air, "wet" lapse rates, formation of clouds & rain Precipitation from clouds; Watersheds; Measurement of pptn |
Lect Notes: Dew Pt + Clouds |
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4 |
T
R |
Precipitation and Evaporation
measurement, cont'd.
Mass balances |
LectNote: Flow measurment |
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5 |
T
R |
MIDTERM EXAM 1 (Covers everything up to
through the prior Tuesday)
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SAMPLE Exam Solutions from
2008 (not necessarily 2009)
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6 |
T
R |
Basics of soil hydrology; See also Extra
Credit opportunity - >
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7 |
T R |
Radiation physics Heat budget of the earth; greenhouse effect & global warming |
(Readings above) |
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8 |
T
R |
Heat budget for a lake
Forces driving large-scale atmospheric circulation |
Heat Budget
Reading |
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9 |
T
R |
MIDTERM EXAM 2 (Covers everything up to through
the prior Tuesday); EXTRA CREDIT
ASSIGNMENT DUE TODAY Thanksgiving Holiday: NO CLASS |
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10 |
T R |
Atmospheric circulation Ocean circulation and major currents |
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F |
T |
Final Exam: Tues 10 am Exam Week |
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