Introduction to Environmental Physics

by Mason, Nigel; Hughes, Peter; McMullan, Randall; Reynolds, Ross; Simmonds, Lester; Twidell, John; Houghton, John

• ISBN13: 9780748407644
• ISBN10: 0748407642
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-05-01
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Summary

The changing climate and its affect on all of us is becoming increasingly apparent - ozone depletion, hurricanes, floods and extreme weather behaviour. Introduction to Environmental Physics challenges the way we think about how and why environmental change occurs.This authoritative book aims to cover some of the more common and popular topics addressed in "physics of the earth", "physics of the environment" and "environmental physics" courses. It provides an essentially non- mathematical treatment suitable for a first year undergraduate level course. The principle topics covered are the physics of the built environment, the physics of human survival, energy for living, environmental health, revealing the planet, the sun and the atmosphere, the biosphere, the global climate and climate change.With contributions from well-respected experts on the subject, this textbook contains a summary, references and questions at the end of each chapter. This is an ideal textbook for first year undergraduates in a variety of courses, particularly physical geography, physics, environmental and earth science, with worked examples illustrating principles and vignettes from scientists who have made a significant contribution to the field enlightening the student along the way.As the authors say in the preface to this book, "At the outset of the 21st century there are many environmental challenges to be wrestled with, and though the environment is changing, the Physics is not!"

Table of Contents

List of contributors	xv
Foreword	xvii
Preface	xviii
Acknowledgements	xx
Environmental physics: Processes and issues	1	(16)
Introduction	1	(3)
The environment: the science of the twenty-first century?	4	(3)
Environmental concerns in the late twentieth century	4	(3)
What is environmental physics?	7	(1)
Physics in the environment	7	(8)
Human environment	7	(2)
Built environment	9	(1)
Urban environment	10	(1)
Global environment	11	(3)
Biological environment	14	(1)
Environmental physics and the global environmental agenda	15	(1)
Summary	15	(2)
References	15	(2)
The human environment	17	(39)
Introduction	17	(1)
Laws of Thermodynamics	18	(3)
First Law of Thermodynamics	18	(1)
Second Law of Thermodynamics	18	(1)
Entropy and the Third Law of Thermodynamics	19	(2)
Laws of Thermodynamics and the human body	21	(5)
Energy and metabolism	21	(1)
Thermodynamics and the human body	22	(1)
First Law of Thermodynamics and the human body	23	(1)
Second Law of Thermodynamics and the Gibbs free energy	24	(2)
Energy transfer	26	(16)
Conduction	27	(4)
Convection	31	(2)
Radiation	33	(5)
Evaporation	38	(2)
Energy budget equation	40	(2)
Survival in the cold	42	(5)
Thermal comfort and insulation	42	(1)
Boundary layer	43	(1)
Wind chill	44	(2)
Hypothermia	46	(1)
Survival in hot climates	47	(3)
Effect of heat on the human body	47	(3)
Taking risks, weather and survival	50	(1)
Summary	50	(6)
Reference	50	(2)
Questions	52	(4)
The built environment	56	(34)
Introduction	56	(2)
Thermal regulation in buildings	58	(7)
Thermal insulation	58	(2)
Thermal conduction effects	60	(2)
Convection effects	62	(1)
Radiation effects	62	(1)
U-values	63	(2)
Energy use in buildings	65	(6)
Efficiency	65	(1)
Energy losses	66	(1)
Calculation of energy losses	67	(2)
Energy gains	69	(2)
Air regulation in buildings	71	(4)
Ventilation requirements	71	(1)
Ventilation installations	72	(3)
Heat pumps	75	(1)
Heat pump efficiency	75	(1)
Condensation	76	(8)
Water vapour	78	(2)
Humidity	80	(2)
Condensation in buildings	82	(2)
Buildings of the future	84	(3)
Checklist for a future house	84	(2)
Energy use and carbon dioxide emissions	86	(1)
Summary	87	(3)
References	88	(1)
Questions	88	(2)
The urban environment	90	(40)
Introduction	90	(3)
Townscape	91	(2)
Energy in the city	93	(3)
Electromagnetic induction	94	(1)
Electrical power transmission	95	(1)
Transportation	96	(3)
Energy efficiency in transport	97	(2)
Water for the urban environment	99	(3)
Sewage	100	(2)
Lighting	102	(3)
Sources of light	103	(2)
Urban pollution	105	(6)
Urban pollutants	106	(3)
Particulates	109	(2)
Smog	111	(3)
Acid rain	114	(2)
The car as an urban pollutant	116	(6)
Internal combustion engine	117	(2)
Efficiency of the car engine	119	(1)
Reducing vehicle emissions	120	(2)
Noise pollution	122	(4)
Human ear	123	(1)
Sound levels	124	(1)
Hearing loss	125	(1)
Summary	126	(4)
References	126	(1)
Questions	127	(3)
Energy for living	130	(50)
Introduction	130	(3)
World energy demand	131	(1)
World energy supplies	132	(1)
Fossil fuels	133	(1)
Nuclear power	134	(8)
Nuclear fission	134	(1)
Nuclear reactors	135	(4)
Nuclear fusion	139	(3)
Renewable energy	142	(1)
Solar energy	143	(9)
Transferring solar energy	145	(2)
Solar photovoltaic electricity	147	(5)
Wind power	152	(11)
Average power of a moving mass of fluid	154	(1)
Bernoulli's theorem and the aerofoil	155	(3)
Forces acting on wind-turbine propeller blades	158	(4)
Laminar and turbulent flow	162	(1)
Hydroelectric power	163	(1)
Water moving through a cylindrical tube	164	(1)
Tidal power	164	(2)
Wave energy	166	(5)
Mathematics of wave power	169	(2)
Biomass and biofuels	171	(3)
Geothermal power	174	(2)
Summary	176	(4)
References	176	(1)
Questions	177	(3)
Revealing the planet	180	(18)
Introduction	180	(1)
Remote sensing	180	(2)
Orbits of satellites	182	(3)
Resolution of satellite images	185	(2)
Image processing	186	(1)
Radar	187	(4)
Applications of remote sensing data	191	(3)
Meteorological satellites	191	(1)
Landsat	192	(2)
Summary	194	(4)
References	194	(1)
Questions	195	(3)
The Sun and the atmosphere	198	(44)
Introduction	198	(1)
Solar energy	198	(6)
Solar output	198	(2)
Rhythm of the seasons	200	(1)
Solar cycles and climate change	201	(3)
Structure and composition of the Earth's atmosphere	204	(5)
Structure of the atmosphere	204	(3)
Composition of the atmosphere	207	(2)
Atmospheric pressure	209	(2)
