Astronomy II, ASTR L Syllabus (Spring 2018)

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1 Instructor: Satya Kachiraju Office: SCNE Phone: Office Hours: T 1:30 to 3:30 pm, R 1:30 3:30 pm at SCNE or online via Blackboard, and by appointment (Note: Strongly encourage students to meet instructor at least One times during the semester) ***************************************************************************** COURSE & SECTION: ASTR L TIME/PLACE: Online TEXT BOOK: The Essential Cosmic Perspective, 8 th Edition by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider. ISBN-13: and MasteringAstronomy (online Homework system) (Registration details are in page #7) Catalogue Course Description: ASTR 1402: A study of basic concepts in Astronomy and of our Solar System. Telescopes and other instruments, including the planetarium, are used as an integral part of the course. Prerequisite: ASTR 1401 Student Learning Outcomes, Core Curriculum, and Objectives: Astronomy is the study of the universe in which we live. The celestial bodies, including Earth, will be studied to improve our understanding of the origins, evolution, composition as well as the motion of these celestial bodies including: stars, planets, asteroids, comets, and meteors. Astronomers look at the universe and see a vast system of objects waiting to be discovered and understood. At the end of this course students will be able to: 1. Understand and apply method and appropriate technology to study astronomy. 2. To recognize scientific and quantitative methods and approaches used by astronomers to communicate findings and interpretation. 3. To identify and recognize scientific theories dealing with the creation of our universe (and our solar system in particular). 4. To demonstrate knowledge of the major issues and problems facing astronomy today; e.g., is there dark matter in the Universe? 5. To demonstrate knowledge of the interdependence of science and technology and the effects on our modern culture. Today s astronomical instruments and techniques are expanding our views of the earth and its place in the universe. Course Philosophy: Undergraduate study requires responsibility, dedication and self-discipline on the part of the student. You are responsible for your own learning (and your own grade). I view myself as just one of the resources available to you in your learning process. I will post short lectures slides to highlight key points, guide class discussions in BB each week, and answer student questions. To succeed in this class, you need to utilize all available resources. Readings and lecture to present the course content. To learn the key concepts, students must read the assigned material each week. Discussions to ensure understanding and ability to apply the key concepts of each week. Your active participation is essential for your learning Page 1 of 11

2 Department of Physics TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS Computer Hardware To participate in this course, you should have easy access to a computer less than 5-years old with highspeed internet connection via cable modem, LAN or DSL. To ensure you are using a supported browser and have required plug-ins please refer to Supported Browsers, Plugins & Operating Systems for Blackboard Learn from Blackboards resource page. Student Technical Skills You are expected to be proficient with installing and using basic computer applications and have the ability to send and receive attachments. Software Mozilla s Firefox (latest version; Macintosh or Windows) Google Chrome (latest version; Macintosh or Windows) Adobe s Flash Player & Reader plug-in (latest version). Apple s QuickTime plug-in (latest version). A free download is available at Virus protection UTRGV Software link Microsoft Office UTRGV Software link Note: If you have any technical issues with Blackboard or Pearson, do not wait till the last minute, please contact them for the help. Follow the assignment due dates. Technical Assistance: If you need technical assistance at any time during the course or to report a problem with Blackboard you can: Visit the Blackboard Student Help Site Submit a Blackboard Help Ticket Help Contact Information (UTRGV s Blackboard Support): Brownsville Campus Location: Rusteberg Hall Room 108 Phone: or Monday Friday: 7:30AM-6:00PM Edinburg Campus Location: Education Building Room Phone: Monday Friday: 7:30AM-6:00PM Pearson MasteringAstronomy students support: UTRGV Policy Statements: Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability (physical, psychological, learning, or other disability which affects your academic performance) and would like to receive academic accommodations, please inform your instructor and contact Student Accessibility Services to schedule an appointment to initiate services. It is recommended that you schedule an appointment with Student Accessibility Services before classes start. However, accommodations can be provided at any time. Brownsville Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in Cortez Hall Room 129 and can be contacted by phone at (956) (Voice) or via at accessibility@utrgv.edu. Edinburg Campus: Student Accessibility Services is located in 108 University Center and can be contacted by phone at (956) (Voice), (956) (Fax), or via at accessibility@utrgv.edu. Page 2 of 11

