College/University

Arts and Sciences; Eastern Michigan University

Code

DH

Source of Guidelines/Standards

Michigan State Board of Education, August 2002

Program/Subject Area

Earth/Space Science

A.

uses the Michigan Curriculum Framework K-12 Science Content Standards and Benchmarks as the critical foundation for teacher preparation, ensuring that earth/space science teachers have the content knowledge and the ability to teach this curriculum; and

The content and ability for the critical foundation of earth science teachers are ensured by the sequence of courses taught in the minor:

Lithosphere: ESSC 110 The Dynamic Earth System; ESSC 111 The Earth System Through Time; ESSC 229 Rocks and Minerals.

Atmosphere: ESSC 212 Weather, Climate And The Earth System.

Hydrosphere: ESSC 320 Oceanography.

Space: ASTR 205 Principles of Astronomy

The content and ability for the critical foundation of earth science teachers are ensured by the sequence of courses taught in the major:

Lithosphere: ESSC 110 The Dynamic Earth System; ESSC 111 The Earth System Through Time; ESSC 229 Rocks and Minerals; ESSC 331 Paleontology; ESSC 325 Geomorphology or ESSC 370 Glacial Geology.

Atmosphere: ESSC 212 Weather, Climate And The Earth System and ESSC 324 Weather

Hydrosphere: ESSC 320 Oceanography.

Space: ASTR 205 Principles of Astronomy

B.

develops an understanding of the interconnectedness of all science, including biology, chemistry, and physics, and relates this understanding to the teaching of the earth/space sciences.

Same as major.

All earth science majors are required to take the following biology, chemistry and physics courses in regard to their General Education Requirements:  BIOL 110, CHEM 121, CHEM 122 and PHY 221. The relationship between these disciplines and earth science is made clear in the earth science courses listed in “A” above, which emphasizes a systems approach.

The preparation of earth/space science teachers will enable them to:

1.0

understand earth/space science as the study of the earth and its processes and of the interaction between the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere and the relationship of the earth to the rest of the universe, which shall include such topics as the following:

1.1

Physical Geology

1.1.1

earth and solar system

B

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and ASTR 205 and expanded upon, especially in terms of the Milankovich cycles, in ESSC 111, 212, and 320.

1.1.2

minerals and rocks

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in both the lecture and lab components of ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111 and ESSC 229.  Aspects addressed include the definitions of minerals and rocks, the differences between genetic and descriptive classification schemes for these materials, and techniques employed to identify these materials.

1.1.3

volcanic rocks and processes

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 229.  Aspects addressed include the sources of magma, the compositions of magmas, the various materials produced by volcanoes, the styles of volcanic eruptions, the type of volcanoes, the relationship between volcanoes and the origin and maintenance of the Earth’s atmosphere, and the relationship between Plate Tectonics and volcanism.

1.1.4

weathering and sedimentary rocks

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111. Aspects addressed include basic kinds of physical and chemical weathering that are possible given the compositions of earth materials and the make-up of the Earth System, sedimentary processes, sedimentary rock classification schemes, sedimentary rock identification techniques, and earth history aspects of sedimentary rocks.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111 and ESSC 325 (elective). Aspects addressed include basic kinds of physical and chemical weathering that are possible given the compositions of earth materials and the make-up of the Earth System, sedimentary processes, sedimentary rock classification schemes, sedimentary rock identification techniques, and earth history aspects of sedimentary rocks.

1.1.5

metamorphic rocks

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 229.  Aspects addressed include the principle agents of metamorphism, the various changes that can occur to a rock during metamorphism and how these changes occur, classification of metamorphic rocks. Identification of metamorphic rocks, the difference between contact and regional metamorphism, the concept of metamorphic facies, the relationship between Plate Tectonics and metamorphism, and metamorphism as a process for releasing carbon locked in limestone back to the atmosphere.

1.1.6

soil formation

B

Concepts are covered in ESSC 110.  Aspects addressed include soil as a “nexus” of the Earth System, the soil profile, processes involved in soil formation, controls on soil formation, classification of soils, and characteristics and locations of the major soil types.

Concepts are covered in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 325 (elective).  Aspects addressed include soil as a “nexus” of the Earth System, the soil profile, processes involved in soil formation, controls on soil formation, classification of soils, and characteristics and locations of the major soil types.

