Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 Hill Book (Class of 2023) 
    
2019-2020 Hill Book (Class of 2023) [ARCHIVED HILL BOOK]

PHY 322 - Astrophysics and Cosmology

Three Credits
Spring Semester

Introduction to the structure of stars and hydrostatic equilibrium; stellar nuclear fusion; stellar evolution, the ultimate fate of stars, stellar super-winds and supernovae; stellar remnants: white dwarfs, neutron stars and degeneracy pressure; x-ray sources; black holes and accretion disks; how relativity predicts the expansion of the universe; quasars and gamma ray bursts; modern cosmology: microwave background radiation; dark matter; vacuum energy; the formation of galaxies from gravitational instability; primordial synthesis of the elements; the Big Bang as a test of our high energy physics theories.

Prerequisite(s)/Restriction(s): PHY 121 -PHY 122 , and PHY 221 .