Life in the Universe

Chapter Study Outline

1. Study Plan

   We have followed the origin of structure in the universe from the earliest moments after the Big Bang, when the fundamental forces of nature came to be, to the formation of galaxies and other large-scale structures visible today. But no discussion of how structure evolved in the universe would be complete without some consideration of the origin of the particular type of structure we call life. By the end of this chapter you should be able to:

   1. List the requirements for life as we know it to exist
   2. Explain why terrestrial life likely originated in Earth's oceans
   3. List the characteristics of the habitable zone of a solar system and the habitable zone within a galaxy
   4. Describe some of the methods used to search for extraterrestrial life and explain the significance of our current null results
   5. Explain why all life on Earth must eventually come to an end
2. Organize
   1. Read Chapter 18 in your textbook or ebook.
   2. Take the Diagnostic Quiz to assess your understanding of the basic concepts and identify gaps in your understanding of the assigned reading.
3. Learn
   1. Review the applets:
      1. Circumstellar Habitable Zone Simulator
      2. Milky Way Habitability Explorer
   2. Use the Flashcards to test your memory for new terms.
   3. Work the "Summary Self-Test" and "Questions and Problems" questions in the end of chapter review materials.
   4. If your instructor has assigned SmartWork online homework, log in from the right navigation pane for additional practice and review.
4. Connect
   1. Visit Reading Astronomy News for a recent article related to what you've learned in this chapter. In this chapter, read "Scientist: SETI Should Switch 'Channels.'"
   2. Work through the Exploration exercise "Fermi Problems and the Drake Equation" to learn how to organize your thoughts for estimating an answer to questions where counting is not practical.