3 Mandatory Course Evaluation: Students are required to complete an ONLINE evaluation of this course, accessed through your UTRGV account ( you will be contacted through with further instructions. Scholastic Integrity: As members of a community dedicated to Honesty, Integrity and Respect, students are reminded that those who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and expulsion from the University. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, and collusion; submission for credit of any work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person; taking an examination for another person; any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student; or the attempt to commit such acts. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the individual, all students and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced (Board of Regents Rules and Regulations and UTRGV Academic Integrity Guidelines). All scholastic dishonesty incidents will be reported to the Dean of Students. Sexual Harassment, Discrimination and Violence: In accordance with UT System regulations, your instructor is a responsible employee for reporting purposes under Title IX regulations and so must report any instance, occurring during a student s time in college, of sexual assault, stalking, dating violence, domestic violence, or sexual harassment about which she/he becomes aware during this course through writing, discussion, or personal disclosure. More information can be found at including confidential resources available on campus. The faculty and staff of UTRGV actively strive to provide a learning, working, and living environment that promotes personal integrity, civility, and mutual respect in an environment free from sexual misconduct and discrimination. Course Drops: According to UTRGV policy, students may drop any class without penalty earning a grade of DR until the official drop date April 12, Following that date, students must be assigned a letter grade and can no longer drop the class. Students considering dropping the class should be aware of the 3-peat rule and the 6-drop rule so they can recognize how dropped classes may affect their academic success. The 6-drop rule refers to Texas law that dictates that undergraduate students may not drop more than six courses during their undergraduate career. Courses dropped at other Texas public higher education institutions will count toward the sixcourse drop limit. The 3-peat rule refers to additional fees charged to students who take the same class for the third time. Blackboard: ( PowerPoint lecture slides will be available for viewing, printing, and downloading through Blackboard. Correspondences: University policy requires all electronic communication between the University and students be conducted through the official University supplied systems; namely UTRGV Mail for or Blackboard for course specific correspondence. Please identify you by name and include ASTR L and the section in the subject line. I will check daily during the week Page 3 of 11

4 and respond within hours. Questions about assignments should be ed two days before the due date to ensure you receive a timely response. COURSE ORGANIZATION & ONLINE TOOLS Course Structure: This course will be delivered mainly online, HW problem sets and extra reading material will be through the course management system Blackboard Learn and MasteringAstronomy. You will use your UTRGV account to login to the course from the My UTRGV site and under applications click on Blackboard Learn. This course is structured in 16 weekly modules aligned with the chapters in your textbook and your weekly laboratories. Each week you have reading assignments, quizzes, and homework problem sets. Note: Most materials used in conjunction with the course are subject to copyright protection. Discussion Forums You will find the following discussion forums in the course Blackboard site: General Help: Post any questions or comments you may have about course mechanics or technical issues to this forum. Forums related to collaborative and discussion assignments, as described in Learning Module sections Forums versus If you have a question about course content or mechanics, I encourage you to post it to the General Help discussion forums. Doing so gives students in the course an opportunity to help one another and allows everyone to benefit from answers to your questions. Of course, don t hesitate to me directly if your concern is of a personal nature. My role in discussion forums is that of a facilitator. I will occasionally correct misconceptions and/or redirect conversations that need redirecting. I may also post comments following the completion of discussion indicating my general impressions of the comments and conclusions. Course Requirements: Required Textbook/Course Materials 1. The Essential Cosmic Perspective, 8 th Edition by Bennett, Donahue, Schneider, and Voit. 2. Pearsonmylab Mastering Astronomy online package for the homeworks and Exams. (Need to buy, details are in Page#7) Homeworks and Quizzes: A total of 10 homeworks and 10 quizzes will be given during the semester. These homework assignments will be available and done online through Mastering Astronomy. no make up for a missed quiz. No Exceptions! Course ID: kachiraju87378 Course Name: ASTR L Spring 2018 Tests: There will be 5 tests during the semester given on MasteringAstronomy. Dates of the tests can be found in the course schedule. Tests will consist in multiple choice, open and analytic questions among other things.. No make up for a missed exam. Note: The lowest test will be dropped. Page 4 of 11

