PS 385 - Introduction to Cosmology

This course begins with a history of cosmological ideas and an observational overview of our Universe. Newtonian gravity is reviewed and used to derive the Friedman equations describing the expansion of the Universe. Hubble’s law is derived and simple cosmological models are discussed using notions of spacetime geometry and curvature. Other topics include: the cosmological constant and dark energy, observational parameters and dark matter, inflation, big bang nucleosynthesis, and the formation of structure.

Four credits.

Prerequisite(s): PS 131-132 or permission of instructor.