ASP3051: Relativity and Cosmology

- Examination (3 hours): 70%
- Laboratory work and reports: 30%

Quite possibly the most enjoyable unit (relativity part mainly) I've done in astrophysics major. There are 2 lab sheet throughout the semester and rather than asking you to code all these pointless programs, it actually help you understand special relativity and black hole. The work load required is quite good, with 2 short assignments which only takes about 2 hrs to complete each. However this unit does require you to fully understand all the derivations, they will ask you to proof k-calculus or relativistic velocity in the mid semester test, all applications should be fairly simple, mostly just have to understand the situation and plug in values. Relativity and black hole are just as interesting as it sounds, they actually teach you some mind bending facts and back it up with some maths!

Despite all these, why did I rate it 3/5? Because the second part of this course, cosmology. I shit you not you have to memorise every single derivation, but wait we have to do that for relativity done we? Here's the difference, relativity proofs actually make sense, if you draw some diagram everything actually make sense, it doesn't require rote learning. As long as you vaguely remember the graph, you can derive most of things they ask you in test/exam. Cosmology is different, first of all half of the algebra steps were wrong, although the end results were correct. They do not give any reason for any algebraic step (trust me I've been doing math for the past 4 years and I can't follow most of the steps), which means that all derivations must be learnt through rote learning. If this doesn't scare you enough, the only question in exam about cosmology is basically asking you to replicate the entire cosmology lecture notes, glhf.

Dr Duncan Galloway

Yes, 3 exams with solutions provided

3 Out of 5

Yes, with screen capture

Officially 2 recommended textbooks, personally I recommend none of them, lecture notes will suffice

- 3 x 1 hour lectures
- 1 hour tutorial class

Semester 1, 2014

70 D

1xmid semester test: 10% 2x assignments @ 5% each 2x lab worksheets @ 5% each and 1 exam @ 70%

The subject is pretty fun if you enjoy relativity and maths you'll enjoy this class. The lecturer is also a little bit insane.

*Totally forgot to put the 70% exam in.

Anthony Lun

Yes, 1 and its considered the sample exam.

3/5

Yes without screencapture (uses overhead, not really worthwhile)

Textbook is unnecessary (I can't remember what it is anyway) lecture notes cover everything.

3x1hour lectures/week 1x1hour tutorial/week

2011 sem 1