Origin of the Solar System

EART32201 Origin of the Solar System 10 Semester 1 Undergraduate Level 6 James Gilmour Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Last part of a Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 5.0 <div><div>In this course unit students will trace the evolution through nucleosynthesis of the galactic chemical composition from the big bang to the formation of our solar system. They will gain an insight into how the elements heavier than He were produced through stellar nucleosynthesis. They will learn how a portion of a molecular cloud collapsed to form a solar nebula in which the planets began to form, and understand how the analysis of meteorites sheds light on this time period. They will learn how a range of processes combined to produce the diverse population of planetary bodies we are familiar with today. There is an emphasis in the course on developing your own understanding, applying it in new contexts, and supporting your opinions with evidence. Students are encouraged to read around the subject, following their interests and starting from some recommended papers on the blackboard site.</div></div>  <div>In this course unit students will trace the evolution through nucleosynthesis of the galactic chemical composition from the big bang to the formation of our solar system. They will gain an insight into how the elements heavier than He were produced through stellar nucleosynthesis. They will learn how a portion of a molecular cloud collapsed to form a solar nebula in which the planets began to form, and understand how the analysis of meteorites sheds light on this time period. They will learn how a range of processes combined to produce the diverse population of planetary bodies we are familiar with today. There is an emphasis in the course on developing your own understanding, applying it in new contexts, and supporting your opinions with evidence. Students are encouraged to read around the subject, following their interests and starting from some recommended papers on the blackboard site.</div>  <div>For students to develop and be able to explain an evidence-based understanding of the processes that led to the emergence of our solar system in its current configuration, and of the bodies within it.</div>  <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" style="width:496px;">On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to: </td> <td style="width:72px;">Developed</td> <td style="width:66px;">Assessed</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:59px;">ILO 1</td> <td style="width:432px;height:59px;">Provide an up-to-date account of the properties of the solar system and of the bodies within it.</td> <td style="width:72px;height:59px;">X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:59px;">X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:76px;">ILO 2</td> <td style="width:432px;height:76px;">Critically discuss the processes proposed to have determined the properties of planetary bodies.</td> <td style="width:72px;height:76px;">X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:76px;">X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:66px;">ILO 3</td> <td style="width:432px;height:66px;">Comment on areas of uncertainty in this area, and on the things we don’t know.</td> <td style="width:72px;height:66px;">X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:66px;">X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:66px;">ILO 4</td> <td style="width:432px;height:66px;">Support their opinions in this area with evidence from scholarly reviews and primary sources.</td> <td style="width:72px;height:66px;">X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:66px;">X</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:64px;height:66px;">ILO 5</td> <td style="width:432px;height:66px;">Reflect on the benefits obtained through and pitfalls encountered by working as a team.</td> <td style="width:72px;height:66px;">X</td> <td style="width:66px;height:66px;"> </td> </tr> </tbody></table>  The lecture series takes the form of a narrative covering the events that led to the formation of our solar system and the planetary bodies within it. The narrative will reference the current evidence base and discuss areas of uncertainty. It will cover…<ul> <li>Galactic chemical evolution producing the solar system composition from the products of big bang nucleosynthesis.</li> <li>Molecular cloud collapse.</li> <li>The formation and properties of an accretion disk/solar nebula.</li> <li>The formation of dust, emergence of planetesimals and processes thereon.</li></ul> <div>20 x 1 hour lectures.Blackboard site with links to recommendations for further reading, notes, material supporting lectures and a discussion board.Students will work as a team to develop a wiki covering subjects central to the course unit.</div>  2 Written assignment (inc essay) 50% 3 Report 50% <table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:68px;"> Assessment type</td> <td style="width:86px;height:68px;"> % Weighting within unit</td> <td style="width:66px;height:68px;"> Hand out and hand in dates</td> <td style="width:94px;height:68px;"> Length </td> <td style="width:170px;height:68px;"> How, when and what feedback is provided</td> <td style="width:123px;height:68px;"> ILO tested</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:102px;"> Essay</td> <td style="width:86px;height:102px;"> 50%</td> <td style="width:66px;height:102px;"> TBD</td> <td style="width:94px;height:102px;"> As appropriate</td> <td style="width:170px;height:102px;"> Via turnitin within expected time limit</td> <td style="width:123px;height:102px;"> 1-4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:102px;height:102px;"> Essay</td> <td style="width:86px;height:102px;"> 50%</td> <td style="width:66px;height:102px;"> TBD</td> <td style="width:94px;height:102px;"> As appropriate</td> <td style="width:170px;height:102px;"> Via Turnitin within expected time limit</td> <td style="width:123px;height:102px;"> 1-4</td> </tr> </tbody></table>  Pre-requisite Units:Core second year units on the planetary science pathway of the Earth Sciences degree programme.ORFirst two years of Physics programmes. BSc (Hons) Earth and Plan Scie BSc (Hons) Earth (Geochemistr) Third Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) Ea and Pl Sci MEarthSci (Hons) Earth (Geoch) Third Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Industr MEarthSci EPS w IE (GeoChem) Third Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) Earth Abroad MEarthSci EPS w YA (Geochem) Third Year Optional MEarthSci (Hons) EPS with Res MEaSc (H) EPS w R (GeoChem) Third Year Optional The blackboard site and lecture slides provide links to the current research literature.  0 0 100 <figure class="table"><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="0"><tbody><tr><td style="height:68px;width:139px;"> </td><td style="height:68px;width:85px;">Type</td><td style="height:9.75pt;padding:0cm;width:169.5pt;" width="226">Example student activity</td><td style="height:68px;width:75px;">Total Hours</td><td style="height:68px;width:160px;">New material</td><td style="height:68px;width:104px;">Consolidation and Practice</td></tr><tr><td style="height:39px;width:139px;">Contact time (students are in front of staff)</td><td style="height:39px;width:85px;">Lecture (new material)</td><td style="height:39px;width:75px;">Mostly listening & taking notes (mostly new material)</td><td style="height:39px;width:75px;">15</td><td style="height:39px;width:160px;">15</td><td style="height:39px;width:104px;">0</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Lecture (revision/examples)</td><td>Mostly listening & taking notes (no new material- revision of course)</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td style="height:101px;width:139px;"> </td><td style="height:101px;width:85px;">Practical (new material and practice. Typically 25-50% of practical time is spent on new material)</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;">Interactive individual or group work (problem solving, experiments, watching demonstrations, describing and interpreting samples, paper-based exercises, computer-based exercises)</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;">0</td><td style="height:101px;width:160px;">0</td><td style="height:101px;width:104px;">0</td></tr><tr><td style="height:101px;width:139px;"> </td><td style="height:101px;width:85px;">Tutorial</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;">Interactive small group work</td><td style="height:101px;width:75px;">0</td><td style="height:101px;width:160px;">0</td><td style="height:101px;width:104px;">0</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Seminar/examples class</td><td>Working on and discussing questions (here: field seminar)</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Independent study time</td><td style="height:9.75pt;padding:0cm;width:131.5pt;" width="175">Pre/post lecture work</td><td>Reading own notes, re-solving examples, prep work, revisit podcast</td><td>20</td><td>0</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>Pre/post practical work/write up</td><td>Complete practical work, prep work, reading feedback</td><td>0</td><td> </td><td> </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>