5 Final Test: There will be NO final test. Lab: In order to pass the course you should be enrolled in the assigned Astronomy 1401 lab section and get a grade at least 60%. Extra work/credit (optional): Astronomical research paper (details will be posted in Blackboard). Grading Policy: LECTURE: 75% online discussions & Participation (10%) Homework & Quizzes (Pearsonmylab) (20%) 5 Lecture Tests (45%) (The lowest score will be dropped) LABORATORY: 25% Extra Credit (Bonus points) 8% 90.0% A; < 90.0% but 80.0% B < 80.0% but 70.0% C; < 70.0% but 60.0% D < 60.0% F. ONLINE INFORMATION & EXPECTATIONS This course is an Online course, in which you will have only online components. In this course, you will have an active role in your learning where you will be required to complete reading assignments, view pre-recorded lectures and answer assessment questions in Blackboard Learn and MasteringAstronomy. Expectations: you are expected to have completed the activities (e.g. reading, watching a video, and answering assessment questions) every week. We will be using a web-based classroom interaction system in order to enhance the interactivity our classroom discussion and as a formative assessment tool for your instructor to better design subsequent activities to help you learn. Suggestions for success: Reading the textbook is mandatory. ACTIVELY WATCH lecture videos when assigned, and complete all parts. Actively means free of ALL distractions (no multitasking). Participate in discussion etc. Log in to the course frequently (at least several times per week) and check the announcements. This will keep you apprised of any course updates, progress in discussions, assignment information, and messages requiring immediate attention. Be aware of and keep up with the Course Schedule in the Syllabus. Time Commitment Online courses are typically just as time intensive, and may be more rigorous than traditional courses. Many students claim that online courses require more time and commitment. As you begin this course, you would be wise to schedule 8 or more hours per week for studying materials and completing assignments. Falling behind in this course is particularly problematic because the concepts we cover are cumulative. Page 5 of 11

6 Tentative Schedule for ASTR L Week Week 1: 01/16-01/19 Topics Introduction and Chapter 11: Our Star Week 2: 01/22-01/26 Chapter 12: Surveying the Stars Week 3: 01/29-02/02 Exam 1: Week 4: 02/05 02/09 Chapter 13: Star stuff Week 5: 02/12-02/16 Chapter 14: The Bizzare Stellar Graveyard Week 6: 02/19-02/23 Exam 2: Week 7: 02/26-03/02 Chapter 15: Our Galaxy Week 8: 03/05-03/09 Chapter 16: A Universe of Galaxies Week 9: 03/12-03/16 Spring Break, no classes Week 10: 03/19-03/23 Exam 3: Week 11: 03/26-03/30 Chapter 17: The Birth of the Universe Week 12: 04/02-04/06 Chapter 18: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe Week 13: 04/09-04/13 Exam 4: April 12, 2018 Last day to drop (DR grade) a class or withdraw (grade of W) April Easter Holiday, no classes Week 14: 04/16-04/20 Chapter 19: Life in the Universe Week 15: 04/23-04/27 Chapter 19: Life in the Universe Week 16: 04/30-05/04 Exam 5 May 04 Study Days (No class) No Final Exam *Subject to change Page 6 of 11

7 Required Pearson mastering astronomy package for online Homeworks and Quizzes. Text+ Mastering package: Text Price+ $5.00, Mastering without e-text $60:00 register for ASTR L Spring 2018: 1. Go to 2. Under Register, select Student. 3. Confirm you have the information needed, then select OK! Register now. 4. Enter your instructor s course ID: kachiraju87378, and Continue. 5. Enter your existing Pearson account username and password to Sign In. You have an account if you have ever used a Pearson MyLab & Mastering product, such as MyMathLab, MyITLab, MySpanishLab, MasteringBiology or MasteringPhysics. If you don t have an account, select Create and complete the required fields. 6. Select an access option. Enter the access code that came with your textbook or was purchased separately from the bookstore. Buy access using a credit card or PayPal account. If available, get temporary access by selecting the link near the bottom of the page. 7. From the You're Done! page, select Go To My Courses. 8. On the My Courses page, select the course name ASTR L Spring 2018 to start your work. To sign in later: 1. Go to 2. Select Sign In. 3. Enter your Pearson account username and password, and Sign In. 4. Select the course name ASTR L Spring 2018 to start your work. To upgrade temporary access to full access: 1. Go to 2. Select Sign In. 3. Enter your Pearson account username and password, and Sign In. 4. Select Upgrade access for ASTR L Spring Enter an access code or buy access with a credit card or PayPal account. Page 7 of 11

