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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2022/2023

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

Undergraduate Course: Astrophysics: Stars and Planets (PHYS10111)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Physics and Astronomy CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course begins from a premise of no prior knowledge or experience of Astrophysics, but a solid background in both Physics and Mathematics. Students are introduced first to the key concepts of observational astronomy, the basic properties and structure of stars, and their evolution throughout their lifetimes. The course then examines the formation of stars and of the planets orbiting them, considering the properties of planets in the solar system and those orbiting around other stars.

The course is a core course for all Astrophysics students in Semester 1 of Senior Honours, and is designed to be accessible to students in all other degree programmes within the School of Physics & Astronomy.
The course is self-contained, but is also intended to link naturally with the Astrophysics: Galaxies and Cosmology course which follows in Semester 2. 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.
Course description Course Description (academic description): This course begins from a premise of no prior knowledge or experience of Astrophysics, but a solid background in both Physics and Mathematics. Students are introduced first to the key concepts of observational astronomy, the basic properties and structure of stars, and their evolution throughout their lifetimes. The course then examines the formation of stars and of the planets orbiting them, considering the properties of planets in the solar system and those orbiting around other stars.

The course is a core course for all Astrophysics students in Semester 1 of Senior Honours, and is designed to be accessible to students in all other degree programmes within the School of Physics & Astronomy.
The course is self-contained, but is also intended to link naturally with the Astrophysics: Galaxies and Cosmology course which follows in Semester 2. 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.

Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: ( Modern Physics (PHYS08045) OR Classical and Modern Physics (PHYS08044)) AND Thermal Physics (PHYS09061)
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Fourier Analysis and Statistics (PHYS09055) OR Introductory Fields and Waves (PHYS08053)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Astrophysics (PHYS10102)
Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2022/23, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 44, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20, Summative Assessment Hours 3, Revision Session Hours 3, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 126 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 90 %, Coursework 10 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 90% exam
10% coursework
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)3:00
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Explain the nature of stars and planets, their formation and their evolution.
  2. Apply knowledge of core concepts in physics to derive astrophysical properties of stars and planets
  3. Formulate solutions to astrophysical problems related to stars and planets, involving new concepts, with limited guidance
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of the frontiers of the discipline, for example, through cases where current theories fail to explain a set of observational data
  5. Demonstrate a high degree of independence in learning and retrieving information on stars and planets from the primary research literature, books and other sources
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsAstronomy,Stars,Planets
Contacts
Course organiserDr Trent Dupuy
Tel:
Email: Trent.Dupuy@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Louise McCarte
Tel: 0131 668 8403
Email: louise.mccarte@ed.ac.uk
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