1.1.7

mass wasting

C

Concepts are covered in ESSC 110.  Aspects addressed include the definition of mass wasting, conditions required to have mass wasting events, and conditions – including those caused by humans – that increase the probability of mass wasting events.

Concepts are covered in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 325 (elective).  Aspects addressed include the definition of mass wasting, conditions required to have mass wasting events, and conditions – including those caused by humans – that increase the probability of mass wasting events.

1.1.8

geological time, relative and absolute dating

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include the difference between relative and absolute dating, the principles involved in relative dating and how these principles were applied to construct the Relative Geologic Time Scale, the Eras, Periods, and Epochs of the Geologic Time Scale, the chemistry behind radiometric dating, and other techniques used for absolute dating, and the concept of “deep time”.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111, ESSC 325 (elective) and in ESSC 370 (elective).  Aspects addressed include the difference between relative and absolute dating, the principles involved in relative dating and how these principles were applied to construct the Relative Geologic Time Scale, the Eras, Periods, and Epochs of the Geologic Time Scale, the chemistry behind radiometric dating, and other techniques used for absolute dating, and the concept of “deep time”. Ice flow indicators and glacial stratigraphy and emphasized in ESSC 370.

1.1.9

hydrologic cycle

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include the processes involved in the hydrogeologic cycle and the physical states of water, amount of water in various parts of the cycle at any given time, how trees impact the cycle, how the cycle works to purify water, and how this cycle serves to connect all components of the Earth System.  Fresh water use, supply and demand, and future needs are also addressed. 

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111 and ESSC 325 (elective).  Aspects addressed include the processes involved in the hydrogeologic cycle and the physical states of water, amount of water in various parts of the cycle at any given time, how trees impact the cycle, how the cycle works to purify water, and how this cycle serves to connect all components of the Earth System.  Fresh water use, supply and demand, and future needs are also addressed.  Watershed environments are emphasized in ESSC 325.

1.1.10

groundwater

C

Concepts are covered in ESSC 110 (lab and lecture). Aspects addressed include the definition of groundwater, the concepts of porosity and permeability (including ways in which each can be developed in earth materials), definitions of basic ground-water terms (e.g., aquifer, static water table, ground-water recharge and discharge), basics of springs, wells and ground-water flow, sources of ground-water contamination, and relationship between groundwater and cave formation.

Concepts are covered in ESSC 110 (lab and lecture), and expanded upon in ESSC 325 (elective), especially karst hydrogeology, and ESSC 370 Aspects addressed include the definition of groundwater, the concepts of porosity and permeability (including ways in which each can be developed in earth materials), definitions of basic ground-water terms (e.g., aquifer, static water table, ground-water recharge and discharge), basics of springs, wells and ground-water flow, sources of ground-water contamination, and relationship between groundwater and cave formation. The importance of groundwater in regard to glacial processes is emphasized in ESSC 370.

1.1.11

glaciers/glaciation

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include definition of a glacier, conditions needed to form a glacier, basic glacial terms (e.g., plastic zone, zone of ablation), glacial erosional and depositional features and how to interpret these features on topographic maps, kinds of glacial sediment, interpretation of glacial geologic maps, and Ice Ages in earth history and their relationship to global climate change in the context of the Earth System.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111, ESSC 325 (elective), and especially in ESSC 370 (elective).  Aspects addressed include definition of a glacier, conditions needed to form a glacier, basic glacial terms (e.g., plastic zone, zone of ablation), glacial erosional and depositional features and how to interpret these features on topographic maps, kinds of glacial sediment, interpretation of glacial geologic maps, and Ice Ages in earth history and their relationship to global climate change in the context of the Earth System.

1.1.12

deserts/desertification

B

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111. Aspects addressed include relationships between atmospheric circulation and desert belts, location of major deserts, and processes promoting desertification.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111 and in ESSC 325 (elective). Aspects addressed include relationships between atmospheric circulation and desert belts, location of major deserts, and processes promoting desertification.

1.1.13

crusted deformation

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include the various types of crustal deformation (folding, faulting), interpretation of crustal deformation using bedrock geologic maps, and the relationship between Plate Tectonics and crustal deformation.

