Astronomy 294z

The History of the Universe

Winter Quarter 2008

Tu Th 3:00-4:48 pm Hitchcock 131

Course Instructor: Prof. Barbara Ryden

Office: 4035 McPherson Lab (fourth floor), 140 W. 18th Ave.

Office Hours: Mo 9 - 11 am, Mo 3 - 5 pm, We 9 - 11 am, or by appointment

Phone: 292-4562

Email: ryden@astronomy.ohio-state.edu

The practice mini-exam is now available [click here for PDF].

The solutions to the practice mini-exam are also available [click here for PDF].

Menu: [ On-Line Info | Lectures | Problem Sets | Grading ]

On-Line Information

Course Syllabus [PDF]

(Details about grading, office hours, course schedule, classroom etiquette, and so forth.)

Roof & Planetarium Nights

(On selected nights during the quarter, there will be a planetarium show in Smith Laboratory, followed by an opportunity to view the sky through a 12-inch aperture telescope.)

Astronomy Picture of the Day

(This provides a new astronomical image each day -- the subjects range from distant galaxies to our home planet, the Earth.)

Lectures

Thursday, January 3: Early Models of the Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Prologue

Tuesday, January 8: From Earth-centered to Sun-centered Models [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 1

Thursday, January 10: Planets, Stars, and Galaxies [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 2

Tuesday, January 15: The Expanding Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: none

Thursday, January 17: The Big Bang Model [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 3

Tuesday, January 22: The HOT Big Bang Model [PowerPoint slides]

Text: none

Thursday, January 24: The Early Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 4

Tuesday, January 29: The VERY Early Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 5

Thursday, January 31: Gravity and the Expanding Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 6

Tuesday, February 5: Einstein's Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 7

Thursday, February 7: MIDTERM EXAM: For solutions, click here.

Tuesday, February 12: Dark Matter and Dark Energy [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 8

Thursday, February 14: Ages of Stars and Planets [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapters 9 and 10

Tuesday, February 19: Why is the Universe Lumpy? [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 11

Thursday, February 21: The Biggest Things in the Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: Chapter 12

Tuesday, February 26: Formation and Evolution of Galaxies [PowerPoint slides]

Text: none

Thursday, February 28: Formation and Evolution of Stars [PowerPoint slides]

Text: none

Tuesday, March 4: Formation and Evolution of Planets [PowerPoint slides]

Text: none

Thursday, March 6: The Past and Future of the Universe [PowerPoint slides]

Text: none

Problem Sets

Problem Set 1: Due Tuesday, January 15, at class time [PDF]

Solutions to Problem Set 1 [PDF]

Problem Set 2: Due Tuesday, January 22, at class time [PDF]

Solutions to Problem Set 2 [PDF]

Problem Set 3: Due Tuesday, January 29, at class time [PDF]

Solutions to Problem Set 3 [PDF]

Problem Set 4: Due Tuesday, February 5, at class time [PDF]

Solutions to Problem Set 4 [PDF]

Problem Set 5: Due Tuesday, February 19, at class time [PDF]

Solutions to Problem Set 5 [PDF]

Problem Set 6: Due Tuesday, February 26, at class time [PDF]

Solutions to Problem Set 6 [PDF]

Problem Set 7: Due Tuesday, March 4, at class time [PDF]

Solutions to Problem Set 7 [PDF]

Grading

The course grade will be determined from the results of an in-class midterm (30 percent), a final exam (35 percent), and 7 problem sets (a total of 35 percent). See the course syllabus for more details on exams, problem sets, and the makeup and grading policies.

Midterm Exam: Thursday, February 7, in class

Final Exam: Tuesday, March 11, 1:30pm - 3:18pm, Hitchcock 131

Return to: [ Astronomy Undergraduate Courses Page | Astronomy Department Homepage | Professor Ryden's Homepage ]

Updated: 2008 Mar 7 [Barbara Ryden]