Pressure and temperature as functions of altitude	209	(1)
Escape velocity	210	(1)
Solar radiation	211	(6)
Solar spectrum	211	(3)
Earth's ionosphere	214	(1)
The aurorae	215	(1)
Solar photo-induced chemistry	216	(1)
Ozone	217	(7)
The Earth's ultraviolet filter	217	(2)
Ozone chemistry	219	(1)
`Ozone hole'	220	(2)
Ozone loss in the Antarctic polar region	222	(2)
Ozone loss in the Arctic polar region	224	(1)
Terrestrial radiation	224	(5)
Earth's energy balance	224	(2)
Earth as a black body	226	(1)
Greenhouse effect	227	(2)
Global warming	229	(7)
Enhanced greenhouse effect	229	(2)
Global warming: the evidence	231	(1)
Global warming: the predictions	232	(2)
Sea-level rise and global warming	234	(2)
Summary	236	(6)
References	236	(1)
Questions	237	(5)
Observing the Earth's weather	242	(33)
Introduction	242	(1)
Observing the weather	242	(11)
Air temperature	243	(2)
Pressure measurement	245	(1)
Wind measurement	246	(1)
Humidity measurement	247	(1)
Precipitation measurement	248	(1)
Sunshine	249	(2)
Visibility	251	(2)
Global weather monitoring network	253	(4)
Surface network	253	(2)
Upper atmosphere network	255	(2)
Weather forecasting	257	(5)
Folklore	257	(1)
Computer modelling of weather	257	(1)
Chaos in weather forecasting	258	(4)
Cloud physics	262	(3)
Water: the unique molecule	262	(2)
Hydrosphere	264	(1)
Types of clouds	265	(1)
Physics of cloud formation	265	(2)
Snow crystals	267	(2)
Atmospheric electricity	269	(3)
Summary	272	(3)
References	272	(1)
Questions	273	(2)
Global weather patterns and climate	275	(44)
Introduction: atmospheric motion	275	(1)
Air masses and weather fronts	275	(1)
Principal forces acting on a parcel of air in the atmosphere	276	(4)
Gravitational force	276	(1)
Pressure gradient force	277	(1)
Coriolis force	278	(1)
Frictional forces	279	(1)
Pressure gradients and winds	280	(4)
Cyclonic motion	280	(3)
Depressions and fronts	283	(1)
Thermal gradients and winds	284	(1)
Global convection	285	(2)
Global weather and climate patterns	287	(29)
Global pressure field	287	(3)
Global wind patterns	290	(7)
Temperature fields	297	(3)
Global humidity patterns	300	(7)
Cloud patterns	307	(3)
Precipitation	310	(6)
Summary	316	(3)
References	316	(1)
Questions	317	(2)
Physics and soils	319	(44)
Introduction	319	(1)
Soils	319	(1)
Water retention by soils	320	(8)
Soil water suction	328	(7)
Movement of water through soils	335	(7)
Soil-water balance	342	(2)
Leaching of solutes through soil profiles	344	(3)
Evaporation from the land surface	347	(13)
Energy requirement for evaporation	347	(1)
Energy balance of wet and dry land surfaces	348	(3)
Mechanisms for the transfer of latent and sensible heat away from the evaporating surface	351	(2)
Potential evaporation and the Penman equation	353	(4)
Evaporation from the land surface	357	(3)
Summary	360	(3)
References	360	(1)
Questions	361	(2)
Vegetation growth and the carbon balance	363	(34)
Introduction	363	(2)
Plant development	365	(5)
Weather	365	(1)
Rate of plant development	365	(4)
Impact of global warming on crop distribution	369	(1)
Plant growth	370	(13)
Photosynthesis by individual leaves	371	(5)
Photosynthesis by a vegetation canopy	376	(6)
Respiration	382	(1)
Allocation of new growth between the various plant parts	383	(1)
Water stress and vegetation growth	383	(5)
Carbon balance of the land surface	388	(6)
Terrestrial carbon store	388	(2)
Degradation of soil organic matter	390	(2)
Modelling soil organic matter dynamics	392	(2)
Summary	394	(3)
References	394	(1)
Questions	395	(2)
Environmental issues for the twenty-first century	397	(29)
Introduction	397	(1)
Demographic change	397	(2)
Urbanization	399	(1)
Sustainability	399	(3)
Energy resources	401	(1)
Climate change, survival and health	402	(1)
Models, predictions and uncertainties	403	(2)
Environmental risk	405	(2)
Risk benefit analysis	406	(1)
What is being done?	407	(2)
Summary: environmental physics as an enabling science	409	(1)
Appendices
1 Entropy	410	(2)
2 Mathematics behind Newton's law of cooling	412	(1)
3 Energy consumption self-assessment	412	(3)
4 Doppler effect	415	(3)
5 Pressure variation with altitude	418	(2)
6 Derivation of the lapse rate	420	(1)
7 Synoptic weather chart	421	(2)
8 Environmental risk and environment impact assessment of ozone-related disasters	423	(2)
9 Units and constants	425	(1)
Answers to numerical questions	426	(3)
Bibliography	429	(7)
Glossary	436	(19)
Index	455