Course Information

This course integrates the principles of physical sciences and engineering as they pertain to energy, its sources and uses and the impact of these on the environment. The great majority of energy used by society comes from fossil fuels. The consequences are that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have been increasing and that readily available sources of oil have been depleted. Prospects for sustainable energy use will be discussed including an engineering cost/benefit analysis of different sources. A question that will be examined in particular detail, is the effect of energy use on climate change both now and in the future. To do this we will analyze the complex couplings and feedback mechanisms that operate between the geosphere, the biosphere, the atmosphere, and the hydrosphere as related to global climate change.