ASTRONOMY LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
15-PHYS-122
SPRING QUARTER 2006
Instructor: Dr. Michael L. Sitko
Office: 446 Geology-Physics
Office Hours: MW @ 2-3 PM or by appointment
Phone: 556-0642
Email: sitko@physics.uc.edu
Course Web Page: http://www.physics.uc.edu/~sitko/Spring06/spring06.htm
Textbook: The Search for Life in the Universe (3rd ed.) Goldsmith
& Owen
Other Materials: Calculator - calculator that can do more than + - * / . These can be found at many places for $15-$20. Learn how to use it.
Special Dates
Monday MAY 29th HOLIDAY (no class)
LAST DAY TO DROP COURSE MAY
23
WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 - FINAL EXAM 12:00-2:00
Grades: Your quarter grade will consist of the numerical sum of your Exam, Homework, and in-class activity scores. The 2 Mid-Term Exams and the Final Exams will each count for 30% of your grade. The combined homework and in-class activities for a total of 10%. Grade cutoffs are as follows: 75%+ A; 60-74% B; 50-60% C; 40-50% D; <40% F. Makeup exams are often ORAL exams, one-on-one, in my office. Most students find these very unpleasant! DonŐt miss an exam if at all possible.
Films: Films may be shown during the course. Students are responsible for the material covered on the films.
Text Reading: Any material in the textbook may appear on exams. NOTE: On the average, for any 3-credit class, students are expected to spend up to 6 hours/week reading the book, studying their notes, etc. Because each section of material builds on earlier material, it is virtually impossible to "cram" for the exams. Don't even try to pass this course by cramming - you will be wasting your time!
Class Notes: Class notes and other related class materials are available at my personal web site for this class (http://www.physics.uc.edu/~sitko/ ), and a direct link to the notes is: http://www.physics.uc.edu/~sitko/Spring06/spring06.htm . An old text-driven version of the notes is available at http://www.physics.uc.edu/~sitko/Spring00/spring00.html, but those are somewhat out of date, and I plan to cover the material somewhat differently.
Goals of This Lecture Course
The goals of
this course are to understand the overall evolution of the universe, from the
Big Bang to the present time, and to examine our place within the universe, and
the possibilities of other life forms in it, how we investigate this, etc.
Revised May 8, 2006
Approximate Schedule for Lectures and Textbook Chapters
This schedule is subject to changes and updates that will be announced in class.
|
Approximate
Schedule |
||
|
M |
W |
F |
|
27
March Introduction G&O |
29 Light G&O-2 |
31 History of the
Universe |
|
3
April Star Formation G&O-3 |
5 Lives of the Stars G&O-4 &
5 (thru Cosmic Rays |
7 Life G&O-7 |
|
10 Life G&O-8&9 |
12 Life G&O-10 |
14 Review |
|
17 No class |
19 Exam 1 |
21 No Class |
|
24 Origin & Evol
of SS G&O-11 |
26
Origin & Evol
of SS |
28 Life in SS G&O-12 |
|
1
May Life in SS G&O-13&14 |
3 Life in SS G&O-15 |
5 HZs & Drake Eq G&O-16 |
|
8 HZs & Drake Eq G&O-17&18 |
10 Interstellar Travel
G&O-19 |
12 Review |
|
15 No Class |
17 Exam 2 |
19 No Class |
|
22 SETI Last Day to
Withdraw-23rd |
24
No Class |
26 UFOs G&O-21 |
|
29 HOLIDAY |
31 Fermi-Hart Paradox G&O-22 |
2
June Conclusions & Review |
|
|
7 FINAL EXAM 12:00-2:00 |
|