1.1.14

earthquakes/mountain building

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include relationship between earthquakes and faults, type of movement along faults, aftershocks and foreshocks, terms such as epicenter, focus, seismogram, and seismograph, different kinds of waves produced by earthquakes, and how they can be used to locate the epicenter of an earthquake, earthquake magnitude and intensity, factors that influence the intensity of a particular earthquake, ways in which earthquakes can produce destruction and loss of life, long-term vs. short-term earthquake prediction, and relationship between earthquakes and Plate Tectonics.

1.1.15

folding

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include the various kinds of folds (anticlines vs. synclines), interpreting folds on bedrock geologic maps, and the relationship between Plate Tectonics and folding.

1.1.16

plate tectonics/ocean floor

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111, ESSC 229, and ESSC 320.  Aspects addressed include relationships between trenches, ocean ridges, rises, and lithospheric plate boundaries, location and composition of the lithosphere and asthenosphere, how the hypothesis of sea floor spreading was tested, the names and definitions of the major kinds of plate boundaries, and interpretation of plate tectonic maps.

1.1.17

mineral resources

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111 and ESSC 229.  Aspects addressed include the major types of mineral ore, fossil fuels, relationship between plate tectonics and mineral resources.

1.1.18

earth’s interior

C

Same as major.

Concepts are covered ESSC 110.  Aspects addressed include the structure and composition of earth’s interior, the ways in which this is known, and convection cells within the mantle.

1.1.19

planetary geology

B

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include detailed comparisons between Earth System, Mars System and Venus System.

1.2

Historical Geology

1.2.1

history of geology

B

Same as major.

The principles, theories and ideas founded by William Smith, James Hutton, Charles Lyell, Louis Agassiz,  Alfred Wegener and Charles Theis, and others, are introduced in ESSC 110 and  in ESSC 111.  In addition, many of their accomplishments are exemplified, including relative and absolute dating, the geologic time scale, fossil formation, causes for great extinction’s, continental glaciation,  the role of plate tectonics throughout earth history, ground-water quantification, and evidence for catastrophes to imperceptible processes that have shaped the earth and its environments.

1.2.2

depositional processes and sedimentary rocks

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110.  Aspects covered include river, wind, wave, current, glacial and gravity processes.  Cementing agents and lithification.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and emphasized in ESSC 325 (elective).  Aspects covered include river, wind, wave, current, glacial and gravity processes.  Cementing agents and lithification.

1.2.3

fossils and fossil records through time

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111.  Aspects addressed include the nature of the fossil record, fossilization processes, ways to generate and test hypotheses using the fossil record, including those dealing with evolution, and the history of life through time.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111 and ESSC 331  Aspects addressed include the nature of the fossil record, fossilization processes, ways to generate and test hypotheses using the fossil record, including those dealing with evolution, and the history of life through time.

1.2.4

global tectonics through time

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and emphasized in ESSC 111. Aspects addressed include a brief review of plate tectonic processes, a detailed discussion of the main characteristics of mountain belts, a global overview of the major paleogeographic changes of the last 4.6 billion years, with particular regard to the north American continent.

1.2.5

origin of the earth and Precambrian era

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and emphasized in ESSC 111. Aspects addressed include the Big Bang, origin of the solar system, origin of the earth, outgassing and formation of the oceans, definition, subdivisions and age boundaries of the Precambrian, crustal evolution, shields and cratons; main types of rocks, development of the cratons, Precambrian plate tectonics, atmosphere and oceans, Precambrian life.

1.2.6

Paleozoic era

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and emphasized in ESSC 111. Aspects addressed include definition, subdivisions and age boundaries of the Paleozoic, paleogeography, main orogenetic events of the Paleozoic, main types of rocks, most important mountain building events in North America, Sloss sequences, depositional environments, Paleozoic life.

1.2.7

Mesozoic era

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and emphasized in ESSC 111. Aspects addressed include definition, subdivisions and age boundaries of the Mesozoic, paleogeography, main orogenetic events of the Mesozoic, main types of rocks, most important mountain building events in North America, Sloss sequences, depositional environments, Mesozoic life.

