SNOW LAB (now working--Fri 9/26 9:45 a.m.)
Weather and Climate
ESC 1400 G Sections 10-12
Fall 2008
Instructor: Brett Anderson
Office: 1039 Physical Sciences
Email: wbanderson@eiu.edu
Office hours: Mon 12:30-2, Tues 3-4, Wed 3-4,
Thurs 34
Course website: Go to http://ux1.eiu.edu/~wbanderson/
and follow the link
Course Description and Overview
This course provides a basic understanding of
weather and climate processes. It emphasizes global meteorological concepts
and climatic patterns. Topics covered include earth-sun relations,
temperature, precipitation, air masses and pressure, and types of severe
weather. Students will gain an appreciation and understanding of
theoretical and applied aspects of the atmosphere and weather phenomena
that affects their daily lives.
Required Texts
Lutgens, Frederick K. and Edward J. Tarbuck. 2006. The Atmosphere. 10th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Publishing
Lab manual: Weather and Climate Laboratory
Manual. The lab manual must be purchased during the first lab session
for $10.
Course Grading
Point Summary
Tests (4 x 100) 400 points
Labs 175 points
Tests
During the course of the semester you will take
five multiple choice tests worth 100 points each. The lowest score
of the first four tests will be dropped. All students must take the
fifth test, which is not cumulative. Tests will cover lecture material
and lab concepts, tools, techniques, and problems.
Lab Exercises
Labs will be worth a total of 175 points (see
lab syllabus for explanation)
Final Grades Scale
Final grades will be strictly awarded based on
the following scale:
A (517 - 575 points)
B (460 - 516 points)
C (402 459 points)
D (345 401 points)
F (0 344 points)
Course Policies and Recommendations
All tests must be taken during class time. Since the lowest of your first four test scores is dropped no make-ups will be given for any reason.
The companion website www.prenhall.com/lutgens offers chapter-by-chapter practice test questions and other study aids. The Geology/Geography Department also offers student-tutoring sessions. Look for flyers posted in the classroom or outside the department office.
You will not be successful in the course unless you regularly attend and take good notes!!
You must attend the lab section you are enrolled in
Bring #2 pencils to every exam. No pencils will be available
Cells phones and other electronic devices should be turned off before class.
Calculators, pagers, cell phones, etc.. are prohibited during testing
Copying, plagiarism, or other academic misconduct at any time during the semester will not be tolerated and will result in an automatic F for your final course grade.
Any student with a documented disability should
contact me as soon as possible in the semester to insure that classroom
and academic accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.
All communication between students and the instructor will be strictly
confidential
Tentative Schedule
continues previous topic
Date Topic Textbook Chapter
Aug 26
Introduction to the class
28
Introduction to the Atmosphere
1
Sep 2
Heating of the Earth and Atmosphere
2
4
9
Temperature
3
11 Test
1
16 Moisture
4
18
23 Precipitation
5
25
30 Wind
6
Oct 2
Test 2
7 Atmospheric
Circulation
7
9
14 Air
Masses
8
16
21 Weather
Patterns
9
23 Test
3
28 Climate
Regions
15
30
Nov 4
Thunderstorms and Tornadoes
10
6
11 Hurricanes
11
13 Test
4
18 Weather
Forecasting
12
20
Dec 2
Air Pollution
13
4
9 Climate Change
and History
14
11
16 Test 5 (5:15 p.m.)
Test 2 Review
Weather and Climate
This review is based from the review sections
at the end of each chapter in your textbook. For the review questions
you will need to refer to your book. Remember, I do not intend for
this to be a study guide that you use to prepare for the test. Instead
you should review your class notes as many times as necessary until you
fully comprehend the concepts covered. Then, you should use this
sheet as a final review to test yourself. If you cant go through
these terms and questions without referencing the book or your notes you
are not prepared for the exam.
Chapter 4: Moisture
Vocabulary Review
absolute humidity, adiabatic temperature changes (dry/wet rates), condensation, dew point, evaporation, humidity, hydrologic cycle, orographic uplift, rain shadow desert, relative humidity, saturation, stable air, unstable air, saturation curve
Review Question Study the following- 1, 3, 4,
6, 8, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24
Chapter 5: Condensation and Precipitation
Vocabulary Review
Bergeron Process, cloud types (cirrus, cumulus, stratus), precipitation nuclei, collision-coalescence process, dew, fog, types of fog, freezing nuclei, freezing rain, rain, sleet, snow, rain gauge, virga, super cooled water, giant precip nuclei, trace, rain/snow measurement and errors, snow water equivalent and the western US
Review Questions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11ab,
12, 13, 14, 15, 18
Chapter 6: Air Pressure and Winds
Vocabulary Review
air pressure, anticyclone, anticyclonic flow, barometric tendency, Coriolis Effect, cup anemometer, cyclone, cyclonic flow, geostrophic wind, gradient wind, isobar, standard atmosphere, wind, wind vane, pressure gradient force, winds------local winds (Santa Anas, katabatic, mtn, valley, chinooks)
Review Questions 1 no ppsi, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18
Remember that all lab concepts, tools, and problems
are also included in the test
Last Updated 9/25/08