This course provides an introduction to the physical principles that underlie an understanding of the environment.
An introduction is given to the 'material' (atoms, molecules) and 'immaterial' (energy, radiation) worlds. From the standpoints of 'Earth', 'Air' and 'Water' a description of the environment is built up, which leads to an appreciation of the place of humankind in the world, and the complex web of relationships between the different aspects of the environment. Approaches to measurement are introduced as a way in which we can discover more about the environment and build a model of the world we live in.