physics & astronomy syllabus: sci 238 – introductory ... · physics & astronomy syllabus:...
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PHYSICS&ASTRONOMYSYLLABUS:SCI238–INTRODUCTORYASTRONOMYWinter2016Tue&Thur4:00-5:20DC1351
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CONTACTINFORMATION:
• Instructor:o MikeHudsono Email:[email protected](putSCI238insubjectline)o Officehours:Wed3:30-4:30inPHYS252oremailforappointment
• TAs:o [email protected] o [email protected] o [email protected] o [email protected]
COURSEDESCRIPTION:
AsurveycourseinastronomyintendedforMathematics,EngineeringandSciencestudents.Thesolarsystem,theSunandplanets,stars,theMilkyWay,galaxiesandcosmology.
[Note:StudentswithastrongbackgroundinPhysicsandMathematicsshouldconsiderPHYS175insteadofSCI238.Offered:W,S]
Antireq:PHYS175,SCI237
PREREQUISITES:
• SomebackgroundinbasicPhysics(e.g.HighSchoolorPHYS1xxlevelcourseatUWaterloo).o StudentswithweakbackgroundinPhysicsshouldconsiderSCI237.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
• ConceptualandquantitativeunderstandingofthemajorcomponentsoftheUniverse,theirevolutionandinteractions.
• ApplicationofbasicprinciplesofPhysicstotheabove.• UnderstandinghowweknowwhatweknowabouttheUniverse.
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RESOURCES:
• Textbook:o CosmicPerspectiveFundamentals(2ndEdition)byJ.Bennett,etal.
§ ThisisashorterversionofCosmicPerspective(alsobyBennett,etal.)§ ThefirsteditionofCosmicPerspectiveFundamentalsshouldcontainmostbut
possiblynotallofthematerial.Editionsofthe(full)CosmicPerspectivecontainmorematerialthan“Fundamentals”.Thesemayalsohavedifferentchapterandproblemnumbering.Ifyouuseanyoftheseothereditions,youareresponsibleforanymissingmaterial.
o Onecopyofthe2ndeditionofFundamentalswillbeheldonone-hourreserveintheDavisLibrary,callnumberUWD1530.
o WewillNOTbeusingtheonlineMasteringAstronomyforcredit.• Clickers:
o Thisclasswilluseclickersforin-classquestions• Calculators:
o Only“Bluegoggle”,”Pinktie”or“Yellowhardhat”calculatorswillbepermittedformidtermandfinalexams.
TOPICS:
1. IntroductiontotheUniverse(2lectures)2. Naked-eyeastronomy:Motionsoftheearth,moonandplanets;thehistoricaldevelopmentof
astronomy(3lectures)3. TheSolarSystem(3lectures)4. Extra-solarplanets(1lecture)5. Stars:theSun,observationalproperties,thestructureofastar,stellarevolution(3lectures)6. Deathofstars:supernovaeandblackholes(2lectures)7. OurGalaxy,theMilkyWay:structure,theinterstellarmedium,starformation,darkmatterhalo
(2lectures)8. BeyondourGalaxy:galaxies,quasars,etc.(2lectures)9. Cosmology:theoriesoftheUniverse(theBigBang)(3lectures)10. Extraterrestriallife(1lecture,iftimepermits)
ASSESSMENT:
• ReadingAssignmentsandQuizzes:o Therewillbeweeklyreadingassignmentsfromthecoursetextbook.Theseassignments
anddeadlineswillpostedontheSCI238LEARNpageaswegoalong,andassessedbymultiple-choicequizzesconductedwithinLEARN.Notethatmanyofthemultiple-choicequestionswillbe“recycled”inthemidtermandfinalexams.Bytheendofthecourse,thesereadingassignmentswillhavecoveredmostofthetextbook.
• “Clicker”questions:o Inmostlectures,therewillbeclickerquestions,basedonthereadingassignmentsor
conceptspresentedinclass.• Films:
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o Therewillbesomefilmsshowninthiscourse.MaterialpresentedinfilmsispartofthecourseandthereWILLbequestionsaskedinin-classquizzesandontheexamsonthismaterial.
