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Lecturer(s)
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Litvín Radek, RNDr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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Content of lectures: 1. Introduction to Energy Issues for Civilization, Description of Current Problems, Course Motivation 2. Physical Foundations of Energy Issues ? Types and Transformations of Energy, Physical Units, Structure of Matter, Radiation 3. Energy in Nature ? Sources and Flows of Energy in Natural Systems 4. Oldest Energy Sources ? Biomass, Wind Energy, Water Energy 5. Fossil Fuels 1 ? Coal 6. Fossil Fuels 2 ? Oil, Natural Gas 7. Nuclear Energy 8. Solar and Geothermal Energy 9. Energy Storage 10. Energy Transmission and Conservation 11. Energy in Transportation 12. Energy for Civilization Today and Tomorrow ? Overview and Future Outlook Content of tutorials/seminar: Throughout the exercises, students will gain a solid understanding of the physical foundations of energy issues, with a particular focus on the fundamental principles of energy source operation, their limitations, and related topics such as the efficiency of energy conversions and the costs associated with resource utilization. This knowledge will be reinforced through interactive discussions and independent student assignments.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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unspecified
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Learning outcomes
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This course aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the various energy sources utilized by modern civilization. It will delve into the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of each energy source, exploring potential future solutions and the environmental implications of their usage in the context of human impact on nature.
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Prerequisites
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The course assumes familiarity with basic math operations (equations, functions, fractions, exponents), high school-level physics, and some economic concepts like the functions of money, supply and demand, market equilibrium, comparative advantages, the tragedy of the commons, and fixed/variable costs.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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unspecified
The tutorial credit is based on attendance, work during the semester, and a quiz. The final exam is a combination of written and oral parts.
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Recommended literature
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Graham Palmer, Joshua Floyd, Energy Storage and Civilization, Springer, 2020..
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Students will have access to lecture presentations and supplementary texts and materials..
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Václav Smil, Energy and Civilization, MIT Press, 2017..
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Václav Smil, Jak svět doopravdy funguje, Kniha Zlín, 2023.
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