Die Entwicklung der Sterne : eine elementarisierte Betrachtung

This thesis is about ways of simplifying stellar physics and of transferring them into teaching concepts. The aim is to provide future or active teachers of physics with the means to gain an appropriate understanding of theory. The main goal is to present an essential research method of astrophysics - to model celestial bodies mathematically in such a way that observable phenomena are predicted on their surface - in teaching. Currently, many astrophysical phenomena are only dealt with phenomenologically in teaching literature, which results in the desideratum that the actual research methodology is only insufficiently conveyed.
This doctoral thesis takes into consideration astrophysics being only a minor part of a physics course in the teaching-study program, therefore the material is condensed and can be accessed without deeper previous knowledge. Furthermore, the analysis of the tasks of two textbook series shows that quantitative work, especially in secondary level II, constitutes in a large part of physics teaching and that mathematical modelling therefore is suitable for exercises.
Astrophysics has always been subject to a particularly critical, epistemological view, since it naturally has to largely dispense with the experimental investigation of its research objects and can only lead to findings based on passive observations. A meaningful occupation with modern research results of astrophysics is therefore hardly imaginable without a special integration into an epistemological framework. Thus, the presented paper shows epistemological fundamentals that allow a critical view on the development of an astrophysical theory.
Variants are shown to view the stars both as quasi-static objects and to shed light their evolution. Particularly the conditions for the development of life on a planet and the existing connections to the central star are discussed, since the question of life on other planets is an interesting topic for learners. The presented models are based on basic mathematics and physics lectures, partly even high school level is sufficient.