PHYSICS 1130 Introductory Astronomy

Spring Semester 2007, Instructor:  Prof. Elisabeth Benchich (/ben-check/)

 Office:  342 Grigg, Phone:  704-687-8171, Email: ebenchic@uncc.edu

Office Hours:  Mondays and Wednesdays, 11:00 – 12:00, Burson 135B

(or by appointment in Grigg 342)

 

**THIS CLASS MEETS THE FOLLOWING FRIDAYS TO TAKE TESTS FROM 1:00 - 3:00 PM**

February 9, March 16, and April 13

 

TEXT AND REQUIRED MATERIAL: 

  • Astronomy: The Solar System and Beyond, 4th Edition, Michael A. Seeds, available at the bookstore.  Take advantage of the free online resources that accompany the textbook (Google: michael seeds student companion site and click on the picture of our book.)
  • PRS Audience Feedback Transmitter (your clicker).  New or used, available at the bookstore.

 

EVERYDAY BRING TO CLASS THE FOLLOWING:

  • PRS Clicker, Paper, Pen/Pencil

 

GRADING: 

In-class Reading Quiz and Clicker Questions                                                                   15%

(Each Day Equally Weighted - Drop 2 Lowest)                                                   

Test 1:   Friday, February 9, 1:00-3:00 pm                                                                       20%

Test 2:   Friday, March 16, 1:00-3:00 pm                                                                         20%

Test 3:   Friday, April 13, 1:00-3:00 pm                                                                           20%

Comprehensive Final Exam:  Saturday, May 5th                                  .                                    25%

 

TOTAL                                                                                                                         100%

 

THERE ARE NO MAKE UP EXAMS, QUIZZES, OR HOMEWORK.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

o        Course grades are assigned using a 10-point grading scale: A = 90.0-100.0, B = 80.0-89.9, etc.   

o        You are responsible for all material covered in class, in homework assignments, on quizzes, and in assigned reading.

o        THERE ARE NO MAKE UP EXAMS, QUIZZES, OR HOMEWORK.  NO EXCEPTIONS.  PLAN ACCORDINGLY

o        Students will be required to show their University ID upon turning in exams.  

o        You must do your own work on the homework, reading quizzes, mid-semester exams, and the final exam.  Failure to do so will be a violation of the Honor Code.  There will be consequences.  See below.

 

All UNC Charlotte students have the responsibility to be familiar with and to observe the requirements of The UNC Charlotte Code of Student Academic Integrity (see the Catalog). This Code forbids cheating, fabrication or falsification of information, multiple submission of academic work, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials (such as Library books on reserve), and complicity in academic dishonesty (helping others to violate the Code). Any further specific requirements or permission regarding academic integrity in this course will be stated by the instructor, and are also binding on the students in this course. Students who violate the Code can be punished to the extent of being permanently expelled from UNC Charlotte and having this fact recorded on their official transcripts. The normal penalty is zero credit on the work involving dishonesty and further substantial reduction of the course grade. In almost all cases, the course grade is reduced to "F." If you do not have a copy of the Code, you can obtain one from the Dean of Students Office or access it online at http://www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-105.html.  Standards of academic integrity will be enforced in this course. Students are expected to report cases of academic dishonesty they become aware of to the course instructor who is responsible for dealing with them.

Academic honesty and integrity are essential to the existence and growth of an academic community. Without maintenance of high standards of honesty, members of the instructional faculty are defrauded, students are unfairly treated, and society itself is poorly served. Maintaining the academic standards of honesty and integrity is ultimately the formal responsibility of the instructional faculty; and this responsibility is shared by all members of the academic community.

 UNC Charlotte strives to create an academic climate in which the dignity of all individuals is respected and maintained. Therefore, we celebrate diversity that includes, but is not limited to ability/disability, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, language, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.

PHYS 1130 - INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY

Tentative Schedule

 

 

 

Part 1: The sky, seasons, phases, eclipses, history of astronomy, how science works, light and telescopes

Lesson 1:          scientific notation, scale of the universe, Earth’s rotation, time zones, the Celestial Sphere, seasons

Lesson 2:          phases of the Moon, eclipses, history of astronomy: the Greeks, Copernicus, Tycho, Kepler

Lesson 3:          history of astronomy: Galileo, Newton, tides, how science works; the nature of light, telescopes

Midterm Exam 1:  Part 1

 

 

Part 2: Earth and the Solar System

Lesson 4:          Solar System: introduction, formation, planets around other stars, Earth as a planet

Lesson 5:          Venus, Mars, Earth’s Moon, Mercury, satellites, asteroids

Lesson 6:          Jupiter to Neptune, Pluto, Kuiper belt, Oort cloud, comets

Midterm Exam 2:  Part 2

 

 

Part 3: Physics of light, stars

Lesson 7:          our Sun, how astronomers use spectra to learn about stars

Lesson 8:          Stars: distance, luminosity, mass, star formation, the HR diagram, energy generation, main sequence life

Lesson 9:          Stars: life from main sequence to white dwarf, death — supernovae, neutron stars, black holes

Midterm Exam 3:  Part 3

 

 

Part 4: Galaxies, cosmology

Lesson 10:        Our Galaxy — the Milky Way, Galaxies: properties, clusters of galaxies, dark matter

Lesson 11:        Galaxies: evolution, distances, expansion of Universe, active galaxies, supermassive black holes

Lesson 12:        Cosmology:  Big Bang, evolution of the Universe, fate of the Universe  

 

Final Exam: Parts 1 – 4, with emphasis on Part 4

 

 

**Detailed reading assignments and schedule are on our class WebCT page**

 

You are expected to read the assigned sections BEFORE coming to class as we will have a reading quiz during each class meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

PRS Personal Response System (Your Clicker)

 

 

Each student in the course must have his or her own clicker, and each student must register his or her clicker in order to get course credit for using it.  Clickers will be used extensively during class.  Clicker responses are graded and count 15% toward your grade.  New or used clickers can be purchased from the bookstore.  You must register your clicker online from an on-campus computer. You must use an ON-CAMPUS computer to access the registration website (You will not be able to register using an off-campus computer).

 

To Register:

§         You are in section 001 and your instructor is Dr. Trammell. 

§         Go to http://labphysics.uncc.edu:16080/clicker/ (or go to www.physics.uncc.edu, click on Course Information, and click on PRS Clicker Registration Form) from an on-campus computer.

§         Choose PHYS1130-001_Trammell from the pull down menu.  You must choose your correct section, or your clicker will not register properly.

§         Enter the required information.  Your clicker ID number is on the back of your clicker.  It is a 6-digit number in black font on a white background.