Download Sample syllabus 2 - Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth

Astrophysics Syllabus
Center for Talented Youth
Course Description: When the sun runs out of fuel, will it explode in a giant supernova or fade out into a white dwarf?
Does every galaxy revolve around a super-massive black hole? Will the universe continue to expand, or will it eventually
collapse back upon itself in a reversal of the Big Bang? Astrophysics – the branch of astronomy that studies the physical
laws governing astronomical objects and the universe itself – is the key tool for determining how the universe works, how it
started, and where its headed.
Students explore the structure of the universe by first learning about scale and distances of important astronomical objects
such as planets, stars, and galaxies. Next, students focus on stellar evolution. They study the birth, life, and death of stars
by examining the inner workings of stars and properties such as size, temperature, color, and luminosity. They also consider
how objects such as neutron stars and black holes are formed.
Students investigate galaxies, including the Milky Way, comparing their shapes, compositions, and rotational speeds. They
calculate distances to other galaxies using Hubble’s Law. Lastly, students explore topics in modern cosmology, such as the
Big Bang and inflationary universe hypotheses, and consider the ultimate fate of the universe.
Prerequisites: Algebra I. Advanced mathematical topics will be presented as needed.
Text: Astronomy Today, Seventh Edition (Volume II: Stars and Galaxies), by E. Chaisson and S. McMillan
Materials Required: Scientific calculator, pens/pencils, notebook or binder with white paper
Course Structure:
• Morning Session: 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
• Afternoon Session: 12:30 PM to 3:15 PM
• Evening Session: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Morning and afternoon sessions will be dedicated to presentation of new content, with laboratory activities during most
afternoon sessions. Evening sessions will be study hall sessions, where students read advanced material, finish lab write-ups,
and/or work on written assignments.
Poster Project:
Each student will be asked to research a topic of their interest chosen from one of the following categories (topics falling outside
of these categories may be approved by permission of the instructor, based on relevance to astronomy and astrophysics):
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Solar physics
Stellar evolution
Orbital mechanics and exoplanet detection
Compact objects (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes)
Galaxy formation, evolution or structure
Cosmology
Students will consult legitimate scientific sources in the course of their research, as well as the course textbook. Students will
prepare a poster similar in nature to those presented at scientific conferences. The poster session will take place on the last
Wednesday of the session.
Oral Presentation:
Students will be asked to research a specific astronomical object that has had scientific literature written on it, and prepare
a three to five minute oral presentation detailing the characteristics of that object. Students may opt instead to present a
talk on an astronomical observing mission that was active at least some time after 1990. Presentations will be on the second
Wednesday of the session.
Course Schedule
All lengths of time (last column) are in minutes
Day
1
Content Covered
Daily Schedule
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Morning
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Distance scales and units
Angular measurements and parallax
Geocentric and heliocentric models
Kepler’s laws of orbital motion
Newtonian mechanics
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Lecture: Astronomical distance scales
Activity: Mapping the solar system and the galaxy
Lecture: Angular measurements and parallax
Worksheet 1: Parallax
Activity: Measuring parallax with the transit of Venus
Lecture: Heliocentric model of the solar system
Activity: Retrograde Motion
Lecture: Kepler’s laws
Worksheet 1: Orbital mechanics
Length
20
10
15
10
20
15
10
15
15
Afternoon
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Lecture: Newton’s three laws
Activity: Demonstrating Newton’s laws
Lecture: Newtonian gravity and Kepler’s laws
Computer Lab: Kepler’s laws and our galaxy’s black hole
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15
20
100
Evening
• Complete: Worksheet 1, Lab 1 Worksheet
• Reading: Section 1.5
• Advanced: Worksheet 1a (atmospheric lifetimes)
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Chapter 3
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Wave nature of light
The electromagnetic spectrum
The Doppler effect
Kelvin temperature scale
Blackbody radiation
Morning
