Week of |
Topics |
Help available on |
| Sep. 3 |
Calculating the age of rocks using two-mineral formula |
Homework 1 |
| Sep. 10 |
Definition of life and nuclear-chemical evolution of the Universe |
Homework 2 |
| Sep. 17 |
Interstellar molecules, molecular spectroscopy, molecular clouds in the ISM, and formation of stars |
Homework 2 or 3 |
| Sep. 24 |
Formation of protoplanetary disks, planets and moons, habitability, calculation of temperature of planets and moons in planetary system, detection of exoplanets |
Homework 3, Practice exam 1 |
| Oct. 1 |
No recitatons this week! |
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| Oct. 8 |
Chemical evolution |
Homework 4 |
| Oct. 17 |
No recitation Tuesday; Emergence of primitive life on habitable planets and calculation of probabilities and time scales for development of long carbon chains |
Homework 4 & 5 |
| Oct. 22 |
Alternatives to carbon-based life |
Homework 5 |
| Oct. 29 |
The possibilities for life elsewhere in our Solar System |
Homework 6 |
| Nov. 5 |
No recitations this week! |
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| Nov. 12 |
Biological evolution, geological evolution, and the emergence of species diversity and intelligence |
Homework 7 |
| Nov. 19 |
Natural and human-made threats to civilization |
Homework 8 |
| Nov. 26 |
No recitations this week! |
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| Dec. 3 |
Future of life in the Solar System, completion of the Drake equation, space travel, communication with extraterrestrial civilizations |
Homework 8, Practice exam 3 |
| Dec. 10 |
No recitations this week! |
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