PHY8052 : Compact Objects and Accretion
- Offered for Year: 2022/23
- Module Leader(s): Dr Anne Archibald
- Owning School: Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
Aims
This module will use a wide range of topics from basic physics to develop a quantitative understanding of compact objects – white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes – and accretion onto them. The emphasis will be on physical concepts, the physical meaning of the underlying equations and the power of making order-of-magnitude estimates.
Outline Of Syllabus
Structure and formation of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. Binary orbits, binary evolution, and accretion onto compact objects. Observational evidence for these phenomena and limits of our models.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 22 | 1:00 | 22:00 | Formal lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 37 | 1:00 | 37:00 | Completion of in course assignments/ examination revision |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 41 | 1:00 | 41:00 | Preparation time for lectures, background reading, coursework review |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures are used for the delivery of theory and explanation of methods, illustrated with examples, and for giving general feedback on marked work.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 1 | A | 80 | N/A |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | 1 | M | 10 | N/A |
| Prob solv exercises | 1 | M | 10 | N/A |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
A substantial formal unseen examination is appropriate for the assessment of the material in this module. The coursework assignments allow the students to develop their problem solving techniques, to practise the methods learnt in the module, to assess their progress and to receive feedback; these assessments have a secondary formative purpose as well as their primary summative purpose.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PHY8052's Timetable