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Lecture: Wave mechanics
Activity: Waves in springs
Lecture: Electromagnetic field oscillations
Worksheet 2: Wave properties
Lecture: The double slit experiment; diffraction gratings
Lecture: The electromagnetic spectrum
Worksheet 2: Spectral classification
Lecture: The Doppler effect
Worksheet 2: Doppler shifting
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20
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10
10
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20
15
Afternoon
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Lecture: Temperature scales and units
Worksheet 2: The Kelvin scale
Lecture: Blackbody radiation
Worksheet 2: Wien’s law and Stefan’s law
Computer Lab: Exoplanet Detection
Evening
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Complete: Worksheet 2, Lab 2 Worksheet
Reading: Discovery 3-1, More Precisely 3-2, 3-3
Advanced reading
Astronomical observing (9 – 11 PM)
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95
Day
3
Content Covered
Daily Schedule
Chapter 4
Morning
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Emission and absorption lines
Structure of the atom
Spectrum of hydrogen
Atomic and molecular transitions
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Lecture: Spectral lines
Activity: Using a spectroscope
Lecture: Bohr model of the atom
Worksheet 3: Energy and frequency of photons
Lecture: Spectrum of hydrogen
Worksheet 3: Hydrogen transitions
Lecture: Molecular emission
Worksheet 3: Molecular vibration
Length
15
20
15
15
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20
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15
Afternoon
• Lecture: Doppler shift of spectral lines
• Worksheet 3: Radial velocities of stars
• Lab: Gas tube spectroscopy
20
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110
Evening
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4
Chapter 16
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Physical properties of the Sun
The solar interior
Helioseismology
Solar magnetism
Solar ejections
Nuclear fusion
Complete: Worksheet 3, Lab 3
Reading: Discovery 4-1, Section 4.5
Advanced reading
Begin oral presentation research
Morning
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Lecture: The solar structure
Worksheet 4: Drawing a scale model of the Sun
Lecture: Pressure and hydrostatic equilibrium
Activity: Solar observing
Lecture: Luminosity and stellar radius
Lecture: Energy transport; convection demo
Worksheet 4: Luminosity, flux and the inverse square law
Lecture: The solar atmosphere
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15
Afternoon
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Lecture: Sunspots; solar magnetism
Activity: Magnetic forces
Lecture: Atmospheric active regions
Worksheet 4: Nuclear fusion in the Sun
Computer Lab: The Flow of Energy out of the Sun
Evening
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Complete: Worksheet 4, Lab 4
Reading: Section 16.7
Advanced reading
Continue oral presentation research
20
10
15
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85
Day
5
Content Covered
Daily Schedule
Chapter 17
Morning
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The magnitude system
Brightness and magnitude relations
Stellar radius, temperature and mass
The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
Morgan-Keenan classification system
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Lecture: Review of luminosity and flux
Worksheet 5: Luminosity-radius relationship
Lecture: Review of logarithms (base 10)
Worksheet 5: Logarithms and exponents
Lecture: Apparent magnitude and absolute magnitude
Worksheet 5: Relative brightness
Lecture: The inverse square law: distance modulus
Worksheet 5: The distance modulus equation
Lecture: Stellar color and photometry; stellar spectra
Length
10
15
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20
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Afternoon
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Worksheet 5: Stellar color
Lecture: Main Sequence, Giants and Dwarfs
Worksheet 5: Luminosity classification
Computer Lab: Photoelectric Photometry of the Pleiades
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20
10
100
Evening (session held on the following Sunday)
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6
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
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Interstellar gas and dust
Molecular clouds and 21 cm radiation
Star formation
Stellar clusters
Main sequence lifetime
Complete: Worksheet 5, Lab 5
Reading: 17.7, 17.8
Advanced reading
Continue oral presentation research
Morning
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Review
Lecture: Dust, extinction and reddening
Worksheet 6: Properties of dust
