Physics 311:  Introduction to Astronomy

 

MWF 8:45-9:50 am and 12:30-1:35pm

+ MW 10pm-12am (lab)

 

Summer 2002 course information:

 

INSTRUCTOR:  Jack Dostal

 

OFFICE:  226 EPS / 315 Culbertson

 

PHONE:  994-2443 (EPS)

                  994-3382 (Culbertson)

                  994-0436 (home)

 

EMAIL:  dostal@physics.montana.edu

 

OFFICE HOURS:  MWF 10-11am and by appointment.

 

TEXT:   Universe, sixth edition, Freedman and Kaufmann (2002), Freeman Publishing

 

COVERAGE

 

We will cover parts of many of the chapters, but not all of them.  Rather than try to pack the universe into six weeks, we’ll cover a smaller number of topics a bit more in depth. 

 

GRADING

 

Your course grade will be based upon the following criteria.  The grading scale is meant as a guide; it may be lowered at the instructor’s discretion, but will not be raised.  Thus, for example, if you end the course with 440 points, the lowest possible grade you could receive is a B-.

 


2 hour exams @ 75 points each         150

Grade cutoffs:

3 quizzes @ 20 points each                  60

A          511 (93%)

C          401 (73%)

In-class questions                                40

A-         495 (90%)

C-         385 (70%)

Homework                                         100

B+        478 (87%)

D+        368 (67%)

Laboratory                                         100

B          456 (83%)

D          346 (63%)

Poster presentation                            100

B-         440 (80%)

D-         330 (60%)

                                                       -------

C+        423 (77%)

F           below 60%

Total                                                  550

 

 

 

EXAMS

 

Each exam is worth 75 points and will include several types of problems, including multiple choice, short answer, and free response questions (working out problems, interpreting or drawing diagrams, or essay are examples of free response questions).  All lectures and work assigned (including labs) are fair game for exam questions.  You will have two exams in class on the dates/times listed below:

 

Exam #1:  Fri, July 12, 12:30-1:35pm

Exam #2:  Fri. July 26, 12:30-1:35pm

 

Though the exams are not “comprehensive” in the traditional sense of the word, they are comprehensive in that some concepts later in the course that depend on what you learned in the beginning of the course.  For example, it’s difficult to understand stellar temperature and composition if you don’t understand what a spectrum is.  So don’t forget what you learned early in the course; you’ll need it later.

 

QUIZZES

 

There will be three quizzes during the semester, each worth 20 points.  The quizzes will be related to both the lecture material and the homework assignments.

 

MAKEUP QUIZZES/EXAMS

 

If you miss a quiz or exam for a valid reason, you will be allowed to take a makeup quiz and/or exam (see below).  Valid reasons include illness, an official university excuse, or a personal emergency, and must be presented to your instructor in writing within one week of the absence.  Being unprepared is not a valid excuse.

 

IN-CLASS QUESTIONS

 

On most class days I will be asking multiple-choice questions of the entire class.  The format I use after asking a question is to ask for a response, have brief partner discussion, and then ask for a second response.  These will be worth up to 1 point each depending on the class response, and you must be present to receive the points.  There are no makeups for in-class questions.  This will begin to make more sense once we’ve done it a few times.  There will likely be more than 40 questions total, so any points you receive above 40 will be counted as extra credit. 

 

HOMEWORK

 

Homework will generally be collected daily except for exam days.  Not every problem will necessarily be graded, but every assignment will be worth 10 points.  At the end of the semester, your lowest homework score will be dropped, and the remaining 10 assignments will count toward your 100 points. If there are less than 10 assignments, the lowest score will still be dropped and the remaining scores averaged to get a score out of 100.

 

I plan to grade homework as soon as possible after it is collected, so it is very important that you turn in your homework on time.  Late assignments will be given a maximum of half credit if turned in within one week of the due date, and no credit thereafter.  Homework turned in after I have started grading (which usually means after class is over) will be considered late.

 

Please write neatly, legibly, and in a format that I can understand.  If I can’t understand it, I can’t grade it, and you won’t get the credit for working on it.  You should always show your work or give your reasoning for your answer, and always use units. 

