Georgia Institute of Technology
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Fall 2008

Course Description:

EAS 3603: Thermodynamics of the Earth System

Time: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:35-5:55 p.m.

Place: ES&T L1175

Instructor:
Professor Athanasios Nenes (nenes@eas.gatech.edu) ES&T 3258, x4-9225

Teaching Assistant:
Jordon Beckler (gtg639b@mail.gatech.edu) ES&T 1160, x5-4401

Office Hours:
Athanasios Nenes: 1:00-2:00 pm Monday, 10:00-11:00 am Friday
Jordon Beckler: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Tueday, 2:00-3:00 pm Wednesday

Grading (subject to change, upon discussion with class):
Homework - 20%
Exam I - 20%
Exam II - 20%
Exam III - 20%
Term Project - 20%

Syllabus

Homework:

Weekly homework assignments will be given, although these will diminish toward the end of the course to allow time to work on term projects. Homework assignments will be given on Thursday, and will be due one week later. Homework assignments will be accepted up to one class period after the assignment is due: later assignments will not be accepted (unless you have notified us in advance), so that we can return the homeworks on Tuesday after they have been handed in. Extra credit for doing additional homework problems can be given, up to a total of 110% for the final homework grade.

Term Project:

An individual (or group?) project related to the applications section of the course will be done. This project will consist of both a written paper and an oral presentation.

Web Links:

Introduction

Composition and structure of components of the earth system

Equation of State

First law of thermodynamics

Entropy and the second law

Phase equilibria

Moist thermodynamic processes in the atmosphere

Chemical thermodynamics

Planetary science applications