Earth System  (3 days)

figure 01-05-top.jpg (258576 bytes) figure 01-05-bottom.jpg (154458 bytes)

 

Key terms and study questions:

Chapter 1 of Earth's Climate Text (all key terms),  Review Questions 4 , 5 and 7

Chapter 4 [Key terms: Faint Young Sun paradox, thermostat, Gaia hypothesis, homeostasis. Review questions 1-5]

 

Interactive lecture questions.


What is a System?

Choose one of the following systems. Describe its different elements and how they interact with each other in terms of feedback:
· quitting smoking
· procrastination
· learning a new skill
· dieting
· studying/goofing off


Draw a causal loop diagram describing your system.



Negative Feedback: Describe a system with self regulating behavior.


Draw a causal loop diagram describing your system.

 

 




Positive Feedback: Discuss the explosive growth of the internet by identifying its positive feedback loops.



Is there a limit to the internet growth? If so discuss some of the limiting factors.

 

 

Negative feedback:   The heating rate in degrees C per minute (DT/Dt) of a pot of water set on a warm (30 oC) room is DT/Dt=-0.5*(T-30), where T is the temperature of the water.  

 

Assume that the water starts at 50 oC, find its temperature at 1, 2, 3, and 4 minute.   Sketch this on a graph with T on the y-axis and time on the x-axis.

 

Assume that the water starts at 10 oC, find its temperature at 1, 2, 3, and 4 minute.   Sketch this on the same graph with T on the y-axis and time on the x-axis.




Positive feedback.  An interest rate of 10% on your savings account balance, B, means that your savings increases at a rate of 10% per year.

DB/Dt=0.10*(B)

Starting with $1000.00 find the balance after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 years.  Sketch this on a graph with B on the y-axis and time on the x-axis.

How long does it take your balance to double?

 

Starting with $1000.00 and using a 20% interest rate find the balance after 1, 2, 3, and 4years.  Sketch this on the same graph with B on the y-axis and time on the x-axis.

How long does it take your balance to double?