GC170A1 (Sections 01, 02[H]) Introduction to Global Change (3cr)- Spring 2012

                                 MWF 12-12:50, Kuiper Space Sciences 308  [NO FOOD OR DRINK IN CLASSROOM]

Instructor:   Prof. Steve Leavitt

                              Lab. of Tree-Ring Research

                              Room 218 W. Stadium (west side of Football stadium- up stairs to second level at Gate 15)

                              phone:   621-6468;  e-mail: sleavitt@ltrr.arizona.edu

                              Office hours:  MW 1-2 Room 330SS, and by appointment; e-mail queries tend to be answered rapidly

TA:                        Laura Marshall (lamarsh@email.arizona.edu); Office hours: MW11-12 in Space Sciences 330 & Alex Arizpe (alexisa@email.arizona.edu) and additional office hours by appointment (send e-mail or arrange in class).

Readings:            Required Textbooks         1. Dire Predictions, by M.E. Mann & L.R. Kump, Pearson, 2009

                                                                           2. Our Changing Planet, by F.T. Mackenzie, Prentice-Hall, 4th Ed. 2011

                              Required and optional Web Readings; handouts

Homework:         Assigned in class- to be worked on your own, but will not be graded

Course Content: Anyone following current events on the web, TV, radio or in the newspapers cannot help but be aware of the growing number of reports about changes taking place on our Earth, for example related to atmospheric temperatures, forest decline, hurricanes, wildfires, glaciers and ice sheets, resources, etc.  Global Change Science is a rapidly developing multidisciplinary field that addresses (a) the natural operation of Earth's atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere, (b) the natural and human-induced ("anthropogenic") mechanisms by which these systems may be altered, and (c) the nature of the changes.  The consequences of such changes, whether natural or anthropogenic, could clearly be important to climate, agriculture, commerce, and human health on our planet.  This course will examine the science of global environmental change, in part using elements of the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Al Gore as a springboard for investigating in greater detail the underpinnings of such processes as the greenhouse effect, global warming, the ozone hole, sea-level rise, and deforestation.  Introduction to physical and chemical characteristics of Earth systems is advanced in this class as a prelude to a more complete and thoughtful analysis of major global change issues.  In addition to learning (1) the principles and jargon of global change science, and (2) our limitations in understanding, improvement of writing skills is promoted.

Attendance and make-ups:  Daily class attendance is expected.  Two consecutive missed classes are grounds for administrative drop.  No make-ups on quizzes before or after scheduled time; make-ups are possible on exams with a valid excuse- Notify us ASAP depending on the nature of the crisis. Make-ups also possible for in-class activities.

NOTE: Final Exam is ONLY on Friday, May 4, 3:30-5:30pm in 308 Space Sciences (please plan accordingly).

Grading:              Mid-term Exam 15%; Final Exam 15%

               Quizzes 20% [20 minutes followed by lecture; only the highest 4 counted (2 in each half of the semester)]

                                             Group activities 20%, Writing 21% [=short write 1 (3%), short write 2 (3%), writing project (15%)]

                              Other 9% (attendance/participation, in-class activities including assigned seating)

                              Sect. 01 students will have the above grades scaled to 90% so that their final 10% will derive from contribution to “group activities” as group leaders and participation in a special electronic Discussion forum (on their D2L site)

The following are guaranteed grades: A (>90.00%), B (80.00-90.00), C (65.00-80.00), D (55.00-65.00), E (<55.00), thus for example, a final course grade of 79.94% will be a “C”

Extra Credit: Relevant and approved TV specials (NOVA, Discovery Channel), special talks/lectures, and documentaries can be viewed and journal/magazine articles read after which a 1-page double-spaced typewritten summary/critique must be submitted within 1 week of opportunity, 1 EC point each. NOTE: Only 2 extra points may be earned after April 9 and before 5pm on May 2, and none after May 2.  Instructors will advertise some opportunities, and you are encouraged to find others but you must obtain approval from instructors before attempting to use them for extra credit.  Responsible, motivated, astute students may volunteer as “alternate” group leaders and can earn EC points if their regular group leader is absent.  Max. total ExtraCredit  is 6 points, and will be added on to your final class grade average. 

Communication:  Urgent messages may be sent to you via the e-mail function in D2L.  If you have a preferred e-mail addresses other than your “email.arizona.edu” address incorporated in D2L by default, you should be able to redirect e-mail messages in D2L to your preferred account.  Less urgent information will simply be posted in the “News” link in D2L- check it regularly.

