A History of Climate Models
A History of Climate Models Reading A reading titled ‘Simple Models of Climate Change’ by Spencer Weart hosted on the website of Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics. This reading is a supplement to Spencer Weart’s book titled, ‘The Discovery of Global Warming’. This reading provides a history of climate change models […]
Climate Change: The Physics Connection
Climate Change: The Physics Connection Video A series of three lecture videos by Nadir Jeevanjee, Princeton University on the Physics of Climate Change. In these videos presented as blackboard lectures, Jeevanjee presents simple climate models and the underlying physics. These lectures include discussions on the following topics: Introduction The atmosphere in radiative-convective equilibrium Heuristics of […]
Quantum Mechanics and Climate Change
Quantum Mechanics and Climate Change Video A lecture that describes how quantum mechanics plays a role in understanding Earth’s climate systems and climate change. This lecture by Brad Marston, Brown University, uses Richard Feynman’s double slit experiment to explain how changing concentrations of greenhouse gases could potentially affect Earth’s climate. Students will be provided an […]
Simple Atmospheric Model
Simple Atmospheric Model Reading A reading that introduces a single-layer atmosphere model, which is based on the emissivity of thermal radiation, to explain atmospheric warming. Students will learn about the absorptivity and emissivity of grey bodies, the equation for planetary energy balance, and emission profiles of different sources while understanding a simple model to determine […]
An Introduction to Atmospheric Thermodynamics
An Introduction to Atmospheric Thermodynamics Video A video lecture titled, ‘Atmospheric Thermodynamics – Introduction’ from the e-learning course, ‘Introduction to Atmospheric Science’ developed by C Balaji, IIT Madras, for National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), India. This video lecture discusses the laws of thermodynamics, the gas laws, Boyle’s Law, Hooke’s law, and Dalton’s Law. […]
Atmospheric Dynamics and Hadley Cells
Atmospheric Dynamics and Hadley Cells Reading A reading that discusses the use of the law of conservation of angular momentum to explain the extent of Hadley cells. Students will learn to derive atmospheric dynamics equations for a model of Hadley circulation (based on Farrell’s theory). Use this tool to help your students find answers to: […]
Climate Change in the Physics Classroom
Climate Change in the Physics Classroom Video A video lecture by Rahul Chopra, TROP ICSU and IISER Pune on climate change educational resources that Physics teachers can use in their classrooms. These educational resources integrate climate change understanding with the core curriculum in Physics. This video lecture is part of an online e-learning course (MOOC) […]
The Greenhouse Effect
The Greenhouse Effect Model/Simulation A visualisation to observe, understand, explore, and analyze the molecular structure of carbon compounds (CO2, CH4), the effect of electromagnetic radiation on these molecules, and the role of greenhouse gases in climate change. Students will visualise the molecular structure of atmospheric gases, and the effect of infrared photons on these molecules. […]
Isotopic Compositions and Ice Cores
Isotopic Compositions and Ice Cores Reading A reading that explains how the analyses of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes from ice cores determine past temperatures on Earth. Students will learn how isotopic ratios of hydrogen and oxygen in water molecules from the ice-cores can be used to infer temperature variations in the past on Earth. Use […]
Molecular Vibration Modes and Greenhouse Effect
Molecular Vibration Modes and Greenhouse Effect Reading A reading that discusses how chemical bonds in molecules respond to incident IR light and absorb IR energy during certain modes of vibration. The reading includes discussions on the vibrational modes of water vapor and carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules and explains why these gases act as greenhouse gases. […]