Physics of Weather and Climate

Facilitator: Brian Jones

Contact information: (970) 980-1378, physicsjones@gmail.com

Class length: 2 hours

Class times: Fridays, 9:30-11:30 a.m. or

1:30-3:30 pm (same class content)

Class duration: 7 weeks, Sept 25-November 6

Place: Foxtail 2, except for Oct 30 which will be in Sand Lily

Class size: 30

Required texts: none

Presentations: not required.

Course Description:

You already know how weather works—you know that the temperature falls more on clear nights than on cloudy nights, that the wind tends to pick up as the day warms up, and that we often get a period of warm weather after the first frost.

In this class, we’ll talk about the why of weather, and of climate, the basic physics principles that underlie these observations. We’ll start each class by working in groups to do some hands-on experimentation to illuminate the key physics concepts. Then we’ll explore and discuss how the concepts apply in the workings of the atmosphere. We’ll explore the energy involved when water evaporates or freezes and use this to explain why we get that period of warm weather after the first frost. We’ll do some experiments that illustrate the notion of chaos, and we’ll use this to explain why the weather forecast for the next day is usually pretty reliable, but the forecast for the next week is not—and probably never will be. We’ll discuss the interaction of thermal radiation with matter and use this to explain why burning fossil fuels is changing the climate—and then we’ll discuss what we might do about it.

You don’t need any background in science for this course—we’ll learn what we need to know as we go. You do need a sense of curiosity and a willingness to engage and explore. We won’t have presentations, but there will be abundant opportunities for interaction—we will spend much of our time working and discussing in small groups. Just show up prepared to be active, to be social, and to be amazed!