| Semester 2, 2023 Online | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Mathematics, Physics & Computing |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Requisites
Pre-requisite: PHY1101
Overview
This course forms a mandatory coursework component for the Bachelor of Science (Astronomical and Space Sciences). The course provides an in-depth introduction to planetary and space sciences, including the results of space exploration of the Solar system and the discovery and characterisation of planets and planetary systems orbiting stars other than the Sun.
This course introduces planetary science, the study of our planetary system and others. Topics covered in this course include Physical Processes in the Solar System, The Terrestrial Planets, The Jovian Worlds, Minor Bodies of the Solar System, and The Formation of Planetary Systems. Additional topics develop scientific skills through the use of assignments.
Course learning outcomes
On completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Explain key concepts in planetary and exoplanetary science.
- Apply modern methods to evaluate relevant quantitative problems in planetary and exoplanetary science
- Analyse qualitative and quantitative data in planetary and exoplanetary science
- Evaluate links between relevant observations & experiments and physical theory
- Review and report scientific work relevant to research in planetary science and exoplanetary science
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | History of Planetary Science | 10.00 |
| 2. | Gravity and the Planets | 10.00 |
| 3. | The Inner Solar System | 10.00 |
| 4. | The Giant Planets | 10.00 |
| 5. | The Solar System's small bodies - Stable Objects | 10.00 |
| 6. | The Solar System's small bodies - Unstable Objects | 10.00 |
| 7. | Planet Formation | 10.00 |
| 8. | Finding Planets around Other Stars | 10.00 |
| 9. | The Exoplanet Era | 10.00 |
| 10. | The Future: The Search for Life | 10.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Report | No | 40 |
| Online forums | No | 10 |
| Time limited online examinatn | No | 50 |