Undergraduate Course: Cosmology (PHYS10101)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
| Home subject area | Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This self-contained 10pt Level 10 course in S2 has a similar content to the previous Astrophysical Cosmology course. It is a core course for Astrophysics students on both BSc and MPhys programmes, and is available as an option to students on other degree programmes. No prior Astrophysics knowledge is required, although it is intended to link naturally with the 20pt level-10 Astrophsyics course in S1. Taken together, these two courses should provide students with a solid, balanced, physics-based understanding of the structure of our Universe, and our place within space and time.
The course introduces the fundamental concepts of modern cosmology. The meaning of time and space in an expanding universe are discussed, and the dynamics of the expansion, starting from a hot big bang. Observational evidence includes light elements, dark matter, the microwave background, and large scale structure. The initial conditions for the expansion require careful tuning, leading to the theory of inflation. The standard model of cosmology is introduced and elements such as dark matter and dark energy are explained.
Syllabus:
* History and basic concepts
* The Robertson-Walker metric
* Light propagation and redshifts
* Dynamics of the Universe
* Observational cosmology
* The distance ladder
* Cosmological geometry and Dark Energy
* Thermal history of the Universe
* Cosmic evolution. Formation and evolution of stars, galaxies and AGN. Re-ionisation history of the Universe
* Dark Matter. Observational evidence. Candidates and freeze-out
* Formation of structure
* Inflation. Problems with the Big Bang.Accelerated expansion. Scalar fields. Structure formation.
* The microwave background
* The Standard Model of Cosmology.Observational evidence. Dark Energy.
* Status and future observations.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | No |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
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Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
12/01/2015 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Revision Session Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
59 )
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| Additional Notes |
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
100 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | Cosmology | 2:00 | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
* Apply knowledge of core concepts in physics and astrophysics to understand cosmology;
* Formulate solutions to problems in cosmology involving new concepts with limited guidance;
* Demonstrate knowledge of the frontiers of the discipline, for example, through cases where current theories fail to explain a set of observational data;
* Locate and make use of detailed information on current topics in cosmology in the primary research literature;
* Summarise current thinking in cosmology in a variety of written and oral forms, both alone and in collaboration with others.
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Assessment Information
| 100% exam |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Ryden: Introduction to Cosmology (Addison Wesley) ISBN: 978-0805389128
Liddle: An Introduction to Modern Cosmology [2nd edn] (Wiley) ISBN: 978-0-470-84834-0
Roos: Introduction to Cosmology (Wiley) [3rd edn] ISBN: 978-0-470-84910-1
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| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Cos |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Bob Mann
Tel: (0131) 668 8338
Email: rgm@roe.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Paula Wilkie
Tel: (0131) 668 8403
Email: Paula.Wilkie@ed.ac.uk |
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