Handbook

This course covers the basic physical principles and processes which govern our atmosphere and its climate. First of all, this course provides an introduction and overview of our atmosphere, the main physical principles that govern its behaviour, and how to apply them to important questions about weather and climate. This shows students an important application of basic physics (and a bit of chemistry), and for Oceanography, Meteorology and Climate students this will provide a necessary foundation upon which later courses will build. For instance, you will learn about the ozone hole, the greenhouse effect, how to use charts to determine the likelihood of storms developing, why deserts occur at certain latitudes, and how to use the Bureau of Meteorology’s radar images on its website to track thunderstorms. This course will also train students in how to apply basic principles of physics and mathematics (including calculus) to real-world problems and situations. This skill will add value to the work you have already invested in learning those principles and will be relevant no matter what later path in life you take.