1.2.8

Cenozoic era

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and emphasized in ESSC 111. Aspects addressed include definition, subdivisions and age boundaries of the Cenozoic, paleogeography, main orogenetic events of the Cenozoic, main types of rocks, most important mountain building events in North America, Sloss sequences, depositional environments, Cenozoic life.

1.3

Oceanography

1.3.1

origins of the continents, oceans, basins, and plate tectonics

C

Same as major.

Concept are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 111 and ESSC 320. Topics presented in ESSC 320 include the origin of the earth, outgassing and formation of the oceans, the earth’s internal structure, continental drift, marine magnetic anomalies and seafloor spreading, the theory of plate tectonics, plate boundaries, hot spots, plate boundaries and hot spot locations in the modern ocean.

1.3.2

ocean basin physiography

C

Same as major

Students learn about the topography of the seafloor in ESSC 111, where they learn some of the most important features located in the modern ocean basins. Key concepts are: definition of bathymetry and physiography; the hypsographic curve; subdivision of the seafloor in continental margins and deep-ocean basins.

1.3.2.1

sea floor

C

Same as major.

Concept are introduced in ESSC 110, ESSC 111 and expanded upon in ESSC 320. Topics presented include Classifying sediment by particle size, classifying sediment by source: terrngenous sediments, biogenous sediments,

1.3.2.2

sediments

C

Same as major.

Concept are introduced in ESSC 110, ESSC 111 and expanded upon in ESSC 320. Topics presented include Classifying sediment by particle size, classifying sediment by source: terrngenous sediments, biogenous sediments, hydrogenous sediments, cosmogenous sediments; sediment mixtures.  The distribution of marine sediments: sediments of continental margins, sediments of deep-ocean basins; turbidites, clays, oozes. Hydrogenous materials: manganese nodules, phosphorite nodules, evaporates.

1.3.2.3

explorations

B

Same as major.

Students learn about the history and evolution of marine science from the first voyages to modern oceanography in ESSC 111. Key concept are: early explorations, science for voyaging, voyaging for science, the first scientific expeditions; oceanography in the twentieth century: polar expeditions, Ocean Drilling Program, oceanographic institutions, satellite oceanography. Modern bathymetric techniques: Multibeam Systems; Satellite Altimetry.

1.3.3

ocean chemistry

C

Same as major.

Concept are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 320. Topics presented include: the water molecule; the dissolving power of water; characteristics of seawater: salinity, the components of salinity, the source of the ocean’s salts, the principle of constant proportions, determining salinity, chemical equilibrium and residence times, mixing time, conservative and nonconservative constituents, dissolved gases, the pH of the oceans, acid-base balance; carbon dioxide as a buffer.

1.3.4

ocean physics

B

Same as major.

Concept are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 320. Topics presented include: water and heat, heat and temperature, heat capacity, water temperature and density, freezing water, evaporating water, global thermostatic effects, thermostatic effects of ice, thermostatic effects of water and air movement, temperature, salinity and water density, density structure of the ocean, density stratification and water masses, vertical water movement, an overview of ocean surface conditions, refraction, light, and sound; light in the ocean; scattering and absorption; water colors; sound in the ocean; SOFAR layers and shadow zones; SOFAR layers and climate change.

1.3.5

circulation

B

Same as major.

Concept are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 320. Topics presented include: interrelationships between atmospheric circulation, wind patters and global surface ocean circulation. Surface currents: transverse currents, countercurrents and undercurrents, western and eastern boundary currents, exceptional surface currents, geostrophic gyres, currents within gyres, effects of surface currents on climate. Upwelling and downwelling, equatorial upwelling, coastal upwelling, downwelling, langmuir circulation, El Nino, La Nina. Deep ocean circulation: thermohaline circulation, water masses, the temperature-salinity diagram, formation and downwelling of deep water, thermohaline circulation patterns; thermohaline flow and surface flow:, the global heat connection.

1.3.6

climate change

C

Same as major.

Students learn about the key role played by the ocean in  ESSC 111 in regard to past, present and future climate changes. Key concepts presented include: oceans and climate, ocean sediments as historical records; deep-ocean cores, reconstructing past changes in sea level, sea surface temperatures and thermohaline circulation. The oceanic record of climate change: the global cooling trend of the last 70 million years, ice ages of the last 3 million years, ice rafted debris and millennial-scale climate changes.

