PHSC 110 - Environmental Science

4 Credits: (3 lecture, 2 lab)

Course Description
This non-majors course provides the student with an introduction to air, water, and soil phenomena. Such topics as ozone depletion, acid rain, and the global warming are studied. National and global environmental impacts are debated using current events as examples. Laboratory experiments plus fieldwork will reinforce concepts discussed in lecture. This course meets the General Education competency of Scientific Reasoning (SR).

Text
Required (text by instructor choice):

American Chemical Society (2021). Chemistry in context: Applying chemistry to society w/Connect (10^th ed.). New York, NY.

Zehnder, C., Manoylov, K., Mutiti, S., Mutiti, C., VandeVoort, A., & Bennett, D. (2018). Introduction to environmental science (2nd ed.). Biological Sciences Open Textbooks. https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/biology-textbooks/4

Objectives
The student will be able to:

A. List and explain the causes of air, water, and soil pollution.

B. Analyze the results of pollution.

C. List and explain the causes of ozone depletion, global warming, and acid rain.

D. Analyze the results of ozone depletion, global warming, and acid rain.

E. Utilize knowledge of air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, ozone depletion, global warming, and acid rain to assess society’s impact on these phenomena.

F. Propose and debate potential solutions to ozone depletion, global warming, and acid rain.

G. Critique the impact of politics and government regulations on air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, ozone depletion, global warming, and acid rain.

H. Apply the scientific method. (SR)

I. Utilize basic laboratory equipment appropriate to the discipline. (SR)

Content
A. Air quality and air pollution

B. Ozone depletion

C. Global warming

D. Basic water chemistry

E. Water pollution

F. Acid rain

G. Governmental regulations and material safety data sheets

H. Soils and soil testing

Student Evaluation
Objectives A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I will be evaluated via a combination of examinations, quizzes, lab activities, and assignments.