HPS 106: History and Philosophy of Science Module 1

Course Overview

• Course Title: AEFUNAI HPS 106: History and Philosophy of Science
• Module Focus: Man and His Cosmic Environment/Natural Resources
• Instructor: Prof. A.C. Ekwe
• Start Date: July 2024
• Ground Rules: Punctuality, preparation, respect, and no phone calls allowed.

Intended Learning Outcomes

• Use concept maps to explain the cosmos (universe).
• Create well-labelled diagrams of the solar system.
• Provide examples of Earth’s uniqueness.
• Illustrate the layers of Earth's atmosphere and Earth's subdivisions.

Learning and Teaching Methods

• Quescussion for interactive questioning.
• Think-pair-share for collaborative learning.
• Buzz groups for engaging discussions.
• Brainstorming sessions to generate ideas.
• Minute papers for quick reflections.
• Role plays for experiential understanding.

Instructional Materials

• Multimedia projectors, whiteboards, video clips, pictures, and PowerPoint slides.

Cosmic Environment

• The cosmos encompasses everything from microscopic particles to massive galaxies.
• Human survival relies on air, heat, water, and other natural resources from Earth and the sun.

The Expanding Universe

• Edwin P. Hubble (1889-1953) discovered that galaxies are moving away from each other, indicating a constantly expanding universe.
• Hubble founded extragalactic astronomy, studying galaxies outside our own.
• The Hubble Telescope is pivotal for intergalactic research, complemented by the James Webb Telescope.

Galaxies

• Visible on clear nights, galaxies appear as clusters of stars; the Milky Way is the most familiar.
• The Milky Way contains approximately 200 billion stars, giving it a hazy appearance from Earth.
• Galaxies vary in shape: spiral, elliptical, and irregular, classified by Hubble.

Solar System Formation

• The sun is an average star with significant properties, including having its own planetary family.
• Two theories on solar system formation:
  • Early theory: Near-collision with another star caused material to coalesce into planets.
  • Modern theory: Formed from a spinning cloud of gas and dust that condensed to create the sun at its center and planets around it.

Solar System Classifications

• Inner (terrestrial) planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.
• Outer (Jovian) planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
• Pluto is classified as a dwarf planet due to not meeting specific criteria outlined by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

Components of the Solar System

• Moons are natural satellites; all planets except Mercury and Venus have them.
• The asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter, containing space rocks that orbit the sun.
• Meteors are pieces of rock or metal, and meteorites land on Earth after burning up in the atmosphere.
• Comets like Halley's Comet have unique characteristics, including visible coma and tails when near the sun.

Earth - The Unique Planet

• Life exists only on Earth due to vital cycles: water, rock, carbon dioxide, and oxygen.
• Earth's shape is an oblate spheroid, bulging at the equator.

Earth's Atmosphere and Solar Rays

• Atmosphere protects from harmful solar radiation; consists of five layers:
  • Troposphere
  • Stratosphere (contains the ozone layer)
  • Mesosphere
  • Thermosphere/Ionosphere/Magnetosphere
  • Exosphere

Earth's Rotation and Revolution

• Rotation effects: causes day and night; takes 24 hours for one complete spin.
• Revolution effects: causes seasons; takes approximately 365.25 days to orbit the sun.
• The sun and moon rotate and orbit within the solar system, each with specific periods.