THE HISTORY OF MATTER IN THE UNIVERSE
Multidisciplinary study of how the distribution of elements in the Universe has changed over the last 10-15 billion years by tracing the history of matter from the Big Bang to the present composition of the Earth. Emphasizes connections between astronomy, geology, and chemistry. Readings will draw both on scientific journals and the popular press to allow us to engage the material on multiple levels.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: None Course Designation: Core GenEd - Communication & Literacy Comm QR - Communication B Breadth - Physical Science Level - Elementary L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Develop hypotheses and gather evidence on how the composition of the universe came about and how it evolved over cosmic time. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Describe the composition and structure of the planetary systems. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Describe how science develops insight and knowledge. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Perform scientific experiments by gathering data and analyzing them. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Share evidence and conclusions by writing scientific prose. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Make productive use of the writing process, including brainstorming, outlining, drafting, incorporating feedback, and revising, to develop a fledgling idea into a formal paper, presentation, and/or project; Audience: Undergraduate 7. Make use of expressive conventions and protocols (e.g., organization, content, presentation, formatting) consistent with genres of communication relevant to the course subject or discipline. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Develop hypotheses and gather evidence on how the composition of the universe came about and how it evolved over cosmic time. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Describe the composition and structure of the planetary systems. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Describe how science develops insight and knowledge. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Perform scientific experiments by gathering data and analyzing them. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Share evidence and conclusions by writing scientific prose. Audience: Undergraduate 6. Make productive use of the writing process, including brainstorming, outlining, drafting, incorporating feedback, and revising, to develop a fledgling idea into a formal paper, presentation, and/or project; Audience: Undergraduate 7. Make use of expressive conventions and protocols (e.g., organization, content, presentation, formatting) consistent with genres of communication relevant to the course subject or discipline. Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027