MPhys Physics with Theoretical Physics / Course details

This unit introduces basic concepts of astronomy and cosmology. The unit introduces the physical scale of the Universe and astronomical objects including appropriate use of astronomical units. The laws of gravity will be introduced in the context of astronomical objects and their movements, including a brief overview of Kepler’s laws. Observational aspects are discussed which includes properties of light and Blackbody radiation, a revision of geometric optics, introduction of telescope design, spectroscopy and basic concepts of detectors. The unit introduces observational concepts of distance measurements for geometric as well as brightness distances. The properties and basic life cycle of stars are discussed using the Hertzsprung Russell diagram, stellar structure, hydrostatic equilibrium, energy production including nucleosynthesis, and stellar remnants. The basic properties and structure of galaxies are introduced with galaxy type classification. Galactic rotational curves and evidence for dark matter are demonstrated. The unit concludes with a chapter on cosmology which introduces the concept of redshift, observational evidence or the Big Bang including the Hubble flow, a basic derivation of the first Friedmann equation and an evaluation of the Friedmann equation for cosmological components, as well as physics of the early universe.  

This course aims to introduce the physical properties of stars and galaxies, observational concepts of astronomy, application of basic physical laws including gravitation to explain the properties of astronomical objects and basic concepts of cosmology and observational evidence.

On completion successful students will be able to:

Use the equations which describe the evolution of the Universe to derive properties of the Universe

Describe the fundamental constituents of the Universe: baryons, dark matter and dark energy, and the observational evidence for their presence

Describe and explain the evolution of our Universe, including the evidence for the Big Bang

Explain how astronomical distances are measured

Describe the structure of the Milky Way and other galaxies 

Apply the laws of gravity to astrophysical objects 

Describe and explain the physics of detectors and telescopes including geometric optics 

Use the basic laws of physics to explain the global properties and basic evolution of stars

Use the basic laws of physics to explain the global properties and basic evolution of stars

Carry out calculations in using common astrophysical units

1. The Universe and its scale: A tour of the Universe, its scale and contents; astronomical units
2. Gravitation: Newton’s gravity, Kepler’s laws
3. Observational astronomy: the electromagnetic spectrum; blackbody radiation, the Planck, Stefan-Boltzmann and Wien laws, geometrical optics; telescopes and detectors; 
4. Distances: parallax measurements, standard candles
5. Physics of the Sun and Stars: Hertzsprung-Russell diagram;  hydrogen spectral lines and Doppler effect; Freefall and Kelvin-Helmholtz time; nucleosynthesis; basic stellar structure (hydrostatic equilibrium, equation of state); white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes
6. Galaxies:  Star formation and the interstellar medium; stellar populations; galaxy rotation curves, mass and dark matter; 
7. Cosmology:  Hubble's Law; the age of the Universe; Evidence for the Big Bang (blackbody radiation, nucleosynthesis); dark energy and the accelerating Universe.

Two one hour, live in-person lectures per week where the core material with examples will be delivered. The lectures contain interactive elements such as mentimeter quizzes. The recordings of these lectures will be linked on the course page. The lecture slides shown during lectures will be available in pdf format. There will be written lecture summary notes available online. Links to online demonstrations and online material such as videos or animations will be. There will be weekly exercises which will be delivered via an online quiz. The weekly online quiz will be submitted weekly, then marking including written feedback will be delivered via teaching assistants and unit lead. The solutions will be discussed during weekly tutorial sessions. A Piazza discussion forum is also provided where students can ask questions with answers provided by other students and the unit lead. 

* 10% Tutorial Work/attendance 

Feedback will be offered by tutors on students’ written solutions to weekly examples sheets, for which model answers will also be issued.

An introduction to modern astrophysics, Carroll, Bradley W.; Ostlie, Dale A., Pearson, 2013, ISBN: 9781292022932

Astrophysics in a nutshell, Maoz, Dan Princeton University Press, 2016, ISBN: 0691164797

Astrophysics in a nutshell, Maoz, Dan, Princeton University Press, 2007, ISBN: 0691125848

An introduction to the Sun and stars, Green, Simon F.; Jones, Mark H.; Burnell, Jocelyn Bell; Open University, Cambridge University Press, 2004, ISBN: 0521546222

An introduction to galaxies and cosmology, Jones, Mark H.; Lambourne, Robert J. A., Cambridge University Press, 2004, ISBN: 0521546230

Astronomy: a physical perspective, Kutner, Marc L., Cambridge University Press, 2003, ISBN: 0521529271

Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology, Morison, Ian, Wiley, 2008, ISBN: 0470033347

Essentials of astronomy, Motz, Lloyd; Duveen, Anneta, Columbia university press, 1977, ISBN: 0231040091

The physical universe: an introduction to astronomy, Shu, Frank H., University Science Books, 1982, ISBN: 0935702059

Introductory astronomy & astrophysics, Zeilik, Michael; Gregory, Stephen A., Thomson, Learning, 1998, ISBN: 0030062284