Undergraduate Course: Physics of Extreme Environments (PHYS11066)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Most of the normal matter in the universe is contained in stars, planets and other massive objects, subjected to crushing pressure and high temperature. Such conditions also occur during explosions and impacts, and in nuclear energy systems. In addition, the limits of the survival of life at extreme conditions, such as, in the deep oceans and on other worlds, remains of central interest.
This course covers the nature of high-pressure and high-temperature phenomena and their origin in basic physical principles, and focuses on how new physics emerges at extreme conditions, such as under very high pressure, very high or low temperature, and at high atomic density.
The course combines principles from thermodynamics, condensed matter physics, plasma physics, astrophysics, and mechanics to understand how pressure and temperature generate unusual states of matter, crystallize exotic structures, form shock waves, produce energy via nuclear fusion, and lead to exotic requirements for life (in a microbiological context).
PoEE will discuss the transformation of simple materials subjected to extreme conditions, high-pressure crystal structures, the nature of molecules at high density, plasmas and electronic transformations, and conditions for life under extremes.
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| Course description |
* Simple solids under hydrostatic compression
* Nonlinear elasticity
* Solid-solid phase transitions; crystal structures of high-pressure phases; coordination, bonding changes
* Thermodynamics of phase transitions; Clausius-Clapeyron relation; Enthalpy and Gibbs energy criteria
* Insulator-metal transitions; high-pressure electrides
* Molecules at high density; ordering; polymerization
* Thermal effects from absolute zero to high temperature
* Melting; liquids at high density; normal vs. re-entrant melting curves
* Shock waves; Rankine-Hugoniot equations
* The plasma state; ionization; degenerate matter
* Practical equations-of-state
* Extreme life from extremophiles to astrobiology
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 40 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 12,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 6,
Online Activities 2,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Summative Assessment Hours 3,
Revision Session Hours 3,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
70 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
20% oral assignment
30% written assignment
50% Degree Examination
All components are mandatory to pass the course.
|
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
|
| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
|
| Academic year 2021/22, Part-year visiting students only (VV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
98 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
20 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
20% oral assignment
30% written assignment
50% Degree Examination
All components are mandatory to pass the course.
|
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of extreme conditions in a thermodynamic framework.
- Apply selected topics in thermodynamics, solid state, condensed matter, and plasma physics to understand the behaviour of matter at these conditions.
- Draw and interpret phase diagrams of simple materials over large range of conditions.
- Discuss the physics of phase diagrams, shock waves, nuclear fusion, molecular matter at extremes, atomic structures at high density, compressive behaviour of matter.
- Understand relevant applications ranging from astrobiology to energy systems.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Total Hours: 100
(Lecture Hours 12, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 6, Online Activities 2, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2, Summative Assessment Hours 3, Revision Session Hours 3, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 70) |
| Keywords | PoEE |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Stewart McWilliams
Tel: (0131 6)50 5273
Email: R.S.McWilliams@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Grace Wilson
Tel: (0131 6)50 5310
Email: Grace.Wilson@ed.ac.uk |
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