PHY-10041 - Module Specification
School of Chemical and Physical Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

Humanity is currently facing an enormous threat from man-made climate change, driven primarily by the burning of fossil fuels in society's insatiable thirst for energy. What is climate change and how do greenhouse gases affect Earth's complex and delicate biosphere? How can we calculate our "carbon footprints" and generate, store and distribute energy from renewable sources that do not contribute to climate change? The answers to all these questions await you in this module.

This module aims to provide students with an introduction to the science and evidence behind climate physics, climate change, renewable (and non-renewable) energy generation methods, energy storage and distribution networks, and the broader context in which a transition to renewable energy sources is necessary. It begins by setting the principles of the scientific method and research good practice e.g. scientific argumentation and presentation, critical thinking and reflection, and research ethics. The module then aims to enhance the students' evidence-based knowledge and basic analytical skills in assessing the need for, and feasibility of, different forms of renewable energy in different countries and for different purposes. It also aims to provide the students with an understanding of the scientific principles behind the different forms of fossil fuel-based and renewable energy, allowing them to make simple estimates of the energy generated from each method.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Describe how the Earth’s climate works, how it responds to internal or external changes, and the evidence for global climate change.: 1,3
Quantify how different processes contribute to global climate change in the form of carbon footprints, and articulate the need for a transition to renewable energy.: 1,3
Explain how different types of renewable (and non-renewable) energy generation methods work and be able to calculate the amount of energy generated from each.: 1,2,3
Communicate the current landscape of energy generation and distribution in a UK and worldwide context, and what is needed to transition to a renewable energy network.: 1,3
Communicate the process and results of practical work to a variety of audiences.: 2
Critically evaluate arguments and results about the feasibility and application of different sources of renewable energy presented by themselves and by others, in order to assess their accuracy.: 1,3

Study hours

Active learning sessions:
Lectures = 48 hours
Laboratory = 24 hours
Tutorials = 24 hours
Independent study:
Completion of country report = 36 hours
Exam = 2.5 hours
Lab portfolio = 50 hours
Self Study = 115.5 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment