Instructor: Emmanuel Boss
Abstract:
This course focuses on using physical principles, concepts and approaches to explain observed phenomena in aquatic sciences. The course emphasizes hands-on activities; half the time in the class will be devoted to laboratory sessions. The course is intended for 3rd/4th year students in SMS and has no prerequisites. The class will meet for 2 ® 2.5 hours every week; the first period is a lecture/discussion/demonstration, the second period is a lab.
Expectations:
Grading in the class will be based on participation (25%), weekly assignments (70%) and pre-class quizzes (5%). Extra credit (15%): students electing to write a term paper (5 pages maximum), whose topic they discussed and agreed with the instructor. Given that this class is a 2 credits class I expect students to spend 2-4hrs a week working outside of class. If you find yourself working more than 4hrs a week for class please come see me.
At the end of each lab there will be an individual and group quiz. The purpose of this quiz is to assess that material was learned and does not affect the individual grade. Group grade will be recorded and the best overall group will be invited for pizza after the semester ends. At the end of some of the labs, groups will be randomly assigned an activity to explain to the rest of the class. The grade for the explanations (8-great job, 4- OK job, 1- poor job) will be added to the week's quiz grade.
Amnesty program: Student can resubmit homework within a week from when they got them back and gain up to half the point they lost.
Description:
A
five week module concentrated on concepts from physical oceanography
Note: New material will be added as we go.
|
Week |
Class |
Lab |
Homework |
|
I |
Introductions-goals, expectations. Lecture: Diffusion [PDF]. Published manuscript based on a similar lab with SMS students [PDF] |
Lab: Analogues of diffusion. Quiz1 [PDF] |
Homework [PDF]
|
|
II |
Lecture: Mixing in fluids [PDF]. Pre-class Reading material [PDF]. Pre-class quiz [PDF] |
Lab: Mixing.[PDF] Quiz2 [PDF] |
Homework [PDF] |
|
III |
Lecture: Tides.
Pre-class Reading material: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tide
|
In class exercise with computers of tides in the Gulf of Maine. |
|
|
IV |
Lecture: Rotation effects (Coriolis). reference: material:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect |
Lab: Rotation and coriolis.
|
|
|
V Nov 5 |
Lecture: Waves. Pre-class Reading material: Waves. |
Lab: Surface gravity waves, internal waves, and waves on sloping beaches. |
Following every class we do a quiz competition between groups. This does not affect the student's grade but provides a feedback to me regarding how well the concepts have been understood. The winning group will be invited to the Bear Brew Pub for Pizza.
Quiz results: Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Quiz 3 Quiz 4 Quiz 5 Total
MAK 40 38
Gold Team 40 37
Roadrunners 40 37
Name 40 39
SMS203 40 38
Confidence 40 37
Problematic questions (& number of groups having problem with it):
Quiz 2: 3(1),5(2),6(1),7(1),8(4),9(5)- since 5 groups had problems with Q-5 it was deemed unfair and points were not taken off for it.