Maricopa Community Colleges  ENV280   20066-99999 
Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 06/27/06
ENV280 20066-99999 LEC
LAB 		4 Credit(s)
0 Credit(s) 		3 Period(s)
3 Period(s)
Physical and Chemical Processes in the Environment: Air and Water
Integrated approach to Earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere, emphasizing composition, chemical processing, and physical transport, aspects of human impact and policy. Computer-based data analysis skills, scientific writing skills, air and water quality sampling and analysis techniques. Prerequisites: CHM152, CHM152LL, and ENV230.
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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
 
ENV280   20066-99999 Physical and Chemical Processes in the Environment: Air and Water
1. Analyze Earth's atmosphere. (I)
2. Describe and compare energy relationships and the cycling of materials in the atmosphere. (I)
3. Describe Earth history as it pertains to Earth's atmosphere. (I, II)
4. Use scientific method as a way of learning and understanding issues impacting the atmosphere and hydrosphere at local, regional and global levels. (I-VI)
5. Analyze and explain examples of human influences on Earth's atmosphere and air quality on global, regional, and local scales. (II, III)
6. Analyze Earth's hydrosphere. (IV-VI)
7. Describe and compare energy relationships and the cycling of materials in the hydrosphere. (IV-VI)
8. Describe Earth history and it pertains to Earth's hydrosphere (IV-VI).
9. Describe the structure and relationships in natural water systems. (V)
10. Analyze and explain examples of human influences on Earth's hydrosphere, water reserve, and water quality on global, regional, and local scales. (V, IV)
11. Develop an interdisciplinary approach to the principles of environmental sciences as pertains to air and water quality management. (III, V, VI)
12. Explain Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air and water quality regulations, monitoring protocols, and quality control practices. (III, VI)
13. Demonstrate technical presentation skills. (VII)
14. Apply the research-oriented approach to investigating and solving air and water problems. (VII)
15. Practice principles of scientific method while conducting laboratory and field activities and experiments pertaining to air and water issues. (VII)
16. Demonstrate mathematical and statistical skills. (VII)
17. Practice computational and modeling skills manually and with appropriate computer software. (VII)
18. Perform laboratory and field activities using relevant equipment, chemical reagents, and supplies to measure variables, and to design and conduct experiments. (VII)
19. Analyze and report data generated during laboratory and field activities and experiments. (VII)
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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
 
ENV280   20066-99999 Physical and Chemical Processes in the Environment: Air and Water
    I. Earth's Atmosphere
        A. Atmospheric fundamentals
        B. Air sampling
      II. Global Scale Issues of the Earth's Atmosphere
          A. Greenhouse effect
            1. Greenhouse gases
            2. Fuel inventory
          B. Global warming
            1. Long term changes in carbon dioxide and climate
            2. Evidence of climate change
            3. Rapid climate change
            4. Kyoto protocol/energy balance
          C. Stratospheric ozone depletion
            1. Stratospheric ozone: formation and distribution
            2. Ozone threats and the ozone hole
            3. Solutions and actions
            4. Emission inventory
        III. Regional and Local Scale Issues of the Earth's Atmosphere
            A. Photochemical smog
              1. Sources of air pollutants
              2. Dispersion of air pollutants
              3. Dispersion modeling
              4. Smog scenarios
            B. Haze
              1. Haze monitoring
              2. Haze and visibility
            C. Clean air act
              1. Policy
              2. Monitoring smog
              3. Monitoring haze
              4. EPA approved air sampling and analysis techniques
              5. EPA approved quality assurance and quality control regulations
          IV. Earth's Hydrosphere
              A. Fundamentals
              B. Water sampling
            V. Natural Waters
                A. Introduction to natural waters
                B. Hydrographic basins
                  1. Surface water runoff
                  2. Wetlands
                  3. Field trip
                C. Groundwater
                  1. Groundwater basics
                  2. Porosity and permeability
                  3. Darcy's equation
                  4. Water table and wells
                  5. Quantifying volume and rate of discharge
                D. Chemistry of natural waters
                  1. Chemical analyses
                  2. Dissolved gases in water (Henry's Law)
                  3. Geochemical methods
                  4. Field trip
              VI. Regional and Local Water Issues
                  A. Groundwater disruption
                    1. Landfill simulation III
                    2. Effects of ground water withdrawal
                  B. Acidic waters
                    1. pH and alkalinity
                    2. Acid rain
                    3. Acid mine drainage
                  C. Flooding
                    1. Factors that affect floods
                    2. Flood prediction and control
                  D. Clean water act
                    1. Policy
                    2. Hazardous wastes
                    3. Surface water pollution and clean up
                    4. Ground water pollution and clean up
                    5. EPA approved water sampling and analysis techniques
                    6. EPA approved quality assurance and quality control regulations
                VII. Conducting Scientific Research
                    A. Scientific method
                    B. Technical reading, writing, and oral presentations
                      1. Notebooks
                      2. Reports
                      3. Scientific literature
                      4. Oral presentations
                    C. Data management and analyses
                      1. Metric system
                      2. Statistics
                        a. Descriptive statistics
                        b. Precision
                        c. Significant figures
                        d. Statistics using Microsoft Excel
                        e. Hypothesis testing using statistics
                        f. Linear regression analysis
                        g. Error analysis
                        h. Modeling
                    D. Field Analyses
                      1. Site analysis
                      2. Sampling
                      3. Quantitative analysis
                      4. Laboratory analyses of field samples
                    E. Field Experiments
                      1. Hypothesis generation
                      2. Experimental design
                      3. Predicted outcome(s)
                      4. Data analysis
                      5. Conclusions and recommendations
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