 

POSTER PRESENTATION

 

            As part of this course, you will put together your own poster presentation to be shown at the Museum of the Rockies!  This is an opportunity for you to learn about something that interests you, even if we don’t have enough time to cover it in the course.  The poster session will be held on Monday, August 5th during and between our class periods. 

 

            The poster can be on any subject related to astronomy, and should be well researched and constructed.  This subject of your poster is up to you; anything from astronaut gloves to the surface of Venus to dark matter.  Refer to the additional attached sheets for the requirements for and grading of your posters.

 

LABS

 

Lab manuals are available in the Bookstore.  Your lab instructor will cover the logistics and workings of the lab in more detail at your first lab meeting.  The lab is an important part of this class, and some questions on the exams will relate to your laboratory work. 

 

POLICIES

 

Copies of the departmental policies on “Cheating and Plagiarism” will be distributed in lab and is also available on the Web.

 

Friendly Advice:

 

Summer classes move FAST, and this one is no exception.  It is imperative that you do not fall behind, even for one day.  Missing both lectures in a day or not reading the text for a day is roughly equal to missing a week of class during a normal semester.  If you do have to miss class for some reason, try to get your work done before you leave, rather than afterward.  Always find out what happened in lecture if you missed it.

 

When you work on homework, I encourage you to work with other people.  They will often have insight on a problem that you didn’t, and vice versa.  HOWEVER, all work you turn in must be your own.  It does you little good to simply copy someone else’s work; in fact, not having worked the problems yourself will hurt you for the quizzes and exams.

 

Always ask questions!  If you don’t understand something, chances are you’re not the only one.  In addition, every claim I (or the book, or you, etc.) make should have supporting evidence or reasoning behind it.  If I told you that the universe was 10 billion years old, I would want you to say, “Why?  How do you know?”  On occasion, I might not be able to answer your question.  In that case, I’ll tell you that I don’t know, but will do some work to find out the answer after class.  Most of all, enjoy the class!  As one of my former advisors said, “If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.”

 

Daily Class Schedule (subject to changes as the semester progresses)

 

Date

 

Subject

Reading for the day

HW due

July 1

AM

Introduction

-

-

 

PM

Finding your way around the sky, coordinates

2.3 – 2.7

-

3

AM

Light and spectra

5.1 - 5.6, 5.9

See sheet

 

PM

Light, telescopes

6.1 – 6.7

 

5

AM

Solar system phenomena, seasons

2.5 – 2.8

 

 

PM

More phenomena, moon phases

Quiz #1

3.1 – 3.6

 

8

AM

More phenomena

4.1-4.8

 

 

PM

Solar system motion, Kepler, Newton

4.1-4.8

 

10

AM

Solar system origin

7.7 – 7.9

 

 

PM

Catch-up period

 

 

12

AM

Revisiting light and spectra

5.3, 5.4

 

 

PM

EXAM #1

 

 

15

AM

Star properties

19.1-19.10

 

 

PM

Star properties

19.1-19.10

 

17

AM

Stars and stellar interiors

18.1-18.2, 20.4

 

 

PM

The Sun

18.3-18.10

 

19

AM

Stellar birth and evolution

20.1-20.8

 

 

PM

Stellar evolution

Quiz #2

21.1-21.6

 

22

AM

Stellar evolution and death

22.1-22.6

 

 

PM

Stellar remnants:

22.6-22.10

 

24

AM

Neutron stars and pulsars, Black Holes

Chapters 23-24

 

 

PM

Catch-up period

 

 

26

AM

The Milky Way Galaxy

Ch. 25

 

 

PM

EXAM #2

 

 

29

AM

Other galaxies, higher rungs on the distance ladder

Ch. 26

 

 

PM

The galactic freak show

Ch. 27

 

31

AM

Special topics

 

TBA

 

 

PM

Special topics

Quiz #3

TBA

 

August 2

AM

Guest Lecture

TBA

 

 

PM

NO CLASS, use this time to prepare your posters!

-

 

5

AM

Poster presentations

-

 

 

PM

Poster presentations

-

 

7

AM

Special topics

TBA

 

 

PM

Special topics

TBA

 

9

AM

NO CLASS

-

-

 

PM

NO CLASS

-

-