Optional Assignments


Assignment
 Date Assigned
 Date Due
 points
 topic(s)
Toilet flushing "experiment"
 Mon., 4/8
 5pm
Fri., 4/12
 0.1
 direction of spin in a draining toilet or sink  results
In-class assignment
 Fri., Apr. 5
 Fri., Apr. 5 or
Mon., Apr. 8
 0.3
 forces that cause surface and upper level winds  answers
Humidity problems asst.
 Wed.,Mar.20
 Mon.,Mar.25
 0.5
 humidity example problems  answers
Hidden assignment
 Tue., Mar.19
 Wed.,Mar.20
 0.15
 the assignment is embedded in the supplementary reading section about saturation of air with water vapor.  answers
Weather observations assignment
 Mon., Feb. 18
 Mon., Feb. 25
 0.5
 observe and document the approach and passage of a strong winter storm
see the Mon., Feb. 18 and Wed., Feb. 20 online lecture notes for more info.
In-class assignment
 Fri., Feb. 15
 Fri., Feb. 15
 0.15
 energy and energy transport, specific heat
Upper-level charts assignment
 Wed., Feb. 13
 Wed., Feb. 20
 0.5 pts &
a green card
 read the online material on upper level charts: Pt. 1, Pt. 2, and Pt. 3.
To earn the green card you must answer 85% of the questions correctly
Asst. #2
 Wed., Feb. 6
 Mon., Feb. 11
 0.5
 surface weather maps  answers
Asst. #1
 Fri., Jan. 18
 Fri., Jan. 25
 0.5
 composition of the atmosphere, air pollutants  answers

You can download and print the assignment in Microsoft WORD format by clicking on the appropriate link above.

If you make an honest attempt at answering all the questions, you should be able to earn full credit on each assignment.  An honest effort includes having the assignment done before coming to class and turning the assignment in at the beginning of class.  It is OK to work together with other students in the class, but everyone should contribute.  You shouldn't just copy another student's work.

There will be a sufficient number of optional assignments for you to be able to earn at least 3 points extra credit by the end of the semester.  The extra credit points are added to the average grade computed prior to the final exam.

Note:   Don't be concerned if you get work back without a grade.  Only papers with less than full credit will have a grade marked on them.  Papers without a grade have earned full credit.  An individual assignment is generally only worth a few 1/10ths of a point of extra credit (see table above).  A paper with a grade of 4/5 really means you earned 0.4 pts out of 0.5 pts extra credit.  1/10ths of a point extra credit may not seem like much.  But the accumulated total at the end of the semester can have a significant effect on your grade. 

Also note: The fact that you do not have any answers marked wrong does not necessarily mean you answered all the questions correctly.  Frequently the grading load requires that we only look at and grade some of the questions on the optional assignments.  You should carefully compare your answers with those on the optional assignment answers handout even if nothing is marked wrong on your paper.