EARTH SYSTEMS SCIENCE

Catalog description

This course is a systematic study of the various components that make up the Earth’s physical environment, weather, climate, vegetation, soil, and landforms using a lecture and laboratory format. Specific emphasis is placed on understanding interactions between the natural processes that create and modify the Earth System’s four major subsystems (atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere). Physical geographic perspectives (e.g., location, landscape interpretation, etc.) and the scientific method are incorporated into the lecture and laboratory settings to foster a holistic view of the Earth System, and provide students with a comprehensive overview of the physical world in which we live. This course satisfies the Natural Science/Physical Science requirement in the LD UCA Core; it cannot be used to fulfill the BS special degree requirement. [ACTS index number PHSC1104]