The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals (2009)

Chapter 1: A Modern View of the Universe 1.1 The Scale of the Universe * What is our place in the universe?* How big is the universe? Tools of Science: Doing the Math 1.2 The History of the Universe * How did we come to be?* How do our lifetimes compare to the age of the universe? 1.3 The Process of Science in Action: Defining Planets * What is a planet? Chapter 2: Understanding the Sky 2.1 Understanding the Seasons * What causes the seasons?* Why do the constellations we see depend on the time of year? 2.2 Understanding the Moon * Why do we see phases of the Moon?* What causes eclipses? Tools of Science: Angular Sizes and Distances 2.3 The Process of Science in Action: The Puzzle of Planetary Motion * Why did the ancient Greeks reject the real explanation for planetary motion? Chapter 3: Changes in Our Perspective 3.1 From Earth-centered to Sun-centered * How did the Greeks explain planetary motion?* How did the Copernican revolution change our view of the universe? 3.2 Hallmarks of Science Tools of Science: Telescopes * How can we distinguish science from nonscience?* What is a scientific theory? 3.3 The Process of Science in Action: The Fact and Theory of Gravity * How does the fact of gravity differ from the theory of gravity? Chapter 4: Origin of the Solar System 4.1 Characteristics of the Solar System * What does the solar system look like?* What features of our solar system provide clues to how it formed? Tools of Science: Conservation Laws 4.2 The Birth of the Solar System * What theory best explains the orderly patterns of motion in our solar system?* How does our theory account for the features of planets, moons, and small bodies? 4.3 The Process of Science in Action: The Age of the Solar System * How do we determine the age of Earth and the solar system? Chapter 5: Terrestrial Planets 5.1 Terrestrial surfaces and atmospheres * What determines a world's level of geological activity?* How does an atmosphere affect conditions for life? Tools of Science: Basic Properties of Light 5.2 Histories of the Terrestrial Worlds * Why did the terrestrial worlds turn out so differently?* What unique features of Earth are important for life? 5.3 The Process of Science in Action: Global Warming * What is the evidence for global warming? Chapter 6: The Outer Solar System 6.1 Jovian Planets, Rings and Moons * What are Jovian planets like? Tools of Science: Newton's Version of Kepler's Third Law Why are Jovian moons so geologically active? 6.2 Asteroids, Comets, and the Impact Threat * Why are asteroids and comets grouped into three distinct regions?* Do small bodies pose an impact threat to Earth? 6.3 The Process of Science in Action: Extinction of the Dinosaurs * Did an impact kill the dinosaurs? Chapter 7: Planets Around Other Stars 7.1 Detecting planets around other stars * How do we detect planets around other stars? Tools of Science: The Doppler Effect * What properties of extrasolar planets can we measure? 7.2 Characteristics of Extrasolar Planets * How do extrasolar planets compare with planets in our solar system?* Are Earth-like planets common? 7.3 The Process of Science in Action: Planets and the Nebular Theory * Do we need to modify our theory of solar system formation? Chapter 8: The Sun and Other Stars 8.1 Properties of the Sun * Why does the Sun shine?* How does energy escape from the Sun? Tools of Science: Spectroscopy 8.2 Properties of other stars * How do we measure the properties of stars?* What patterns do we find in the properties of stars? 8.3 The Process of Science in Action: Visualizing Patterns Among Stars * How did we discover the patterns in stellar properties? Chapter 9: Stellar Lives 9.1 Lives in Balance * Why do stars shine so steadily?* Why do a star's properties depend on its mass? 9.2 Star death Tools of Science: Quantum Laws and Astronomy * What will happen when our Sun runs out of fuel?* How do high-mass stars end their lives? 9.3 The Process of Science in Action: Testing Stellar Models With Star Clusters * What do star clusters reveal about the lives of stars? Chapter 10: The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard 10.1 White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars * What are white dwarfs?* What are neutron stars? 10.2 Black Holes * What are black holes? Tools of Science: Einstein's Theories of Relativity * What happens to space and time near a black hole? 10.3 The Process of Science in Action: Searching for Black Holes * Do black holes really exist? Chapter 11: Galaxies 11.1 Our Galaxy: The Milky Way * What does our galaxy look like? Tools of Science: Observing Different Kinds of Light * How did the Milky Way form? 11.2 GALAXIES beyond the Milky Way * What are the major types of galaxies?* Why do galaxies differ? 11.3 The process of science in action: Seeking Supermassive Black Holes * What is the evidence for supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies? Chapter 12: Galaxy Distances and Hubble's Law 12.1 Measuring cosmic distances * How do we measure the distances to galaxies? Tools of Science: Measuring Distances with Standard Candles * What is Hubble's law? 12.2 The Implications of Hubble's Law * In what sense is the universe expanding?* How do distance measurements tell us the age of the universe? 12.3 The Process of Science in Action: Observing galaxy evolution * What do we see when we look back through time? Chapter 13: The Birth of the Universe 13.1 The Big Bang Theory * What were conditions like in the early universe? Tools of Science: Particle Accelerators * How did the early universe change with time? 13.2 Evidence for the Big Bang * How do observations of the cosmic microwave background support the Big Bang Theory?* How do the abundances of elements support the big bang theory? 13.3 The Process of Science in Action: Inflation * Did the universe undergo an early episode of inflation? Chapter 14: Dark Matter and Energy 14.1 Evidence for dark matter * What is the evidence for dark matter? Tools of Science: The Orbital Velocity Law * What might dark matter be made of? 14.2 Gravity versus expansion * How did structures like galaxies form?* Will the universe continue expanding forever? 14.3 The Process of science in Action: Evidence for dark energy * What is the evidence for dark energy? Chapter 15: Life in the Universe 15.1 The Search for Life in the Solar System * What are the necessities of life?* Could there be life elsewhere in our solar system? 15.2 The Search for Life Among the Stars * How can we identify habitable planets? Tools of Science: Planetary Spacecraft * Is there intelligent life beyond Earth? 15.3 The Process of Science in Action: The Evolution of Earth and Beyond * What is the evidence for evolution?