Course title
H00020001
Introduction to Environmental Science

 HIRABAYASHI Yukiko
Course description
This course deals with the basic knowledge to understand environmental issues. Participants are expected to be able to precisely understand environment-related issues reported in news medias with understanding of principle structures of an environment.
Purpose of class
- To be able to explain environment-related issues reported in news medias based on knowledge of physics, chemistry and biology with easy terms that are understandable by senior or junior high school students.
- To be able to theoretically explain mechanisms of the environmental issues. For example, you can explain why the Earth gets warm when CO2 concentration increases by explaining the general circulation and energy balance in the atmosphere.
- To be able to clearly explain basic technical terms of environment-related issues in the field of Civil Engineering.
Goals and objectives
  1. To be able to explain environment-related issues based on knowledge of physics, chemistry and biology.
  2. To be able to theoretically explain mechanisms of the environmental issues.
  3. To be able to clearly explain basic technical terms of environment-related issues in the field of Civil Engineering.
Relationship between 'Goals and Objectives' and 'Course Outcomes'

 quiz report final exam Total.
1. 15% 10% 10% 35%
2. 15% 0% 15% 30%
3. 20% 0% 15% 35%
Total. 50% 10% 40% -
Evaluation method and criteria
Your final grade will be calculated according to the following process: quiz (50%, occasionally given), report (10%) and final exam (40%).
To pass, students must earn at least 60 points out of 100.
Language
Japanese
Class schedule

 Class schedule HW assignments (Including preparation and review of the class.) Amount of Time Required
1. Introduction to Environmental Science
- What is an Environment?
- Three keys of the “Environmental Science”
- Characteristics of water 		Review types of environment 45minutes
2. Water and hydrological cycle (1)
- Hydrological cycle 		Review storage and circulation of water on the Earth 45minutes
3. Water and hydrological cycle (2)
- Water balance
- River and groundwater 		Review hydrological change associated with urbanization 45minutes
4. Lighting, heating and energy (1)
- Basics of lighting as electromagnetic ray and heating 		Review types and characteristics of electromagnetic ray 45minutes
5. Lighting, heating and energy (2)
- Heating, energy and an environment
- Basics of thermal environment 		Review mechanisms of heat transfer 45minutes
6. Lighting, heating and energy (3)
- Issues in thermal and energy environment 		Review interaction between light and materials 45minutes
7. Basics of environmental chemistry (1)
- Basic knowledge of chemistry 		Review basics of chemistry 45minutes
8. Basics of environmental chemistry (2)
- What is “dissolving”
- Chemical substances in your surroundings 		Review dissolving in views of chemistry 45minutes
9. Basics of environmental chemistry (3)
- Issues in chemical environment
- Water contamination 		Review types and densities of contaminants in nature 45minutes
10. Material cycles and ecosystem (1)
- Types of water quality issues
- Organic water pollution 		Review indices to assess organic water pollution and two kinds of decomposition 45minutes
11. Material cycles and ecosystem (2)
- Material cycles and ecosystem 		Review producer, consumer and decomposer in material circulation 45minutes
12. Urban environment and environmental issues
- History of environment disruption 		Review history of environmental issues 45minutes
13. Global environmental issues
- Global warming, acid deposition and ozone layer depletion 		Deepen understanding of earth environmental issues 45minutes
14. Understand whole lecture contents and prepare for the final exam Understand whole lecture contents and prepare for the final exam 45minutes
15. *
Total. - - 630minutes
Feedback on exams, assignments, etc.
ways of feedback specific contents about "Other"
Textbooks and reference materials
Resumes for the lecture are delivered.
Prerequisites
Review physics and chemistry in high school’s level
Office hours and How to contact professors for questions
  • I welcome questions after each lecture.
    Office hour: lunch time on Thursday (please be informed in advance)
Regionally-oriented
Non-regionally-oriented course
Development of social and professional independence
  • Course that cultivates an ability for utilizing knowledge
Active-learning course
N/A
Course by professor with work experience
Work experience Work experience and relevance to the course content if applicable
N/A N/A
Education related SDGs:the Sustainable Development Goals
  • 6.CLEAN WATER AND SANITATION
  • 13.CLIMATE ACTION
  • 15.LIFE ON LAND
Last modified : Sat Mar 08 04:21:58 JST 2025