Cheating and Plagiarism:  Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, including cheating on quiz/exams, copying assignments, and presenting the work of others as your own (plagiarism). I will report anyone cheating, plagiarizing or violating any other aspect of the code of academic integrity to the Dean of Students and at least assign a grade of “E” on the assignment. Policies and procedures in the Code of Conduct can be viewed at Code of Academic Integrity | Dean of Students

               If you decide to take this course, you are agreeing to submit your papers online [when so instructed] to a plagiarism-prevention program called TurnItIn.com associated with the D2L dropbox. You should note that TurnItIn.com – always without your name and any personal information – will retain your paper as part of their database so that students who plagiarize from it can be detected. Because of this program, the vast majority of you who do your own work and cite your sources of information properly will not have to compete with students who commit undetected plagiarism. Anyone who has questions or problems with TurnItIn.com may talk privately about these with the instructor.

Policies Regarding Threatening Behavior: http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threatening.pdf

Misc:     1. Unless explicitly requested by Instructors, assignment submitted by e-mail attachment will not be accepted.

               2. Work turned in late will either receive a zero (0), or loss of 5-10% per day depending on assignment

      3. Prof. Leavitt’s Pet Peeve= Distracting him or your fellow students, e.g., with cell phone ringing, text messaging, conversations with your neighbor during class, newspaper reading, laptop use unrelated to this course, etc.

               4. If you are on sports team, please leave a photocopy of your absence excuse with the Instructors during lecture.

               5. For any other special needs, bring Instructors your paperwork and/or explain circumstances to Prof. Leavitt.

Syllabus is subject to change as announced in class; additional announcements, assignments and information will also be posted on D2L

 

Note:     (1) Impromptu writing exercises may be done in any class, and are not formally indicated in syllabus below,

               (2) Additional web reading resources will be announced in class,

               (3) Homeworks may be done in class that were not formally announced beforehand

 

Date                      Topic                                                                                               Readings (M=MacKenzie; MK=Mann/Kump)

 

Jan. 11 W  Bookeeping; Introduction                                                                     M1-8; MK44-45; (MK6-59 for fun)

 

Jan. 13 F  The Epic Story: Pre-Historical Framework- Origins                            M187-212; Cerceo; August; Lemonick

                                                                                                                                       Electromagnetic radiation

Jan. 16 M  MLK Jr. Day- no class                                                                           

 

Jan. 18 W  Pre-Historical Framework- Evolution                                                  M187-212; Newton’s Laws; Thermodynamics

 

Jan. 20 F  Our Physically Dynamic Solid Earth                                                     M13-15/19-22/38/40-57; Smith; Murray

 

Jan. 23 M  Mineral Resources                                                                                   M249-254; MK160-163

 

Jan. 25 W (QUIZ) Our Atmosphere- An Ocean of Air                                          M62-68

 

Jan. 27 F  In-class group activity

 

Jan. 30 M  Our Atmosphere- An Ocean of Air                                                       M78-85; MK36-39

 

Feb. 1 W  Our Atmosphere- E-M Radiation and Energy Balance                       M67-72/412-414; MK22-25/64-65/89; Benford

 

Feb. 3 F  Our Atmosphere- Changing Chemical Composition                                            M418-420; MK26-35/42-43

 

Feb. 6 M  Our Atmosphere- Weather and Climate                                                 M67; MK10-13; Eilperin

 

Feb. 8 W  Our Hydrosphere- Hydrologic Cycle and Water   Short Write 1 due              M5/90-93

 

Feb. 10 F  In-class group activity

 

Feb. 13 M  Hydrosphere-Atmosphere, Droughts and Floods                               MK100-103/122-125/48-51/137

 

Feb. 15 W (QUIZ) Our Hydrosphere- Ocean Composition and Currents                         M96-103/403-406; MK60-61/11

 

Feb. 17 F  Our Hydrosphere- ITCZ and El Nino                                                     M111-125; MK90-91

 

Feb. 20 M  The Cryosphere                                                                                       M109-110; MK15

 

Feb. 22 W  The Cryosphere                                                                                       MK58-59/138-139

 

Feb. 24 F In-class group activity                                                                                          

 

Feb. 27 M  Sea-Level Rise                                            Begin Writing Project (WP)           M459-462; MK62/98-9/110-1/148-9

 

Feb. 29 W  Earth's Biosphere                        Short Write 2 due                             M34-37/128-160; MK112-113

 

Mar. 2 F (QUIZ)  Earth's Biosphere                                                                                        M128-160; MK114-117

 

Mar. 5 M  Earth's Biosphere                                                                                      MK118-121; MK130-135

 

Mar. 7 W- MID-TERM EXAM

 

Mar. 9 F  no class- work on individual writing projects                                                     

 

Mar.10-18 Spring Break

 

Mar. 19 M  Terrestrial Vegetation Changes                                                                           M259-294

 

Mar. 21 W  Carbon Cycle                              WP References & Brief outline due            M167-174

 

Mar. 23 F  Carbon Cycle                                                                                            M167-174/255/387; MK94-97

 

