Format

• The first hourly exam will be on Thursday, September 26 during class time (1:55 pm, FAB 105).
• The exam will test material discussed in lecture from Tues, August 27 thru Tues. Sept 24.
• The examination will emphasize lecture material but you are also responsible for readings (both electronic and printed text) related to the subject matter presented in lecture.
• Click on dates for lecture notes and reading assignments

Material you should know for 1st hourly exam:

Here's a list of the numbers you are responsible for.

Introduction to ESS

1. What is the URL for the GLY1033 homepage?
2. What is Earth System Science?
3. What is a system?
4. Characteristics of a system
5. Sources of energy for the earth system
6. What is the solar constant?
7. How does the solar constant affect the earth system?
8. What are the major components of the earth system?
9. How do components of the earth system interact (i.e., mass and energy transfer between components of the Earth system)
10. Composition of the Earth's atmosphere (major gases)
11. Structure of the Earth's atmosphere
12. Hydrosphere -- what are major reservoirs of water on earth (e.g., oceans, ice, etc.)
13. How is water transferred between reservoirs (the hydrologic cycle)?
14. What is the biosphere?
15. Relative sizes of terrestrial and marine biomass
16. Know the photosynthesis reaction.
17. How is the biosphere structured in terms of the food chain?
18. Rate of deforestation
19. What is the anthrosphere?
20. How has human population grown?
21. What is the present population of Earth?
22. What are the projections for growth in the future?
23. What is the Geosphere?
24. What is the bulk composition of the Earth?
25. What are the three types of rocks?
26. Know internal structure of the Earth

Earth's place in the solar system

1. How and when did the solar system form?
2. Differences between terrestrial and Jovian planets
3. Is the earth a perfect sphere?
4. Basic earth's orbital parameters (What is a year? What is a day? What is aphelion, perihelion?)
5. Earth's tilt (importance for seasons)
6. Basic planetary information for terrestrial planets
7. What is mean temperature of Earth, Mars, and Venus?
8. What is the atmospheric composition of Earth, Mars, and Venus?
9. Why is the earth's atmospheric composition so different from neighboring planets (Mars and Venus)?
10. Why is there so little CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere?
11. Where is the CO2 on Earth if it is not in the atmosphere?
12. Why does the Earth have such a high concentration of oxygen in its atmosphere?
13. How does the Earth's temperature compare with the moon?
14. What would the Earth's temperature be without an atmosphere?

The Sun

1. What are the layers of the Sun from its interior to surface?
2. How is the Sun's energy created?
3. What is the solar constant and how much does it vary?
4. What are sunspots and at what period do sunspot cycles regularly occur?
5. How does solar output affect the Earth's climate?