Print syllabusPhysics for humanists with examples from Earth's sciences
General data
| Course ID: | 1100-FDH-OG |
| Erasmus code / ISCED: |
13.2
|
| Course title: | Physics for humanists with examples from Earth's sciences |
| Name in Polish: | Fizyka dla humanistów na przykładach z nauk o Ziemi |
| Organizational unit: | Faculty of Physics |
| Course groups: |
General university courses General university courses at Faculty of Physics General university subjects On-line general university courses |
| ECTS credit allocation (and other scores): |
(not available)
|
| Language: | Polish |
| Type of course: | general courses |
| Prerequisites (description): | High school completed and interest in physics and Earth sciences |
| Mode: | Blended learning |
| Short description: |
Internet course. It is a course of physics using example from Earth sciences. The mathematical methods are substantially reduced. |
| Full description: |
The Earth sciences consider many physical phenomena that could be used for teaching physical sciences. Two aims could be achieved in that way: teaching the physics and explaining processes in the environment. This way could be more interesting for students than description of idealized experiments commonly used in teaching the physics. The mathematical methods are reduced because the course is addressed mainly to students of social sciences. Program: 1-2. Kinematics and dynamics (velocity, acceleration, motion, forces, Newton's laws of motion, momentum, kinetic energy. Rotation and its laws. Non-inertial reference systems, non-inertial forces - Coriolis force and its role for terrestrial processes). 3. Newton's law of universal gravitation: motion of celestial bodies, Kepler's laws, Problem: weight of the Earth. Sea tides and Moon motion. Gravitational anomalies and applied geophysics. 4. Temperature, heat, phases, phase changes of the water. Perfect gas law and thermodynamic processes in Earth's atmosphere. 5. Solar electromagnetic radiation (spectrum, refraction and reflection laws, rainbow, photons, ionisation, plasma, ionosphere). Corpuscular radiation of Sun. 6. Sources of energy for internal processes: decay of radioactive isotopes (law of decay, Einstein formula E=mc2, radiogenic heat sources in rocks). Initial heat of the Earth: energy of accretion and differentiation, "iron catastrophe". 7-8. Mechanics and thermodynamics of gas in atmosphere: Archimedes law, winds: sea breeze and land breeze, trade winds, atmospheric fronts, lows and highs, clouds and precipitation. Aerodynamic forces. 9-10. Rheology of materials (plasticity, Maxwell body). Geotectonic processes: mantle convection, continental drift, continental growth, orogenesis, volcanism). 11-12. Elastic waves in seismology: P, S, R waves. Earthquakes: phenomenon, mechanism, prediction, coupled tectonic processes, devastating factors, tsunami. 13-14. Electromagnetic terrestrial fields (field generated by internal and external sources, electric currents in the Earth, mechanism of field generation, geodynamo). External field (ionosphere, magnetosphere, interaction with solar wind, space weather). 15. Summary: some problems of today's geophysics. Prerequisites Physics and geography on the high-school level. examination method midterm tests by internet final exam (test) Description by Leszek Czechowski, 2007. |
| Bibliography: |
1. L. Czechowski, Tektonika płyt i konwekcja w płaszczu Ziemi, .Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, Warszawa, 1994. 2. I. de Pater, J.J. Lissauer, Planetary sciences, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2001. 3. W. G. Ernst, Earth material, 1969 Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, USA. 4. F. D. Stacey, Physics of the Earth, J. Wiley and Sons Inc., 1969 (also later editions) 5. E. J. Tarbuck and F. K. Lutgens, Earth Science, Merrill Publ. Co., 1988, Columbus. |
| Learning outcomes: |
Understanding the methods of physics and its role in natural sciences |
| Assessment methods and assessment criteria: |
internet tests for each lecture, the final written test, regular consultation in 'real'. |
| Practical placement: |
none |
Copyright by University of Warsaw.
