The basic objective of this course is to provide students with knowledge of the fundamentals of atmospheric thermodynamics. Thermodynamics deals with energy transfers and transformations, spontaneity and phase change. Thus, thermodynamics influences the processes that create and change atmospheric systems (e.g., precipitation). Knowledge of the
2 basic principles of thermodynamics and their interactions will facilitate students’ comprehension of meteorological processes that determine the weather and climate of the Earth. Understanding thermodynamic processes is critical to accurate assessment of the current state of the atmosphere and to accurate evaluation of the output from numerical models of weather and climate.
Prerequisites: MATH 1152, PHYSICS 1250, ATMOSSC 5201, or graduate standing