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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2020/2021

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Physics and Astronomy : Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Undergraduate Course: Introductory Astrophysics (PHYS08050)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Physics and Astronomy CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis is an applied physics course focusing on the practical application of physics to understand a range of different astronomy observations. The emphasis will be on astrophysics problem solving.
Course description 1. Stars (14 hours of lectures)
- Light and Gravity
- Spectra, Blackbody radiation, Newton's Laws
- Birth to Death
- HR diagram, Main Sequence Stellar Structure, Stellar Evolution, Star Death

2. Galaxies (11 hours of lectures)
- Milky Way and beyond
- Galactic structure, galaxy morphology/formation, AGN and Black Holes

3. Cosmology (6 hours of lectures)
- Big Bang and Inflation, CMB, Nucleosynthesis, Dark Matter and Dark Energy

4. Revision (3 hours workshop)
- Mock exam and feedback
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements It is recommended that students have Higher or A-Level maths, or equivalent.
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesIt is recommended that students have Higher or A-Level maths, or equivalent.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2020/21, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 31, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 3, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 8, Online Activities 9, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2, Formative Assessment Hours 2, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Revision Session Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 137 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 67 %, Coursework 33 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 2/3 Examination
1/6 Coursework Assignment
1/6 Tutorial / Workshop Problems and Online Quizzes
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Resit Exam Diet (August)2:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand the key physical concepts underlying the properties of stars, galaxies, and the universe at large
  2. Think critically about astrophysical problems
  3. Understand how to frame astrophysical problems in mathematical terms
  4. Understand the key observed properties of stars, galaxies, and the universe at large
  5. Apply mathematical and physics techniques to solve astrophysical problems
Reading List
A course book will be provided that contains all the information that we want you to understand by the end of the course.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Additional Class Delivery Information Each week there are 2x90 minute lectures, and one teaching studio problem solving workshop and an assessed online multi-choice quiz.
KeywordsInAst
Contacts
Course organiserDr Catherine Heymans
Tel: 0131 668 8301
Email: heymans@roe.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Stephanie Blakey
Tel: (0131 6)68 8261
Email: steph.blakey@ed.ac.uk
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