8 I. Our Star (Chapter 11 of the Textbook) Star. Planets. Nuclear Fusion. Nuclear Fission. Strong Nuclear Force. Solar Wind. Thermostat. Temperature. Density (in Astronomy). Pressure. Gravitational Equilibrium. Plasma. Electron. Proton. Neutron. P-P Chain. Neutrino. Solar Neutrino Problem. Solar Activity (Solar Weather). Solar Vibrations. Sunspots. Magnetosphere. Spectral Line. Solar Prominences (Solar Loops). Solar Flares. Sunspot Cycle. Solar Minimum. Solar Maximum Name the Sun s seven layers, in order from innermost to outermost, and state approximate temperatures of each layer (taking the Solar Wind to be the outermost layer of the Sun). Name the three layers that constitute the Sun s interior. Name the four layers that constitute the Sun s atmosphere. Describe how energy is produced in the Sun s core. Describe the net effects of the Proton-Proton Chain. Describe how energy is transported through the Sun s radiation zone. Describe how energy is transported through the Sun s convection zone. Describe the evidence we have to support our current models of the interior of the Sun. State the two chemical elements which the Sun is mainly composed of. II. Surveying the Stars (Chapter 12 of the Textbook) Nebula. Luminosity. Apparent Brightness. Apparent Magnitude. Absolute Magnitude. Stellar Temperature. Parallax. Stellar Parallax. Parsec. Electromagnetic Wave. Wavelength. Frequency. Photon. Doppler Effect. Doppler Shift. Blue-shifted. Redshifted. Binary System. Visual Binary. Eclipsing Binary. Spectroscopic Binary. H-R Diagram. Main Sequence. Giants. White Dwarfs. Spectral Classes. Luminosity Classes. Degenerate Matter. Star Cluster. Open Cluster. Globular Cluster. Halo. Main Sequence Turn-Off. Big Bang Be able to properly interpret the H-R Diagram. State what is found in the horizontal axis of the H-R Diagram. State what is found in the vertical axis of the H-R Diagram. Estimate the radius, temperature, and luminosity of a star from its position in the H-R Diagram. Estimate the mass and lifetime of a main sequence star from its position in the H-R Diagram. Identify the region in the H-R Diagram where main sequence stars are found. Identify the region in the H-R Diagram where giant stars are found. Identify the region in the H-R Diagram where white dwarf stars are found. III. Star Stuff (Chapter 13 of the Textbook) Galactic Recycling. Star Clusters. Stellar Life Cycle. Gravitational Equilibrium. Nebula. Protostar. Jet (of a Protostar). Brown Dwarf. Electron Degeneracy Pressure. Nuclear Fusion. Nuclear Fission. Stellar Temperature. Main-Sequence Star. Low-Mass Star. Red Giant. Helium Flash. Double-Shell Burning. Planetary Nebula. White Dwarf. High-Mass Star. Supergiant. Multiple-Shell Burning. Main-Sequence Supernova (Type II). Neutron Star. Neutron Degeneracy Pressure. Black Hole. Supernova Remnant. P-P Chain. CNO Page 8 of 11

9 IV. Cycle. Binary System. Close Binary System. Accretion Disk State the forces that keep a main-sequence star in gravitational equilibrium. State the forces that keep a brown dwarf in gravitational equilibrium. Identify the different stages of the life cycle of a low-mass star. Identify the different stages of the life cycle of a highmass star. Using the H-R diagram, identify which stars have the higher/lower temperatures, which have the higher/lower luminosities, and which have the larger/lower radii. Using the H-R diagram, identify which main sequence stars have the higher/lower masses. State the atomic element produced during hydrogen fusion. State the atomic element produced during helium fusion. State the element contained in the last inert core of a high-mass star before it goes supernova. State the forces that keep a white dwarf in gravitational equilibrium. State the forces that keep a neutron star in gravitational equilibrium. The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard (Chapter 14 of the Textbook) Stellar Life Cycle. Low-Mass Star. High-Mass Star. White Dwarf. Neutron Star. Black Hole. Main-Sequence Supernova (Supernova Type II). White Dwarf Supernova (Supernova Type I). Binary System. Accretion Disk. Nova. Isolated Star. Pulsars. X-ray Binary. X-ray Burster. Escape Velocity. Event Horizon. Quasars. Gamma-ray Bursts. State the forces that keep a white dwarf at a constant size. Identify the approximate size of a white dwarf. Identify the approximate mass of a white dwarf. State the forces that keep a neutron star at a constant size. Identify the approximate size of a neutron star. Identify the regions of the sky where gamma-ray bursts are observed. V. Our Galaxy (Chapter 15 of the Textbook) Galaxy. Milky Way. Interstellar Medium. Ionization Nebula. Spiral Galaxy. Elliptical Galaxy. Irregular Galaxy. Galactic Disk. Spiral Arms. Halo. Galactic Bulge. Globular Clusters. Open Clusters. Density Wave. Heavy Element (in Astronomy). Disk Stars (Population I). Spheroidal Stars (Population II). Protogalactic Cloud. Star-gas-star cycle. Hot bubbles. Sgr A*. Supermassive Black Hole. Accretion Disk. State how heavy-elements are created in our universe. State how we identify the Milky Way in the sky. State where in our galaxy we are likely to find globular clusters. State where in our galaxy we are likely to find open clusters. State how the position of the center of the Milky Way was determined. State approximate position of our Sun within the Milky Way. State the observational evidence that supports the Protogalactic Cloud Model for the formation of the Milky Way. Describe the orbits around the galactic center of disk stars, halo stars, and bulge stars.state where in a spiral galaxy we are likely to find stars rich in heavy elements. State where in a spiral galaxy we are likely to find stars poor in heavy elements. State where in a spiral galaxy does most of the star formation occur. Describe the star-gas-star cycle. Page 9 of 11