• Assignments:o Therewillbeseveralproblemsetstodooverthecourseoftheterm.Moreinfoon
assignmentstandards.• ObservingProject:
o Optional(seegradingschemesbelow).• ObservingtheNightSky:
o IwillarrangeforobservingsessionsusingthetelescopesontheroofofthePhysicsbuilding.Atpresent,itisintendedthatthesesessionswillbeoptional.Notethattherearealsopublicobservingnights.
Gradingscheme
Scheme1 Scheme2
Clicker/inclass 5 5 Mostlectures
Onlinequizzes 5 5 Approx.weekly
Assignments 15 15 Approx.8overtheterm
ObservingProject - 15 Dueatendofterm
Midterm 25 20 TueFeb23Tentative:tobeconfirmed
Final 50 40 DateTBA
Total 100 100
• Latesubmission:Penaltyforassignmentsupto1daylate:25%ofthemaximumpossiblegrade.Nocreditforassignmentslaterthanaday.
• Missedassignments,midtermsorexams:BringVerificationofIllnessForms(VIF)within48hoursoftheendofillnesstoScienceUndergraduateOffice(SUO)forverificationandfiling.TheSUOwillthennotifymeautomatically.
• Assignmentswillbereturnedinclass.AssignmentsnotpickedupinclasswillbeleftforcollectionoutsidePHY252fortwoweeks.Ifyoudonotwishyouruncollectedassignment(s)leftforcollection,pleasecontactmeinadvance.
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ACADEMICINTEGRITY:
• AcademicIntegrity:Inordertomaintainacultureofacademicintegrity,membersoftheUniversityofWaterloocommunityareexpectedtopromotehonesty,trust,fairness,respectandresponsibility.TheOfficeofAcademicIntegrityprovidesrelevantinformationforstudents,facultyandstaff.Studentsareexpectedtoknowwhatconstitutesacademicintegrity,toavoidcommittingacademicoffences,andtotakeresponsibilityfortheiractions.CompletionoftheOrientationtoAcademicIntegrityTutorialisencouragedandfamiliaritywithPolicy#71,(StudentDiscipline)isexpected.Studentswhoareunsurewhetheranactionconstitutesanoffence,orneedhelpinlearninghowtoavoidoffences(e.g.,plagiarism,cheating)orunderstand‘rules’forgroupwork/collaborationshouldseekguidancefromtheircourseinstructor,academicadvisor,ortheAssociateDeanofScienceforUndergraduateStudies.ForinformationontypicalPolicy71penalties,studentsshouldcheckGuidelinesfortheAssessmentofPenalties.
• Grievance:Students,whobelievethatadecisionaffectingsomeaspectoftheiruniversitylifehasbeenunfairorunreasonable,mayhavegroundsforinitiatingagrievance.StudentsshouldreadPolicy#70,StudentPetitionsandGrievances,Section4.Whenindoubt,studentsmustcontactthedepartmental/schooladministrativeassistantwhowillprovidefurtherassistance.
• Appeals:AdecisionorpenaltyimposedunderPolicy33(EthicalBehavior),grievancesunderPolicy#70(StudentPetitionsandGrievances)orPolicy#71(StudentDiscipline)maybeappealed,ifthereisaground.Petitionsmaynotbeappealed.StudentswhobelievetheyhaveagroundforanappealshouldrefertoPolicy#72(StudentAppeals).
COURSERULES/CONSIDERATIONS:
• ExamPeriodTravel:o TheexamperiodisApril8throughApril23.TheexactSCI238examdatewillbe
announcedinmid-February.o Notethatstudenttravelplansarenotconsideredacceptablegroundsforgrantingan
alternativeexaminationtime.• StudentswithDisabilities:
o AccessAbilityServices,locatedinNeedlesHall,Room1132,collaborateswithallacademicdepartmentstoarrangeappropriateaccommodationsforstudentswithdisabilitieswithoutcompromisingtheacademicintegrityofthecurriculum.Ifstudentsrequireacademicaccommodationstolessentheimpactoftheirdisability,theyshouldregisterwithAccessAbilityServicesatthebeginningofeachacademicterm.
• ChangestoCourseOutlineso Revisedcourseoutlineswillbeposted/provided,ifcoursedetailschange(e.g.,topics
covered,emphasisoncertaintopics,etc.)o Courseelementsthatwillnotchangearethe:
§ Gradingschemes§ Courseelementsrelatedtoevaluation