REVISED Mar 15, 2007.
Chapter
numbers from the text are indicated in square brackets…. [8] means the
material is covered in chapter 8 of the textbook, [2.4] means it is covered in
section 2.4, etc. The midterms and final
will be on the material actually covered in the lectures, but the lectures
usually will be on material found in the book.
1. Background: The Laws of Physics.
Jan 8, 10, 12 The
size of the Universe. [1] The laws of motion: Epicycles [2.4];
Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler [3.1 è
3.3]. The scientific method, “laws” in physics, [3.4].
Jan 17, 19. The
laws of motion:
Jan 22, 24, 26. Radiation and spectra [5].
Jan 29. Telescopes [5]
Jan 31. MIDTERM
2.
The Solar System: Exploring the Planets.
Feb 2. The solar system [6.1].
Feb 5, 7, 9. Earth as a planet, The Moon, Mercury, Venus,
Mars [7].
Feb 12, 14, 16. The giant planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus,
Neptune). Moons and rings [8].
Feb 19, 21. Comets, asteroids and Pluto [9].
Feb 23, 26. The
origin of the Solar System [6.2è6.4]. Planets around other stars [6.5].
Feb 28. MIDTERM
3.
How Stars Work, and Where the Chemical Elements Came From.
Mar 2. Lunar eclipse. Telescopes.
Mar 5-9 Spring Break
Mar 12, 14 Planets
around other stars [6.5]. Search for life elsewhere [18].
Mar 16, 19, 21 The Sun: an example of a star [10].
Mar 23 Analyzing
starlight, the types of stars [11].
Mar 26, 28. The evolution of stars [12.2-12.4].
Mar 30, Apr 1. Dead stars: White dwarfs,
neutron stars and black holes [13].
Apr 4. MIDTERM
4.
The Universe: Where Did It Come From & Where Is It Going?
Apr 6, 9. Our Galaxy (the Milky Way) [14]. Star
formation [12.1].
Apr 11, 13. Other
galaxies, evolution of galaxies [15].
Apr 16, 18, 20. Cosmology…
the nature and evolution of the universe [16,17].
Apr 23, 25 More cosmology.
Apr 27. Review.