10 VI. A Universe of Galaxies (Chapter 16 of the Textbook) Barred Spiral Galaxy. Lenticular Galaxy. Dwarf Galaxy. Giant Galaxy. Radar. Parallax. Standard Candle. Main Sequence Fitting. Local Group. Cepheids (Cepheid Variables). Period-Luminosity Relation (Cepheid Variables). Andromeda Galaxy. Light. Frequency (of light). Expansion of the Universe. Big Bang. Hubble s Law. Observable Universe. Protogalactic Cloud. Galactic Evolution. Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Quasar (QSO). State the three main types of galaxies. State the two main components of spiral galaxies (disk, spheroidal).state the two main parts of the spheroidal component of spiral galaxies (bulge, halo). State which type(s) of galaxies present a spheroidal component. State the different methods used to determine the distance to astronomical objects (radar, parallax, ). State the types of electromagnetic spectra (radio, visible light, ) in order from lower energy to higher energy. If one photon is of a higher energy than another, state which one has a longer wavelength. If one photon is of a higher energy than another, state which one has a higher frequency..describe how Doppler shifts can help us determine the velocities of objects. State how Edwin Hubble measured the distance to the Andromeda Galaxy. State how Edwin Hubble discovered that our Universe is expanding. State whether the observed image of a galaxy will appear younger or older depending on its distance to us, and why. VII. Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe (Chapter 18 of the Textbook) Galaxy Group or Cluster. Supercluster. Dark Matter. Rotation Curve (in Spiral Galaxies). Flatness of a plotted Curve. Hot Gas (found in between galaxies of a cluster). Gravitational Lensing. Baryonic Matter. Non-baryonic matter. Protons. Neutrons. Neutrinos. Photons. MACHOS (in Astronomy). WIMPS (in Astronomy). Large-scale structure. Protogalaxy. Recollapsing Universe. Critical Universe. Coasting Universe. Accelerating Universe. Dark Energy. State what observational evidence exists for dark matter in our Milky Way. State what observational evidence exists for dark matter in other spiral galaxies. State what observational evidence exists for dark matter in elliptical galaxies. State what observational evidence exists for dark matter in galaxy clusters. State how MACHOs have been detected. Describe the three possible fates for our Universe if only gravity is playing a role in the large-scale structure. Describe the fourth possible fate of the Universe if dark energy exists. VIII. The Birth of the Universe (Chapter 17 of the Textbook) Big Bang Theory. Particle Creation and Annihilation. Matter and Antimatter. Antiparticle. Fundamental Forces. Gravity. Electromagnetic Force. Weak Nuclear Force. Strong Nuclear Force. Superforce. GUT (Grand Unified Theory) Force. Planck Era. GUT Era. Electroweak Era. Particle Era. Nucleosynthesis Era. Nuclei Era. Era of Atoms. Era Page 10 of 11

11 of Galaxies. Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Large-scale structure. Inflation (in the Big Bang Theory). Critical Density (of the Universe). State the four fundamental forces. State the fundamental forces that unite to form the superforce. State the fundamental forces that unite to form the GUT force. State the fundamental forces that unite to form the electroweak force. Describe the properties of the Universe in each of eras according to the Big Bang Theory. State the earliest era for which we currently have experimental supporting evidence. State the two major observational constraints (in addition to the expansion of the Universe) that provide evidence that support the Big Bang Theory. State the significance of the small temperature fluctuations found in the CMB. State the era, within the Big Bang Theory, where the radiation of the CMB is originated. State the era, within the Big Bang Theory, where the Hydrogen to Helium ratio of the Universe is established. State the significance of inflation to the evolution of our Universe. IX. Life in the Universe (Chapter 19 of the Textbook). Greenhouse Effect. Runaway Greenhouse Effect. Heavy Bombardment. Isotope. Theory of Evolution. Natural Selection. DNA. Mutation. Prokarya. Eukarya. Bacteria. Archaea. Black Smoker. Ozone. habitable world. habitable zone (of a star). Kepler Mission. Planetary Transits. Rare Earth Hypothesis. SETI. Drake s Equation. State places in the Solar System where the conditions cannot sustain life as we know it. State places in the Solar System where, under current knowledge, it is possible that life may exist. Page 11 of 11