1.3.7

ocean waves and beaches

C

Same as major.

Concept are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 320. Topics presented include: ocean Waves, classifying waves, disturbing force, free waves, forced waves, restoring force, wavelength, deep-water waves, shallow-water waves, wind waves, swell formation and dispersion, factors affecting wind wave development, interference and rogue waves, wind waves approaching shore, wave refraction, wave diffraction, wave reflection, internal waves, storm surges, seiches, tsunami and seismic sea waves, tides and the forces that generate them. coasts, coast and shore, classifying coasts, beaches, the composition and slope of beaches, beach shape, minor beach features, rip currents, large-scale features of secondary coasts, sand spits and bay mouth bars barrier islands and sea islands, coasts formed by biological activity, coral reefs, coral reef types, mangrove coasts estuaries, classification of estuaries, characteristics of estuaries, lagoons and wetlands characteristics of U.S. coasts.

1.3.8

biological oceanography

C

Same as major.

Students are introduced to ocean habitats in ESSC 111 by reviewing the properties of the world’s oceans that produce these special environments for life. Some of the characteristic that enable organisms to live in the sea are also explained.

Key concept presented are: a working definition of life, matter, energy, biogeochemical cycles, limiting factors, evolution and life in the ocean, classification of oceanic life, physical factors affecting marine life, classifications of the marine environment.

1.3.8.1

plankton and plants

C

Same as major.

In ESSC 111 students learn about marine plants and animal plankton, how they are the wanderers and drifters of the sea, and that they exist in vast swarms, limited in their mobility. The role of phytoplanktonic organisms as primary producers is emphasized. Key concepts presented include: the capture and flow of energy, obtaining energy by respiration, feeding (trophic) relationships, primary productivity, measuring primary productivity, factors that limit productivity, plankton, collecting and studying plankton, phytoplankton, plankton productivity, plankton productivity through the seasons, zooplankton, plankton and food webs.

1.3.8.2

marine life

C

Same as major.

Students examine representative selected groups of swimmers and benthic organisms in ESSC 111. Key concepts are: introducing the invertebrates, phylum porifera, phylum cnidaria, the worm phyla, phylum mollusca, phylum arthropoda, phylum echinodermata, the chordates, invertebrate chordates, vertebrate chordates, the problems of fishes, movement, shape, and propulsion, maintenance of level, gas exchange, osmotic considerations, feeding and defense, marine communities, organisms within communities, the influence of physical, and biological factors, competition, growth rate and carrying capacity in communities, distribution of organisms, in a community, change in marine communities examples of marine communities.

1.3.8.3

resources

C

Same as major.

Students review many of the ways in which humans use oceanic resources and affect the ocean environment in ESSC 111.  Aspect addressed include: classes of marine resources, physical resources, petroleum and natural gas, methane hydrate, magnesium and magnesium compounds, salts, manganese nodules, phosphorite deposits, marine energy, waves and currents, biological resources, fishery mismanagement, “madhouse economics”, aquaculture and mariculture, nonextractive resources.

1.4

Meteorology

1.4.1

weather

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 212.  Courses explain and forecast weather patterns, i.e., air masses, fronts, and severe weather systems.  Use of maps, instruments, radar, and satellite images are applied so as to understand daily weather patterns.

1.4.2

climate

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 212.  Courses explain the various elements of long-term climatic change, including the histories of changing climates and global warming.  Students learn to interpret climatic data, like annual temperature and precipitation. The role of Plate Tectonics, mountains, the ocean, ocean currents, and astronomical events are also covered and emphasized.  The role that climate plays in regard to soil, karst, watershed processes and the water cycle are also emphasized.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 212, ESSC 324, ESSC 325 (elective) and ESSC 370 (elective).  Courses explain the various elements of long-term climatic change, including the histories of changing climates and global warming.  Students learn to interpret climatic data, like annual temperature and precipitation. The role of Plate Tectonics, mountains, the ocean, ocean currents, and astronomical events are also covered and emphasized.  The role that climate plays in regard to soil, karst, watershed processes and the water cycle are also emphasized.

