Mar 28, 2024  
2015-2016 Official General Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Official General Catalog [Archived Catalog]

CHM 123 - Environmental Science


Is your water safe to drink?  Worry about hotter climates, holes in the ozone layer, pesticide residues in food, and extinction of species?  This course is designed to give the student a better scientific background for understanding the environment from a chemical viewpoint and do hands-on laboratory investigations to better appreciate the ecosystem in which we live.

Prerequisite- Corequisite
Corequisite:  CHM 123L Environmental Science Laboratory

Credits: 4
Hours
3 Class Hours
Course Profile
Learning Outcomes of the Course:

Upon successful completion of this course the student will be able to:

1.  Discuss EPA primary and secondary water quality standards.
2.  Discuss EPA Environmental Regulations including the clean air act, clean water act, RCRA, CERLCA, NPDES, SPDES.
3.  Discuss and determine the dissolved oxygen content, nitrate, nitrite, BOD, COD, phosphate, turbidity, pH, alkalinity, hardness, total coliform bacteria, E. Coli, total and redidual chlorine and their effect on an ecosystem.
4.  Discuss primary production and trophic levels.
5.  Discuss the Coriolis effect, orographic lifting, and the rain forrest.
6.  Discuss sustainable agriculture, the green revolution and organic farming.
7.  Discuss fossil fuels, nuclear power, and alternative energy.
8.  Discuss the Chesapeake Bay and Liebig’s Law of minimums.
9.  Discuss air pollution, inversion layers, and the six criteria pollutants.
10.  Discuss biotic potential, R and K strategists, demographics, and the total fertility rate.
11.  Produce biodiesel from vegetable oil.
12.  Discuss and demonstrate how the angle of the sun at noon varies during the year and how this is used in the design of passive solar heating and cooling of houses and commercial buildings.
13.  Discuss and demonstrate the use of clerestories in passive solar heating and cooling of houses and commercial buildings.
14.  Discuss and demonstrate the use of trombe walls in passive solar heating and cooling of houses and commercial buildings.
15.  Discuss and demonstrate the use of window overhangs in passive solar heating and cooling of houses and commercial buildings.
16.  Discuss the environmental advantages and externalities of wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, solar passive, solar active, solar thermal (SEGS & Solar II), photovoltaic, hydrogen, fuel cell, and battery energy sources.
17.  Discuss the role of greenhouse gases in global climate.
18.  Discuss and demonstrate the use of a NEV as a zero emission vehicle and calculate the carbon footprint of an equivalent gasoline vehicle.

Methods of Assessing Outcomes:

The expected learning outcomes will be assessed through the use of homework assignments and/or quizzes, midterm exams, and the final exam.