InTeGrate Modules and Courses >Water Science and Society > Student Materials > Section 1: Fresh Water: Scarcity or Surfeit? > Module 2: Climatology of Water
InTeGrate's Earth-focused Modules and Courses for the Undergraduate Classroom
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These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
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These student materials complement the Water Science and Society Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.

Module 2: Climatology of Water

Overview

In this module, we will investigate the underlying causes of variations in precipitation on Earth, with a specific focus on large-scale climate belts and the role of mountain ranges in affecting the distribution of rainfall (and snow). The goals of the module are to develop a quantitative understanding of the physical processes that control the distribution of precipitation, and which ultimately govern regions where water is abundant and where it is scarce, both across the U.S. and globally. As part of this, you'll develop facility with the concepts of relative humidity, saturation, water vapor content in the air, and how these vary with changes in temperature - all of which play a key role in determining when and where precipitation falls.

These materials are part of a collection of classroom-tested modules and courses developed by InTeGrate. The materials engage students in understanding the earth system as it intertwines with key societal issues. The collection is freely available and ready to be adapted by undergraduate educators across a range of courses including: general education or majors courses in Earth-focused disciplines such as geoscience or environmental science, social science, engineering, and other sciences, as well as courses for interdisciplinary programs.
Explore the Collection »