CEN 511: Recent Discoveries in Astronomy

1. Look for recent (the last week or two weeks) articles about the future of the universe (on the internet, you could look for Newsday, the New York Times, etc.). What is meant by "The Big Rip"? Some scientists are arguing that the universe will end in The Big Rip. What do others, who disagree, think?
2. Investigate a little closer than we did in class the meaning of The Anthropic Principle. What do you think is the difference between the Weak Anthropic Principle and the Strong Anthropic Principle? Can you justify either or both?
3. Explain why the most abundant elements in life are rather different than the most abundant elements in the Earth's crust. There is a greater similarity to the most abundant elements in the Earth's oceans: why?
4. How can two molecules have the same chemical formula, such as C₂H₅O₂N, but chemically behave very differently? The molecules that produce the scent of mint and caraway are examples. They have exactly the same chemical formula. Look on the web for other examples.
5. What are the monomers of protein polymers called? How many of these monomers are found in living organisms on the Earth? How many of these monomers can be manufactured in a chemical laboratory? How many different kinds of proteins can in principle be formed from them?
6. What three conditions or ingredients are necessary for polymerization to occur? How has this been accomplished on the Earth? Based on these answers, could polymerization occur on other planets?