ASTRONOMY 1035: OUTLINE

OUTLINE FOR ASTRONOMY 1035 SPRING 2006

January 18:

READING:

1. Introduction
2. The Scientific Method
3. Scientific Notation
4. Units
5. Is There Life Elsewhere in the Universe?

January 23:

1. The Definition of Life
2. The Second Law of Thermodynamics
3. Atoms, Ions, and Isotopes
4. The Chemical Basis of Life
5. Molecular Bonds
6. The Drake Equation

January 25:

READING:

1. The Large-Scale Distribution of Galaxies in the Universe
2. Lab 1: The Parent Stars of Extrasolar Planets

January 30:

READING:

1. The Big Bang
2. The Cosmic Microwave Background
3. The Electromagnetic Spectrum
4. Primordial Nucleosynthesis
5. The Formation of Galaxies
6. Stars and Nuclear Energy
7. The Nuclear Reactions in the Sun

February 1:

1. Heavy Element Production
2. Heavy Element Dispersal
3. Quiz #1
4. Lab 3: Spectral Analysis of Planetary Atmospheres

February 6:

1. Review of Quiz #1
2. Heat Radiation (Blackbody Radiation)
3. Types of Stars
4. Lifetimes of Stars
5. Stellar Requirements for Life
6. Tidal Locking
7. Binary Stars

February 8:

READING:

1. Newton's Laws
2. Doppler Shift
3. Finding Extrasolar Planets
4. Brown Dwarfs
5. The Properties of the Known Extrasolar Planets
6. Lab 2: Finding Extrasolar Planets

February 13:

READING:

1. Future Searches for Extrasolar Planets
2. Interstellar Matter
3. Molecular Clouds
4. Star Formation

February 15:

READING:

1. Asteroids vs. Comets
2. Differentiation
3. The Rate of Star Formation
4. Quiz #2
5. Lab 9: Interstellar Travel

February 20:

1. The Temperature of Planets
2. The Greenhouse Effect
3. The Role of Planetary Mass
4. The Habitable Zone
5. Magnetic Dynamos

February 22:

READING:

1. Plate Tectonics
2. Other Astronomical Factors
3. Using Chemical Models
4. Lab 4: DNA

February 27:

1. DNA Replication
2. Genes
3. RNA
4. Amino Acids
5. L-alanine vs. D-alanine
6. Proteins

March 1:

1. Types of RNA Molecules
2. Transcription
3. Translation
4. Quiz #3
5. Lab 13: Amino Acids and Proteins

March 13:

1. Review of Quiz #3
2. The Miller-Urey Experiment
3. More Modern Ideas
4. Making Proteins, RNA/DNA from Smaller Molecules
5. Random Chance?
6. Life?
7. RNA First or Protein First?
8. RNA Evolution
9. Alternate Ideas

March 15:

READING:

1. Life Not From Earth? Seeding of the Universe
2. Occam's Razor
3. Silicon-Based Life
4. Other Solvents
5. Energy-Based Life
6. Lab 5: Interplanetary Spacecraft

March 20:

READING:

1. Mercury and the Moon
2. Venus
3. Mars

March 22:

1. The Jovian Planets
2. The Galilean Moons
3. Cassini and the Moons of Saturn
4. The Moons of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
5. Lab 6: The Surface of Mars

March 27:

READING:

1. Fossils
2. Types of Rocks
3. Radioactivity
4. Radioactive Dating
5. Quiz #4

March 29:

READING:

1. Review of Quiz #4
2. Biological Classification
3. Natural Selection
4. The History of the Earth
5. Mass Extinctions
6. Lab 7: Microscopic Lifeforms

April 3:

1. Intelligence?
2. Dolphins
3. Chimpanzees
4. Primate Classification

April 5:

1. Lab 8: Radio Astronomy

April 10:

1. Homonid Evolution
2. Quiz #5

April 12:

READING:

1. Review of Quiz #5
2. Cultural Evolution on Earth
3. Evaluating f_c
4. Do they want to communicate?
5. The Lifetime of a Technological Civilization

April 17:

1. Advantages of Radio Searches
2. Choices of Radio Frequency
3. Radios and Radio Telescopes
4. Choice of Bandpass
5. Radio SETI Projects
6. Optical SETI Projects

April 19:

1. Apollo Video
2. Rockets
3. The Space Shuttle
4. Specific Impulse
5. Ion Propulsion Drives
6. Laser-Driven Light Sails
7. Magnetoplasma Rockets
8. Nuclear Fission Rockets
9. Nuclear Fusion Rockets
10. Matter-Anti-Matter Drives

April 24

1. Relativistic Effects
2. Quiz #6

April 26:

1. UFOs: Guest Lecturer Dr. Don Luttermoser
2. Review of Quiz #6
3. Lab 10: Creating UFO Pictures