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Consider a Spherical Cow, 2nd ed

Consider a Spherical Cow, 2nd ed

John Harte University of California, Berkeley
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This textbook teaches how to make--and derive useful insight from--relatively simple models of many seemingly complex environmental problems facing our world today.

Softcover ISBN: 978-1-940380-22-3
eISBN: 978-1-940380-23-0
Est. 350 pages

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Summary

This new edition of Consider a Spherical Cow teaches basic mathematical modeling skills that are widely applicable to a huge range of environmental problems facing the world today. Organized both by modeling tools and environmental topics, this innovative book includes 56 posed problems and worked-out solutions. Readers will find introductions to topics, extensive pedagogic material explaining how to use the relevant modeling tools, and opportunities to think more deeply about or confirm steps in the provided solutions. This new edition includes 101 new quantitative homework exercises, an appendix compendium of updated environmental data, a glossary, and a bibliography, plus entirely new sections on probability, toxics, radiation and radioactivity, and epidemics.

With wide topical coverage, Harte teaches the math step by step in the context of actual posed environmental problems, emphasizes limitations and strengths of models, and describes practical applications to real problems and situations. Along with the many worked-out problems, discussion questions and quantitative problems are provided as exercises for the reader. The book emphasizes creative applications of math to environmental science, not plug-in problems.

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter I. Warm-Up Exercises

Chapter II. Learning the Tools of the Trade

  1. Probability
  2. Steady State Box Models and Residence Times
  3. Thermodynmics and Energy Transfer
  4. Chemical Reactions and Equilibria
  5. Non-Steady State Box Models

Chapter III. Applying Basic Tools to Complex Problems

  1. Biogeochemistry
  2. Climate
  3. Survival of Populations
  4. Toxic Substances
  5. Radiation and Radioactivity

101 Homework Exercises

Appendix: Useful Numbers

Glossary

Bibliography

Index

Reviews

John Harte

John Harte University of California, Berkeley

For more than two decades, John Harte has taught courses on the quantitative aspects of environmental science at University of California, Berkeley, where he holds the Distinguished Class of 1935 Professorship in the Energy and Resources Group. His previous book, Consider a Spherical Cow, became a landmark text in the field. He is also the author of The Green Fuse and co-author of Patient Earth and Toxics A to Z. He has published numerous articles on ecology and biodiversity, water and other resources, climate change and its effects, acid precipitation, and environmental policy. John Harte received his B.A. from Harvard University and his PhD in physics from the University of Wisconsin. Harte is also the recipient of the 2001 Leo Szilard Lectureship Award.

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