MNS 353 - Topics in Marine Science - Fall 2000
Marine Chemistry (unique number 53850)
Instructor: Henrietta
N. Edmonds, Department of Marine Science
Office: L317, Marine Science Institute, Port Aransas
Phone: (361) 749-6772
Meeting time: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11-12:30
Place: ACES 2.402 (Austin) and MSI Video Classroom
(Port Aransas)
Most lectures will be delivered via the Austin-Port Aransas video link. I will
endeavor to be in Austin on average one week out of every 3 or 4. When I am in Port
Aransas, I will not have defined office hours other than that I will always
be at my desk for the two hours before class -- email
is the best way to reach me (phone is good, but long distance) and can be used any
time. When in Austin, I will keep you informed of my whereabouts and availability,
but will always be available between 9 and 11 a.m. on class days, in the Marine Science
office, ESB 102.
Course
Goals
Textbooks
Requirements
Description and aims of the course
The goal of the course is to develop an understanding of and appreciation for
how the oceans (and the Earth) operate as a chemical system, and interact with biological,
geological, and physical processes. We will cover some basic oceanography, the chemistry
of seawater, the role of the oceans in geochemical cycles, the application of chemical
techniques to understanding oceanography in general, and some examples of human impacts
on ocean chemistry.
This is a new course, being offered under the "Topics" banner, that should
become a named course in its own right for the 2001-2002 academic year. Please talk
to me about applying credit towards the new major in Marine and Freshwater Biology.
Real world, recent examples of ongoing studies will be incorporated whenever possible.
Web site
Lecture notes and schedules (i.e., downloadable
images of my PowerPoint slides) will be available on this web site. You will need
a free PDF reader (e.g., Adobe Acrobat Reader) to view the files.
You will also find links to various web resources
on the site, updated through the semester. Problem sets will be made available as
PDF files on the dates indicated, linked from the schedule
page. News and class reminders will be posted as well.
Please plan to check the site fairly regularly.
Textbooks
We will use two textbooks
- An Introduction to the
Chemistry of the Sea, by Michael E.Q. Pilson
- Global Environment: Water,
Air, and Geochemical Cycles, by E.K. Berner and R.A. Berner
There is no perfect undergraduate textbook on marine chemistry or chemical oceanography
that I am aware of. These two texts are complementary and together will cover much
of the material in the lectures, but I will also supplement with material from other
sources and my own research. We will not cover everything in either of the texts.
Please let me know when you have committed to taking the course, and purchased Dr.
Pilson's textbook: he has provided me with a list of mistakes and typographical errors.
Course Requirements and Grading
Prerequisites are upper division standing and/or consent of the instructor.
I expect you to have taken chemistry, either in high school or college, such that
you are familiar with the periodic table, basic chemical notation, and chemical reactions
(how to write them, balance them, interpret them).
Grading will be based on six problem sets, a midterm exam, and a cumulative
final exam. The relative importance of each to the final grade is as follows:
Problem sets: 30% (5% each)
Midterm: 30%
Final Exam: 40%
Late problem sets will affect your preparation for exams, and are inconvenient for
the professor and other students. Late problem sets will be assessed a penalty of
10% per day. Problem sets will not be accepted more than one week past their due
date.
Exams will be a combination of multiple choice, short answer, and more thought-provoking
questions.
Officialdom
Other course requirements include class attendance.
Please let me know 2 weeks in advance if you must miss a class or assignment in order
to observe a religious holy day; you will be given time after the absence to complete
any missed assignments.
Anticipated absences from tests or the final exam should be handled in advance. Unanticipated
absences from the midterm or final will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and
are likely to involve an additional project rather than a simple make-up exam. Unanticipated
absence from the final exam must be dealt with through the Dean of Students.
Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and will be handled according to the
rules of the University. I do encourage you to discuss the material and the problem
sets with each other, but trust that you will each write up your own answers.
Please notify me of any modification/adaptation you may require to accommodate a
disability-related need. You will be requested to provide documentation to the Dean
of Students' Office, in order that the most appropriate accommodations can be determined.
Specialized services are available on campus through Services for Students with Disabilities.
For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641
TTY.
The University calendar for the Fall 2000 Semester is available at http://www.utexas.edu/student/registrar/00-01long.html.
Highlights include:
The last day to drop a course without possible academic penalty is September
27, 2000.
The last day to drop a course for academic reasons is October 25, 2000.
You will have received grades on half your problems sets, and taken the midterm,
by then.
Course Schedule
See the schedule page. While we will endeavor
to adhere to this schedule, changes may occur. Some flexibility is built in, and
any major changes will be announced well in advance. You are expected to keep up
with the reading. The dates of the problem sets and exams are indicated, along with
the dates I plan to be in Austin.
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