ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Definition, Principles and Scope of Environmental Science. Structure and composition of atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
Laws of thermodynamics, heat transfer processes, mass and energy transfer across various interfaces, material balance.
Meteorological parameters - pressure, temperature, precipitation, humidity, mixing ratio, saturation mixing ratio, radiation and wind velocity, adiabatic lapse rate, environmental lapse rate. Wind roses. Interaction between Earth, Man and Environment.

Fundamentals of Environmental Chemistry: Classification of elements, Stoichiometry, Gibbs’ energy, chemical potential, chemical kinetics, chemical equilibria, solubility of gases in water, the carbonate system, unsaturated and saturated hydrocarbons, radioisotopes. Composition of air.
Particles, ions and radicals in the atmosphere. Chemical speciation. Chemical processes in the formation of inorganic and organic particulate matters, thermochemical and photochemical reactions in the atmosphere, Oxygen and Ozone chemistry.

Ecology as an inter-disciplinary science. Origin of life and speciation. Human Ecology and Settlement.
Ecosystem Structure and functions: Structures - Biotic and Abiotic components. Functions - Energy flow in ecosystems, energy flow models, food chains and food webs. Biogeochemical cycles, Ecological succession. Species diversity, Concept of ecotone, edge effects, ecological habitats and niche.

Distribution of water in earth, hydrology and hydrogeology, major basins and groundwater provinces of India, Darcy’s law and its validity, groundwater fluctuations, hydraulic conductivity, groundwater tracers, land subsidence, effects of excessive use of groundwater, groundwater quality. Pollution of groundwater resources, Ghyben-Herzberg relation between fresh-saline water.

Sun as source of energy; solar radiation and its spectral characteristics. Fossil fuels: classification, composition, physico-chemical characteristics and energy content of coal, petroleum and natural gas. Shale oil, Coal bed Methane, Gas hydrates. Gross-calorific value and net-calorific value.
Principles of generation of hydro-power, tidal energy, ocean thermal energy conversion, wind power, geothermal energy, solar energy (solar collectors, photo-voltaic modules, solar ponds).
Nuclear energy - fission and fusion, Nuclear fuels, Nuclear reactor – principles and types. Bioenergy: methods to produce energy from biomass.