Faraoni Exercises in Environmental Physics

1. Auflage 2007
ISBN: 978-0-387-35835-2
Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 330 Seiten

The study of environmental physics requires understanding topics from many di?erent areas of physics as well as comprehension of phy- cal aspects of the world around us. Several excellent textbooks are available covering most aspects of environmental physics and of appli- tions of physics to the natural environment from various points of view. However, while teaching environmental physics to university students, I sorelymissedabookspeci?callydevotedtoexercisesfortheenvironm- tal science student. Thus, the motivation for this book came about as in physics, as well as in many other disciplines, satisfactory knowledge of a subject cannot be acquired without practice. Usually students are not familiar with the various areas of physics that are required to describe both the environment and the human impact upon it. At the same time, students need to develop skills in the manipulation of the ideas and c- cepts learned in class. Therefore, this exercise book is addressed to all levels of university students in environmental sciences. Because of the wide range of potential users this book contains both calculus-based and algebra-based problems ranging from very simple to advanced ones. Multiple solutions at di?erent levels are presented for certainproblems-thestudentwhoisjustbeginningtolearncalculuswill bene?t from the comparison of the di?erent methods of solution. The material is also useful for courses in atmospheric physics, environmental aspects of energy generation and transport, groundwater hydrology, soil physics,andoceanphysics,andselectedpartsmayevenbeusedforbasic undergraduate physics courses. This collection of exercises is based on courses taught at the University of Northern British Columbia and at the University of Victoria, Canada.

Valerio Faraoni is currently a Professor in the Physics Department at Bishop's University, Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Faraoni, Valerio

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Contents;6
2;Preface;9
3;Acknowledgments;12
4;MATHEMATICAL METHODS;13
4.1;1.1 Complex numbers;14
4.2;1.2 Differentiation and integration of functions of a single variable;18
4.2.1;1.2.1 Differentiation;18
4.2.2;1.2.2 Integration;22
4.2.3;1.2.3 Maxima, minima, and graphs;26
4.3;1.3 Ordinary differential equations;36
4.3.1;1.3.1 Solution methods;36
4.3.2;1.3.2 Qualitative analysis;45
4.4;1.4 Functions of two or more variables;49
4.4.1;1.4.1 Differentiation;49
4.4.2;1.4.2 Integration;52
4.5;1.5 Vector calculus;57
4.6;1.6 Partial differential equations;68
4.7;1.7 Tensors;81
4.8;1.8 Dimensional analysis;85
5;PLANET EARTH IN SPACE;92
5.1;2.1 Astronomy;93
5.2;2.2 Planet Earth;98
6;OCEAN AND ATMOSPHERIC PHYSICS;113
6.1;3.1 The blue planet;114
6.2;3.2 Oceanic circulation;117
6.3;3.3 Ocean waves;125
6.4;3.4 General features of the atmosphere;132
6.5;3.5 Temperature and pressure;138
6.6;3.6 Atmospheric circulation;140
6.7;3.7 Precipitation;142
7;ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION AND RADIOACTIVITY;148
7.1;4.1 The electromagnetic spectrum;149
7.2;4.2 Blackbody radiation;151
7.3;4.3 Propagation of electromagnetic radiation;156
7.4;4.4 Greenhouse effect and global warming;165
7.5;4.5 Electromagnetic radiation and human health;170
7.6;4.6 Environmental spectroscopy;173
7.6.1;4.6.1 Quantum mechanics;174
7.6.2;4.6.2 Vibrational and rotational levels of molecules;178
7.7;4.7 Radioactivity;182
8;ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT;191
8.1;5.1 Mechanical energy;192
8.1.1;5.1.1 Storage and transport;192
8.1.2;5.1.2 Transportation and vehicles;197
8.1.3;5.1.3 Eolic energy;198
8.2;5.2 Heat transfer;204
8.3;5.3 Thermodynamics;222
8.4;5.4 Electricity;227
9;FLUID MECHANICS;231
9.1;6.1 Liquids;231
9.1.1;6.1.1 Fluid statics;232
9.1.2;6.1.2 Capillarity and surface tension;239
9.1.3;6.1.3 Fluid dynamics;243
9.2;6.2 Gases;252
10;EVAPOTRANSPIRATION, SOILS, AND HYDROLOGY;259
10.1;7.1 Phase transitions, hygrometry, and evapotranspiration;260
10.2;7.2 Soil physics;270
10.3;7.3 Groundwater hydrology;284
11;POLLUTION;295
11.1;8.1 Transport equations;296
11.2;8.2 Water pollution;304
11.3;8.3 Air pollution;315
12;Appendix A Physical constants;322
13;Appendix B Mathematical identities;325
14;Appendix C Differential operators in various coordinate systems;327
15;References;329
16;Index;333