ASP3051 Relativity and cosmology
Faculty of Science
ASP3051 Relativity and cosmology is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Science, offered in 2020 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2020
- Semester 1
- Clayton
This is the 2020 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ASP3051
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ASP3051
No unit lists ASP3051 as a prerequisite in the 2020 handbook.
Overview
Newtonian physics and Einstein's special theory of relativity, the geometry of space-time, the Minkowski metric, Lorentz transformations, k-calculus, and four-vectors; the physics of space-time, momentum and energy; classical paradoxes; general relativity, including other metrics, black holes and gravitational waves; cosmology, including relevant observations and the cosmic background radiation; the expansion and evolution of the universe, primordial elements and recent progress.
Offerings in 2020
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | On campus |
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Describe the reasons for supplanting Newtonian physics with relativity theory;
- 2
Use special relativity to predict the behaviour of relativistic particles;
- 3
Discuss the relativistic paradoxes in an informed way;
- 4
Discuss the experimental and theoretical foundations of general relativity;
- 5
Discuss our current understanding of the beginnings, nature, and fate of the Universe;
- 6
Evaluate the current uncertainties in cosmology;
- 7
Analyse physical problems geometrically, thinking logically in a theory at odds with common experience;
- 8
Use mathematics to solve complex problems;
- 9
Interpret complex mathematical results and communicate them in written form.
Workload and teaching
The workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours spread across the semester (roughly 12 hours per week) - approximately an even mixture of attendance at scheduled activities and self-scheduled study time. Learning activities comprise a mixture of instructor directed, peer directed and self-directed learning, which includes face-to-face and online engagement.
Where it fits
ASP3051 is part of 3 areas of study in the 2020 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Associate Professor Duncan Galloway
- Unit Coordinators
- Associate Professor Duncan Galloway
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ASP3051?
ASP3051 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ASP3051 offered?
In 2020, ASP3051 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
Which majors and minors include ASP3051?
ASP3051 is part of Astrophysics and Physics.