ESC105: Introduction to Meteorology Online Syllabus Spring 2015 Professor W. Sean Chamberlin, PhD, (aka Professor Sean) List of Topics Pre-­‐Semester: Introductions, Overview, Expectations, Strategies for Success 1. The Science of Meteorology 2. Case Study: Hurricane Sandy 3. Structure and Composition of Earth’s Atmosphere 4. Weather Maps & Symbols 5. Heat Transfer 6. Electromagnetic Radiation 7. The Greenhouse Effect 8. Earth’s Energy Budget 9. Why Earth Has Seasons 10. Evaporation, Condensation 11. Humidity 12. Dew, Frost, Fog 13. Cloud Types 14. Midterm 15. Atmospheric Stability 16. Cloud Development 17. Precipitation Processes & Types 18. Air Pressure & the Pressure Gradient Force 19. Winds 20. Air Masses 21. Fronts 22. Hurricanes 23. Hurricane Development 24. Natural Climate Change 25. Manmade Climate Change 26. Global Warming Evidence 27. Global Warming Impacts 28. Final Exam Week
# 1 2 Week Starting… Monday, 1/26 Topic Assigned Studying Concept Questions C1. Why are you in college? The Science of Meteorology; Case Study: Hurricane Sandy; Monday, 2/2 Structure & Composition of Earth’s Atmosphere; Weather Maps & Symbols Chapter 1, Special Topics 1.1, 1.2, & 1.3, p 5 & p 25; pp 21-­‐25; NOVA Video: Inside the Megastorm: See link in Blackboard Chapter 1, pp 3-­‐21; C2. Why are Appendix C, weather maps Weather Symbols important? Assessments Online Surveys Quiz 1 Due 11:55pm Monday, 2/2 Quiz 2 Due 11:55pm Monday, 2/9 S1. Basic Skills/ Demographics Survey Due Friday, Feb 6. 3 Monday, 2/9 Heat Transfer & Electromagnetic Radiation The Greenhouse Effect & Earth’s Energy Budget Why Earth Has Seasons Chapter 2, pp 29-­‐
38 4 Monday, 2/16 5 Monday, 2/23 6 Monday, 3/2 Evaporation, Condensation, & Humidity Chapter 4, pp 85-­‐
98 7 Monday, 3/9 Dew, Frost, Fog, & Cloud Types Chapter 4, pp 98-­‐
119 8 Monday, 3/16 9 Monday, 3/23 Midterm, 200 points; the midterm will go online at 12:05am WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2015, and go offline at 11:55pm WEDNESDAY March 18, 2015. Atmospheric Stability & Cloud Development Monday, 3/30 to Friday, 4/3 Monday, 4/6 SPRING BREAK! Precipitation Processes & Types Chapter 5, pp 134-­‐
153 11 Monday, 4/13 Chapter 6, pp 157-­‐
182 12 Monday, 4/20 Air Pressure, the Pressure Gradient Force, & Winds; Air Masses & Fronts 10 Chapter 2, pp 38-­‐
46 Chapter 2, pp 46-­‐
55 Chapter 5, pp 123-­‐
134 Chapter 8, pp 223-­‐
244 C3. How does a hot stove boil a pot of water? C4. How does the Sun heat the atmosphere? C5. How does the length of a shadow of a stick in the ground change with the seasons in SoCal? C6. Why do you sweat profusely on a humid cool day? C7. Why is San Francisco so foggy? Quiz 3 Due 11:55pm TUESDAY, 2/17 Quiz 4 Due 11:55pm Monday, 2/23 Quiz 5 Due 11:55pm Monday, 3/2 Quiz 6 Due 11:55pm Monday, 3/9 Quiz 7 Due 11:55pm Monday, 3/16 C8. Why do cumulonimbus clouds often form over the San Bernardino mountains in summer? Quiz 8 Due 11:55pm Monday, 4/6 S3. Post-­‐Midterm Reflection Due Friday, March 27. C9. Why are precipitation forecasts important? C10. What causes the Santa Ana winds? C11. What kinds of weather occur in SoCal before, during, and after the passage of a cold front? Quiz 9 Due 11:55pm Monday, 4/13 Quiz 10 Due 11:55pm Monday, 4/20 Quiz 11 Due 11:55pm Monday, 4/27 S2. Test of Science-­‐Related Attitudes Due Friday, Feb 20 13 Monday, 4/27 Hurricanes & Hurricane Development Chapter 11, pp 333-­‐363 14 Monday, 5/4 Natural & Manmade Climate Change Chapter 13, pp 397-­‐415 15 Monday, 5/11 Global Warming 16 Monday, 5/18 Final Exam 200 pts Chapter 13, pp 415-­‐428; IPCC 5th Assessment: Summary for Policymakers C12. Why was Hurricane Sandy such a dangerous storm? C13. What is the evidence that planet Earth is warming? C14. What are the impacts of a warming planet? Quiz 12 Due 11:55pm Monday, 5/4 Quiz 13 Due 11:55pm Monday, 5/11 S4. Test of Science-­‐Related Attitudes II Due Friday, May 8. Quiz 14 Due 11:55pm Monday, 5/18 No Quiz S5. Course Satisfaction Survey Due Friday, May 22. Ways of Learning & Earning The course is based on 1000 points. Weekly Quizzes (in Blackboard): 150 points (15%) Study Guide, Parts 1 and 2 (in Blackboard): 250 points (25%) Weekly Concept Questions (in Turnitin): 150 points (15%) Surveys (links posted in Announcements in Blackboard): 50 points (5%) Midterm (in Blackboard): 200 points Final (in Blackboard): 200 points Grading Scales A = 90% B = 80% C = 70% D = 60% F = <60%