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Available Courses Essay for the 'Why the Universe is the way it is?' - David Chapple 16th April to 18th June 2009: Fine-Structure Constant Modern research in cosmology takes advantage of sophisticated telescopes and powerful computers to shed light on some of the most fundamental questions about the origin, properties and destiny of the Universe. This course will explain how scientists can test the hot Big Bang model by observing objects and phenomena out to the very edge of the cosmos. Topics covered will include the first instants of the life of the Universe, the origin and growth of galactic structures, the properties and nature of dark matter and dark energy as well as some of newest, most speculative ideas about the cosmos, such as the existence of extra dimensions and of hidden Universes. Why should our Universe be the way it is ? It doesn't have to be this way, because the laws that govern it might have been different, and the values of the physical constants that determine how the laws operate could varied very small amounts, then life couldn't have existed. We examine the strange 'fine tuning' of the Universe by analysing the dependence of our existence on the narrow range that these constants are allowed to occupy and ask why it is that our Universe happens to be this way. We also consider what would happen if the values were to change, and examine the three possible explanations for this phenomenon. The course assumes no previous background in cosmology, and is open to all. All scientific ideas will be carefully introduced and explained during the course.
This broad introduction to the nature of mathematics and its uses in the modern world shows how mathematics can be used to investigate and answer questions from science, technology and everyday life. You will study a range of fundamental techniques, in particular recurrence relations; matrices and vectors; calculus; and statistics. Use of computer software (primarily Mathcad) is part of the course. The skills of communicating results and defining problems are also developed. This course and Exploring mathematics (MS221) will together give you a good foundation for higher-level mathematics and physics courses. Link to OU MST121 Course description
This course is intended for study with or immediately after Using mathematics (MST121). It builds on the concepts and techniques in Using mathematics and uses the same mathematical software. It also looks at questions underlying some of those techniques, such as why particular patterns occur in mathematical solutions and how you can be confident that a result is true. It introduces the role of reasoning in mathematics and offers opportunities to investigate mathematical problems. This course and Using mathematics will together give you a good foundation for higher-level mathematics and physics courses. Link to OU MS221 course description Solve real problems by finding out how they are transformed into mathematical models and learning the methods of solution. The models covered in this course are those of classical mechanics as well as some non-mechanical models such as heat transfer and population dynamics. And the methods you will learn include vector algebra; differential equations; calculus (including several variables and vector calculus); matrices; methods for three-dimensional problems; and numerical methods. Link to OU MST209 Course description Differential Equations are the language in which the laws of nature are expressed. Understanding properties of solutions of differential equations is fundamental to much of contemporary science and engineering. Ordinary differential equations (ODE's) deal with functions of one variable, which can often be thought of as time. Topics include: Solution of first-order ODE's by analytical, graphical and numerical methods; Linear ODE's, especially second order with constant coefficients; Undetermined coefficients and variation of parameters; Sinusoidal and exponential signals: oscillations, damping, resonance; Complex numbers and exponentials; Fourier series, periodic solutions; Delta functions, convolution, and Laplace transform methods; Matrix and first order linear systems: eigenvalues and eigenvectors; and Non-linear autonomous systems: critical point analysis and phase plane diagrams. Link to MIT 18.03 Differential Equations website The course lasts about 12 weeks and is centred around an opportunity to use the 6.4-metre and 13-metre radio telescopes to make observations of galaxies and pulsars. The operations of the 6.4-metre telescope can be followed by a live webcam (dedicated webcam). The course covers material on radio telescopes and the astronomical sources of radio emission using materials delivered online through our virtual learning environment prior to the observing sessions. Students become familiar with the use of our radio telescopes and go on to make observations of some pulsars and investigate the disc-like structure of our Milky Way galaxy and the nearby spiral galaxy M33 using a receiver tuned to the emission from hydrogen gas. The course lasts about 24 weeks and includes an opportunity to use a radio telescope remotely and to analyse data from professional radio telescopes. Course materials are delivered online through our virtual learning environment. Students who have completed this course will have:
This residential school course will give you experience of doing practical astronomy and planetary science at a well-equipped teaching observatory under professional supervision. Before the school, you will work through a course book that provides a general introduction to observational and experimental techniques in astronomy and planetary science. Link to OU SXR208 Course description This course will explore the basic nature and characteristics of the heavenly bodies - stars and planets - that comprise our galaxy and all galaxies, as well as providing an introduction to the evolution of the Universe as whole. In addition, the course will provide and introduction to the techniques used to aid our exploration of the Universe form our vantage point here on Earth. The Universe is not static, but is a continually evolving system and this evolution sometimes presents us with mysteries that we as yet cannot understand. This course will introduce some of these topics and all scientific principles will be fully explained. This course focuses on three particularly interesting areas of astronomy that are advancing very rapidly: Extra-Solar Planets, Black Holes, and Dark Energy. Particular attention is paid to current projects that promise to improve our understanding significantly over the next few years. The course explores not just what is known, but what is currently not known, and how astronomers are going about trying to find out. The Plentiful Universe: Space, Time and QuantityMany things are now known abut our Universe, but how have we gained this knowledge? This course will consider some of the intriguing methods that we can use to create our knowledge base. The methods are based on mathematical techniques which will all be taught in an approachable way from the most basic level. Scientists now have a good idea of how the Universe started, based on recently gathered evidence. This course explores the 'Big Bang' and the science that underpins it, including Einstein's theories of relativity, and the nature of the quantum world. The course is self-contained and assumes no prior knowledge of cosmology.
This course offers a wide-ranging introduction to physics and its applications, covering classical mechanics; thermal physics and fluids; fields, waves and electromagnetism; relativity; and quantum physics (including solids, atoms, nuclei and particles). Link to OU S207 Course description Physics I is a first-year physics course which introduces students to classical mechanics. This course has a hands-on focus, and approaches mechanics through take-home experiments. Topics include: kinematics, Newton's laws of motion, universal gravitation, statics, conservation laws, energy, work, momentum, and special relativity. Link to MIT 8.01X Course website 8.01 is a first-semester freshman physics class in Newtonian Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, and Kinetic Gas Theory. In addition to the basic concepts of Newtonian Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, and Kinetic Gas Theory, a variety of interesting topics are covered in this course: Binary Stars, Neutron Stars, Black Holes, Resonance Phenomena, Musical Instruments, Stellar Collapse, Supernovae, Astronomical observations from very high flying balloons (lecture 35), and you will be allowed a peek into the intriguing Quantum World. Link to MIT 8.01 Course website This course provides an introduction to weather patterns and events around the world, explaining the main drivers that determine the weather on a seasonal and daily basis. The course uses the approaches taken by physicists, Earth scientists, biologists and chemists to develop our understanding of planet Earth. This includes Earth’s materials and life-forms, the wider spheres of the Solar System and our Galaxy, and the physical laws that govern all matter in the Universe. There are twelve blocks of study: The first two are introductory and deal with water and with global warming. The following five deal with taking apart everything – from the Universe down – to see how it is made; the next four reconstruct things to see how they work; and the final block looks at life in the Universe. Link to OU S103 Course description (S104)
3 courses in Study Skills I've attended 'Face to Face' (f2f) and covers similar material as the Study Skills - OnLine Study Skills Welcome to the Study Skills course Firstly please familiarise yourself with the course website using the guide below. This will explain how the course website works and what you can do with it. I hope you enjoy participating in this course. Geology combines all the basic sciences in a broad-ranging discipline for studying the way Planet Earth works. This course explains the origin of the Earth, its composition, continents and oceans, mountains, earthquakes, the great diversity of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, the history of life, and much more. No prior academic knowledge is assumed. Each session includes practical work with specimens, and opportunity for discussion. Mankind faces important geological issues: natural disasters, species diversity, global warming: these and others are included in the course. Where else can you find such Geological diversity within a small country? This course will focus on regions that illustrate our complex geological history from early PreCambrian to Quaternary times, building on (but not assuming) knowledge from the course 'Introducing Geological Science'. This is the report for the 'Introduction to Radio Astronomy' offered by Manchester University and ran by Tim O'Brien. | This is a private website that I use to host the PLEs (Personal Learning Environment) for the courses that I'm undertaking with Oxford University, Open University, Manchester University - Jodrell, OpenCourseWare MIT, OpenYale with most courses hosted at AcademicEarth, towards a degree in AstroPhysics.  Calendar
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