Big Bang, Black Holes, No Math

Prof. David Toback

with assistance from

Jonathan Asaadi, Justin Mabray, Christopher Maguire, J.P. Quinn, David Rahmani, Katherine Toback and Amelia Williamson

Note: I will periodically update the textbook chapters.

Download the most up-to-date version of the full book Here (Last updated 10/07/11)

Chapter Number and Title

Last Updated

Lecture Notes

Unit 1: Introduction

Ch. 0: Preface
09/19/11

Ch. 1: Introduction
09/09/11

Ch. 1

Ch. 2: Going Big
09/20/11

Ch. 2

Ch. 3: Going Small
10/07/11

Ch. 3

Ch. 4: Evidence and the Scientific Method
10/05/11

Ch. 4

Unit 2: Physics We Need

Ch. 5: Light and Doppler Shifts
09/20/11

Ch. 5

Ch. 6: Gravity and General Relativity
09/20/11

Ch. 6

Ch. 7: Atomic Physics and Quantum Mechanics
10/05/11

Ch. 7

Ch. 8: Nuclear Physics and Chemistry
10/06/11

Ch. 8

Ch. 9: Temperature and Thermal Equilibrium
10/05/11

Ch. 9

Unit 3: Evidence for the Big Bang

Ch. 10: The Exploding Universe
10/05/11

Ch. 10

Ch. 11: Expanding Space-Time
09/14/11

Ch. 11

Ch. 12: Photons and Hydrogen in the Universe
10/05/11

Ch. 12

Unit 4: Evolution of the Universe

Ch. 13: The Early Universe
10/05/11

Ch. 13

Ch. 14: After the First Three Minutes
10/05/11

Ch. 14

Unit 5: Massive Things: Galaxies, Stars and Black Holes

Ch. 15: Galaxies
10/05/11

Ch. 15

Ch. 16: Stars
10/05/11

Ch. 16

Ch. 17: Black Holes
10/05/11

Ch. 17

Unit 6: Early Times and the Fate of the Universe

Ch. 18: Possible Fates of the Universe
09/15/11

Ch. 18

Ch. 19: Dark Matter
09/15/11

Ch. 19

Ch. 20: Particle Physics
10/06/11

Ch. 20

Ch. 21: Inflation
09/15/11

Ch. 21

Ch. 22: Dark Energy
09/17/11

Ch. 22

The main course web page can be found here

If you have any comments or suggestions please visit the Feedback Forum.

Created by Dave Toback (toback@tamu.edu)
(Last updated by Dave Toback on 11/07/11)