Description
What is ordinary matter made of? This lecture reviews the basic
properties of matter from subatomic to atomic scales, introducing atomic
structures, atomic number and chemical elements, isotopes,
radioactivity, and half-life, ending with a brief overview of the four
fundamental forces of nature: gravitation, electromagnetism, and the
weak and strong nuclear forces. Recorded 2007 Oct 23 in 1000 McPherson
Lab on the Columbus campus of The Ohio State University.
A new podcast, Astronomy 141, Life in the Universe, is available
for those interested in continuing an exploration of topics in
modern astronomy.
Published 12/06/09
Are we alone in the Universe? This lecture explores the question of how
we might go about finding life on planets around other stars. Rather
than talking about speculative ideas, like the Drake Equation or SETI, I
am instead taking the approach of posing it as a problem of what to look
for...
Published 11/30/07