640-261 Energy and Environment

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

At least one secondary school final year mathematics subject and some knowledge of physics.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

This is an introductory course in the major issues of energy use, its impact on the environment and a sustainable future. The structure of the course will suit students who wish to take a single, stand-alone course, but will also provide a valuable base for those intending to do further studies in environmental science.

Students will learn the basic science of the physical processes involved in various environmental issues of current relevance in the global context. As part of the assessment, students will work on a project in a chosen area of study, as well as run computer models and work on problems in practice classes.

Topics covered will be overview of the global problem of human environmental impact; human population growth, demographics, population dynamics; biodiversity; resource depletion; human energy requirement, food production and consumption; conventional energy production and use, fossil fuels, carbon-dioxide emissions; pollution and environmental impact, industrial waste, ozone depletion/nuclear waste; greenhouse effect, global warming and climate change; nuclear energy, fission and fusion, fast breeder reactors, reprocessing; renewable energy (solar, wind, wave, hydro, ocean thermal, geothermal, tidal, biomass) and energy storage; risk assessment, quantitative measurement and computer modelling, ecological modelling (populations, communities and ecosystems); and issues for a sustainable/survivable future.

Assessment

A 2000-3000 word written report on project work (50%) and a 2-hour end-of-semester examination.