2020-10-19
astr-1101
- Moving from history/tools to objects in the Solar System
- Easier to make small stars than big stars
- Albert Einstein
- $E = mc^2$
- Matter and energy are the same thing
- Doesn't make much sense on a large macroscopic scale
- Makes more sense on nuclear scales
- Fusion vs. fission
- Bringing together vs. breaking down
- Light elements (up to iron) --> get energy out of fusion
- Heavy elements (past iron) --> get energy out of fission
- Comparative planetology
- Studying how planets work by comparing them with one another
- Geological age of surfaces
- Count craters
- More impacts --> exposed longer
- How long since the surface has been "swept clean" by things like lava flow or molten materials
- Radioactive rocks
- Measure the age of individual rocks
- Measuring the half-life of certain elements
cpsc-1050
- Problem solving and algorithms
- Problem solving
- Act of finding a solution to perplexing, distressing, vexing, or unsettled problems
- How to solve problems
- Understand the problem
- Devise a plan
- Execute the plan
- Look back/reflect
- Strategies
- Ask questions
- Look for familiar things
- Divide and conquer
- Computer problem solving process
- Analysis and specification phase
- Understand/define the problem
- Specify the problem the program will solve
- Algorithm development phase
- Develop logical sequence of steps to solve the problem
- Follow the defined steps to see if solution solves the problem
- Implementation phase
- Code the algorithm
- Test the code
- Maintenance phase