- UCAS course code
- F3FA
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Master of Physics (MPhys)
MPhys Physics with Astrophysics
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Duration: 4 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: F3FA / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Scholarships available
Accredited course
- Typical A-level offer: A*A*A including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: A*AA including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: AAA including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 38 points overall with 7,7,6 at HL, including specific requirements
Course unit details:
Exoplanets
| Unit code | PHYS10692 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 1 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
Physics of the Solar System
Pre/co-requisites
| Unit title | Unit code | Requirement type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics 1 | PHYS10071 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
| Introduction to Astrophysics and Cosmology | PHYS10191 | Pre-Requisite | Compulsory |
Aims
To show how many Solar System phenomena may be understood in terms of the physics already known to first year students.
Learning outcomes
ILO 1 - Explain the origin of concepts of date and time in motions within the solar system.
ILO 2 - Apply dynamical principles to understand gravitational phenomena in the solar system, including orbits, space travel and tides.
ILO 3 - Describe key features of the energy generation and internal structure of the Sun and explain how these can be determined from observation.
ILO 4 - Describe and use techniques to determine the internal structure of planets and physical properties of their surfaces and atmospheres.
ILO 5 - Explain current ideas for the origin of the solar system
Syllabus
1. Overview of the Solar System
General description and inventory. Coordinates and time keeping. Date & time in the solar system
2. Gravity
Kepler's laws; energy; orbits; space travel; tides.
3. The Sun
Plasma and magnetism; nuclear energy and solar neutrinos; helioseismology.
4. Planetary atmospheres
Origins; equilibrium temperatures; pressure and temperature profiles; atmospheric escape; composition; clouds; climate.
5. Planetary surfaces
Impact craters. Isotope dating.
6. Planetary interiors
Moments of inertia; seismology; volcanoes & plate tectonics; heating & cooling; magnetic fields.
7. The formation of the solar system
Interstellar origins; planet formation; future evolution.
Teaching and learning methods
The course content is delivered via lectures (with notes and recordings available online) and interactive sessions in which solutions to problems will be discussed. Weekly online quizzes with automatic feedback will help with embedding course content. Weekly formative problem sheets with model solutions are also presented online.
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 100% |
Feedback methods
Students will receive feedback on a number of optional problem sheets.There will also be weekly quizzes to provide feedback on understanding.
Recommended reading
An Introduction to the Solar System, revised ed., 2011, Rothery, McBride & Gilmour (Cambridge University Press)
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 24 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 76 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Timothy O'Brien | Unit coordinator |