EARTH 200 - Weather and Climate

Credits: 3
Lecture Contact Hours: 3
Description: This course provides an overview of the Earth’s atmospheric and weather systems. Topics include energy, temperatures, atmospheric moisture, cloud formation, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, weather systems, weather forecasting, severe weather and global climate patterns and climate change. In addition, topics on air pollution and atmospheric phenomenon will be covered.

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Recommended: None

Course Category: Liberal Arts | Science
This course counts toward Schoolcraft’s General Education Requirements.
This course counts toward a Michigan Transfer Agreement General Education Requirement.

This Course is Typically Offered: Winter, Spring, Fall
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Course Competencies

Analyze the major atmospheric processes, including energy, pressure, wind, precipitation, air masses and weather systems.
Explain how the major atmospheric processes are linked in the atmospheric system.
Summarize the atmospheric conditions that result in severe weather, such as thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes.
Analyze the spatial patterns of weather systems.
Predict local and regional weather using fundamental meteorological principles.
Classify the major climate regions of the world.
Explain the possible causes for climate change.
Explain how humans have altered the composition of the atmosphere.
Explain how atmospheric pollution affects both the environment and human health.
Analyze weather data using various weather instrumentation, data, charts and maps.