1.4.3

atmospheric circulation

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 212.  The major patterns of atmospheric circulation are described and explained in these courses; such as prevailing winds of the earth, the jet stream, and other winds aloft; in addition to the understanding of the development and movement of air masses, such as continental polar, and maritime tropical.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 212 and emphasized in ESSC 324.  The major patterns of atmospheric circulation are described and explained in these courses; such as prevailing winds of the earth, the jet stream, and other winds aloft; in addition to the understanding of the development and movement of air masses, such as continental polar, and maritime tropical.

1.5

Astronomy

1.5.1

celestial spheres and constellations

C

Same as major.

Concepts are taught in ASTR 205, which also include motions in regard to the earth-moon system.

1.5.2

seasons, solstices, equinoxes

C

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 212 and ASTR 205.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ESSC 212, ESSC 324 and ASTR 205.

1.5.3

natural laws

C

Same as major.

Natural laws, including the Speed of Light, Laws of Thermodynamics, Density, Gravity and Relativity are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ASTR 205.

1.5.3.1

Copernicus

C

Same as major.

The ideas of the universe, gravity, and earth’s place within the solar system relative to Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galilei, Newton are introduced in ASTR 205.

1.5.3.2

Kepler

C

Same as major.

The ideas of the universe, gravity, and earth’s place within the solar system relative to Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galilei, Newton are introduced in ASTR 205.

1.5.3.3

Newton

C

Same as major.

The ideas of the universe, gravity, and earth’s place within the solar system relative to Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galilei, Newton are introduced in ASTR 205.

1.5.4

solar structure and energy

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ASTR 205, which include the nature of light, solar interior structure of the sun, solar wind, the size of the sun compared to other stars, and evolution after its hydrogen fuel has been spent.

1.5.4.1

fusion

C

Same as major.

Fusion, in regard to the energy produced by the sun and other stars is introduced in ESSC 110 and ASTR 205.  The future of fission is also discussed in both courses.

1.5.5

stars

C

Same as major.

The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, the properties of stars and stellar evolution are taught in ASTR 205, which include star birth, protostar stage, main-sequence stage, red giant stage, burnout, death, novas, supernovas, white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes.

1.5.5.1

magnitudes and spectra

C

Same as major.

Concepts are taught in ASTR 205, which include the nature of light, spectroscopy, the Doppler Effect; refracting, reflecting and optical telescopes.

1.5.5.2

binary stars and masses

C

Same as major.

Binary stars and stellar mass are taught in ASTR 205, which include their orbits in regard to their common center of mass and how binary systems can be used to determine solar mass.

1.5.5.3

birth and death of stars

C

Same as major.

The birth, death, life cycle, evolution and stability of stars, relative to their solar masses are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ASTR 205.  See section 1.5.5.

1.5.5.4

white dwarfs and neutron stars

C

Same as major.

Same as 1.5.5 and 1.5.5.3.

1.5.5.5

novae and supernovae

C

Same as major.

Same as 1.5.5 and 1.5.5.3.

1.5.5.6

protostars and extra solar planets

C

Same as major.

Same as 1.5.5 and 1.5.5.3.

1.5.6

galaxy

C

Same as major.

Galaxies, the work of Edwin Hubble, and the expanding Universe are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ASTR 205.

1.5.6.1

types and classification

C

Same as major.

Concepts that include spiral, barred and irregular galaxies are taught in ASTR 205.

1.5.6.2

milky way

C

Same as major.

The origin, structure, size of the Milky Way, in relation to the earth, are taught in ASTR 205.

1.5.6.3

active galaxies

C

Same as major.

Same as 1.5.6 and 1.5.6.1.

1.5.6.4

clusters and groups

C

Same as major.

Galactic clusters are included in concepts identified in 1.5.6, 1.5.6.1 and 1.5.6.2 and 1.5.6.3.

1.5.6.5

black holes

C

Same as major.

Same as 1.5.5 and 1.5.5.3.

1.5.6.6

dark matter/nature of

C

Same as major.

Concepts are introduced and explored in ASTR 205, which include how black matter differs from black holes.

1.5.6.7

big bang and fate of universe

C

Same as major.

Galaxies, the Big Bang Theory, and the fate of the expanding Universe are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ASTR 205. 

1.5.7

the solar system

C

Same as major.

The solar system, which includes planets, moons, asteroids, comets and meteoroids are introduced in ESSC 110 and expanded upon in ASTR 205.