PHYS 120 - Weather and Climate

(4 hours) A largely nonmathematical course in the study of the Earth’s atmosphere. This course examines the structure, composition, and properties of the atmosphere: origin and changes in the atmosphere over geologic history, comparison of Earth’s atmosphere to that of other planets, weather lore, cloud formation and identification, hurricanes, midlatitude cyclones, tornadoes, dust devils, Coriolis force, pressure gradient force, geostrophic winds, global atmospheric circulation, climate change, the greenhouse effect, inversions, deterioration of the ozone layer, weather maps and Instruments, weather forecasting, lightning and other aspects of atmospheric electricity, optical properties of the atmosphere (rainbows, haloes, perihelia and parselene, coronae, and glories; mirages), interaction of the atmosphere with the oceans, fronts and air masses are among the topics examined. (Laboratory fee required)