Mar. 26 M  Population                                                                                               M214-235; MK128-129

 

Mar. 28 W  Population and Resources                                                                    M235-256; MK130-131/174-177; peak oil

 

Mar. 30 F  In-class group activity                                                                                                       

 

Apr. 2 M (QUIZ) Degradation of Soil and Water Resources                               M296-328; MK150-151

 

Apr. 4 W  Degradation of Soil and Water Resources                                                           M296-328

 

Apr. 6 F  Acid Precipitation                                                                                       M337-363; MK184

 

Apr. 9 M  Smog and Tropospheric Ozone                                                               M364-373; MK126-127

 

Apr. 11 W Tropospheric Ozone                    WP Paper is due                               M368-373/431-433

 

Apr. 13 F In-class group activity                                                                                                         

 

Apr. 16 M (QUIZ) Stratospheric Ozone                                                                  M480-496; MK30-31/185

 

Apr. 18 W Enhanced Greenhouse Effect                                                                M410-455; MK67-75/78-81; Benford

 

Apr. 20 F Enhanced Greenhouse Effect                                                                  M410-455; MK168-173

 

Apr. 23 M Past Global Climate                                                                                 M378-408; MK14-15/46-47/62-63

 

Apr. 25 W Factors Influencing Climate                                                                   M380-392; MK63

 

Apr. 27 F (QUIZ) In-class group activity                                                                            

 

Apr. 30 M Energy/Sustainability                                                                              M499-525; MK156-173

 

May 2 W (last day of classes) Catch-up and Wrap-up

 

May 4 (Fri) 3:30am-5:30pm FINAL EXAM  at regular classroom in 308 Space Sciences

 

Cerceo, The fragile existence of civilization: Are we tempting fate with acid precipitation and global warming? American Lab. April 2001.  1st and 3rd page (p. 4 & 8) are most relevant to our class.

Smith, In praise of petroleum? Science 298: 147 (2002)

August, Is Mother Earth about to get rid of us--or can we save ourselves by living sustainably? Tucson Weekly, Dec 18, 2008

Benford, Climate controls.  Reason.com, Nov. 1997.

Eilperin, Washington Post, January 29, 2006.

Murry and King, Nature, Jan. 25, 2012

Periodic Table of the Elements

Electromagnetic radiation

 

Syllabus Study Questions

AT LEAST TWO OF THESE QUESTIONS (exactly as below or just slightly modified) WILL BE ON THE FIRST QUIZ

 

True/False

1. Four of 6 quiz grades will be thrown out, and only your 2 highest will count toward final grade.

 

2. With a valid excuse and advance notice, it should be possible to make up an exam (midterm/final).

 

3. The final exam will only be given on Friday May 4 from 3:30-5:30pm.

 

4. Amazing as it may sound, it will be possible to “pass” this course with a final grade of 55.5% (D).

 

5. You will lose credit when you miss specified deadlines.

 

6. Assignments submitted by e-mail attachment will not be accepted, unless specifically requested.

 

7. Your cell-phone should be turned off during class (or at least ringtone should be off).

 

8. The final exam will be in Room 653 of Old Main in the revolving restaurant on the top floor.

 

9. If a quiz is given at the beginning of class, unless announced otherwise, a lecture to follow.

 

10. You are encouraged to bring a lunch or a snack to eat in class because we meet at noon.

 

Fill In the Blank

11. You can earn up to _____ extra credit points toward your final grade.

 

12. The Instructor’s office is in the west side of _______________________ (building), up the stairs at Gate

            15.

 

Multiple Choice

13. Poor attendance can result in reduction of credit in the ______ grade category.

A. “exam”       B. “quizzes”                C. “homework”                       D. “other”

ATOMS & SPEED    (Homework 2 to be worked but not turned in)

(1-14-11)

 

Diameter= 0.5 to 2.5 x 10-8 cm (which is scientific notation, i.e., “economical”)

 

Scientific notation                                                                        General (expanded) notation)

 

1 x 10-8 cm                                        =                                           ____________________________

 

How many inches is 1 x 10-8 cm? (1in = 2.54cm; 0.394in = 1cm)

 

 

 

 

 

Mass                 proton= 1.672 x 10-24 g

                              electron= 9.108 x 10-28 g

 

 

“Mole”= 6.02 x 1023 atoms of an element. 

               The atomic weight expressed in grams of an element will contain a mole of atoms

 

                              Element                               Mass of 1 mole

 

 

                              Li                                                        _____________

 

 

                              Ru                                                       _____________

 

1 mole of Ru is how many ounces? (1 oz = 28.35 g; 1 g = 0.0353 oz)

 

 

 

 

Speed of Light (in vacuum)

 

                              General                                              Scientific

 

 

                              186,000 mi/s                                     =             _______________________

 

                             

_____________________             =             3 x 1010 cm/s