This course will present a survey of the universe, starting with the earth and planets, and then moving outwards to larger and larger scales; to comets, stars nebulae, galaxies and finally the structure and evolution of the universe as a whole. The lab for this course will give students hands-on experience making astronomical observations. This experience will range from the construction and use of a sundial to making observations of the planets and stars with high quality telescopes. Celestial observations may include both on campus observations and off-campus (dark-sky) observations.

Required Texts:
Kuhn. In Quest of the Universe. (2nd edition)

Grading and Course Requirements
Midterms (best 2 of 3) 47%
Final 33%
Lab 20%

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GEOLOGY 105Lg
Planet Earth
Professors Henyey and Jordan
MWF, 2:00 - 2:50

This course description belongs to Professor Henyey.

This course examines the geologic structure and evolution of the planet earth.

Grading: 650 points total
* 2 Midterms: 100 points each
* Final: 175 points
* Lab: 200 points
* Field Trip: 50 points
* JEP: 25 points

Texts
* Tarbuck and Lutgens. Earth, 6th edition. Prentice Hall.
* Busch, Richard M. The Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology, 6th edition. [Study Guide]

Note: For the most recent information about this course, see the instructor's website.

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GEOLOGY 107Lg
Oceanography
Professor Douglas
MWF, 10:00 - 10:50

This course introduces students to oceanographic and geologic processes active at the Earth's surface and their relationship to the human environment. Processes include plate tectonics, oceanic and atmospheric circulation, the hydrologic cycle, marine sedimentation, marine biology, and physical aspects of climate including Global Change issues. The course also surveys relationships between oceanographic processes and the availability of mineral/energy resources and pollution problems.

Please contact the department for reading and assignments list.

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GEOLOGY 108Lg
Crisis of a Planet
Professor Anderson
TTh, 11:00 - 12:30

This course will explore the impact of Earth's natural evolution on civilization and the impact of our growing population on the Earth's ecosystems and resources. As leaders of tomorrow, students of today face unprecedented challenges that include both ethical and technical issues regarding our planet and its environment.

The Earth is a "restless" planet. Without volcanism and earthquakes, it would not have evolved to a state supportive of biologic life. Yet, the success of our species is leading to an increasing number of natural disasters. From floods to earthquakes to landslides, such forms of planetary instability are natural. They have always occurred but can become disasters when we fail to understand what is natural.

The course will consider how the Earth came to be where it is today and how humans fit into its natural evolution. Human population trends are increasing geometrically. Although it took two million years for our population to achieve the first billion mark, today our population grows by a billion every decade. As result, our impact on Earth is becoming severe with remarkable effects on the balance of nature in areas such as global warming, acid rain and pollution, and high atmosphere ozone depletion. Other topics include the Earth's diminished ability to provide through its water, mineral, and energy resources.

Because of such issues, students of today and our leaders to tomorrow need to be educated about the Earth, including the natural aspects of its instability and the ways that humans are unnaturally affecting its continued evolution. Are we to be part of the problem or part of the solution? These are global problems that carry into every corner of the world.

Grading
The assignment of grades will be based on two midterms and a final for the lecture portion and weekly exercises, three writing projects, and a final for the laboratory portion of the course. Also included is a two-day field trip with an overnight campout. Students that are unable to attend the field trip are asked to submit a term paper.

Texts
* Geology and the Environment (Authors: Pipkin and Trent)
* Lab Manual: Laboratory Exercises in Environmental Geology (Author: Blatt)

Note: For the most recent information regarding this course, see the instructor's website.

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GEOLOGY 130Lg
The Nature of Scientific Inquiry
Professors Lund and Paterson
TTh, 9:30 - 11:00

This course is designed for anyone with an interest in science, and will consider (1) our current knowledge of selected fields in the physical sciences (relativity, quantum mechanics, chaos theory, and planetary/solar system development); (2) the nature of scientific inquiry which has led us to that current knowledge, and (3) the relationship of scientific inquiry to other aspects of human knowledge and experience. We will explore current scientific ideas, how these ideas have evolved - how new scientific paradigms (broad scientific hypotheses) are developed (and older paradigms junked), and what are the limitations of science. By the end of the semester, we hope that all students acquire a more 'modern' scientific view of the natural world around us, both what we know and what we don't know, and also develop a more questioning attitude with regard to the learning process and observation of the world around us.

Required Texts:
* Gamow, G., Mr. Tompkins in Paperback, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1965, 1993.
* Gleick, J., Chaos - Making a New Science, Penguin Books, 1987.
* Gribbin, J., In Search of Schrodinger's Cat, Bantam Press, 1984.
* Hatton, J., and P. B. Plouffe, Science and its Ways of Knowing, Prentice Hall Inc., 1997.
* Hawking, S., A Brief History of Time, Bantam Press, 1988.
* Wolpert, L., The Unnatural Nature of Science, Harvard University Press, 1992.

Grading:
* 3 Midterm Exams (20% each, drop lowest score, no makeups) 40%
* Final Exam: 30%
* Discussion/Lab (participation, essays) 30%

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PHYSICS 100Lxg
Conceptual Physics
Professor Kresin
MWF, 11:00 - 11:50

This course description belongs to Professor Haas. Please contact the Physics department for Professor Kresin's course description.

This course presents some of the advances in modern physics in the 20th century from a conceptual point of view. It is intend as a cultural enrichment course rather than a technical course. It is primarily addressed to non-specialists, but would also be enriching for students majoring in technical fields. Topics will range from the Big Bang cosmology of the Universe to the microscoping structures of matter including atoms, nuclei, quarks, superstrings, black holes, superconductivity, etc. Attempts will be made to explain the deeper theories of Physics by making analogies and relating them to commonly encountered events in daily life. The lab for this course will help to demonstrate the relationship between concepts learned in lecture.

Grading and Course Requirements:
* Homework and Reading 15%
* Lab 20%
* First Midterm 20%
* Second Midterm 20%
* Final 25%

Note: For the another PHYS 100Lxg course, see the next entry.

PHYSICS 100Lxg
Conceptual Physics
Professor Feinberg
TTh, 2:00 - 3:20

Please contact the department for course description.