Lecture: Emission and Reflection Nebulae
Worksheet 6: Phases of the ISM
Lecture: Molecular Clouds
Lecture: 21 cm radiation, molecular lines
Worksheet 6: Energetics of cloud collapse
Lecture: Protostar formation
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20
Afternoon
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Lecture: Protostar phases; main sequence lifetime
Worksheet 6: Stellar lifetimes
Lecture: Molecular cloud collapse
Computer Lab: Spectral Classification of Stars
Evening
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Complete: Worksheet 6, Lab 6
Reading: 19.2–19.3, Discovery 19-1, Discovery 19-2
Advanced reading
Continue oral presentation research
20
15
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105
Day
7
Content Covered
Daily Schedule
Chapter 20
Morning
• Advanced nuclear burning
• Death of low mass stars
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Lecture: Review: Main sequence lifetime
Lecture: Subgiant and giant phases; helium fusion
Worksheet 7: Triple-alpha process
Lecture: Carbon core
Worksheet 7: Electron degeneracy pressure
Lecture: AGB and planetary nebula phases
MESA Demonstration: Solar mass star
Lecture: Fate of different mass stars
Length
10
15
20
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15
Afternoon
• Lecture: Star clusters and turnoff points
• Computer Lab: H-R Diagrams of Star Clusters
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135
Evening
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8
Chapter 21
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White dwarfs
Classical novae
Supernovae, Type Ia and II
Nucleosynthesis
Complete: Worksheet 7, Lab 7
Reading: Section 20.6
Advanced reading
Continue oral presentation research
Morning
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Lecture: Binary star systems
Worksheet 8: Binary systems
Lecture: Classical novae
Worksheet 8: Energetics of novae
Lecture: Type Ia Supernovae
Worksheet 8: Supernovae and distance measurements
MESA Demonstration: Novae and Supernovae
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25
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Afternoon
• Lecture: Death of high mass stars
• Oral Presentations
Evening
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Complete: Worksheet 8
Reading: Chapter 21
Advanced reading
Begin poster presentation research
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130
Day
9
Content Covered
Daily Schedule
Chapter 22
Morning
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Neutron stars
Pulsars and magnetars
Black holes
Special and general relativity
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Lecture: Neutron stars, pulsars and magnetars
Discussion: Neutron stars
Lecture: Neutron star binaries; x-ray bursts
Lecture: Gamma-ray bursts
Discussion: Black holes
Discussion: Special and general relativity
Length
20
10
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30
45
Afternoon
• Computer Lab: Dying Stars and the Birth of the Elements
150
Evening
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10
Chapter 23
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Galactic structure
Spiral arms
Mass of the Milky Way
Dark matter
The center of the galaxy
Complete: Lab 9
Reading: Chapter 22
Advanced reading
Continue poster presentation research
Morning
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Lecture: Structure of the Milky Way
Discussion: Orbital motion of galactic stars; dark matter
Lecture: Spiral arms; formation of the galaxy
Lecture: Center of the galaxy
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40
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20
Afternoon
• Computer Lab: Radio Astronomy of Pulsars
Evening (session held on the following Sunday)
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Complete: Lab 10
Reading: Chapter 23
Advanced reading
Continue poster presentation research
150
Day
11
Content Covered
Daily Schedule
Chapter 24
Morning
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Hubble’s galaxy classification
Tully-Fisher relation
Galaxy clusters
Hubble’s law
Active galaxies
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Lecture: Galaxy classifications; Hubble sequence
Activity: Galaxy Zoo
Lecture: Hubble’s law
Computer Lab: The Hubble Redshift-Distance Relation
research
Afternoon
Length
10
50
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60
150
• Continue poster presentation
Evening
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12
Complete: Lab 11
Reading: Chapter 24
Advanced reading
Continue poster presentation research
Chapter 25
Morning
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Dark matter in galaxies
Galaxy interactions
Galaxy formation and evolution
Large-scale structure
Lecture:
Lecture:
Lecture:
Lecture:
Lecture:
Dark matter in other galaxies
Galaxy merger process
Hierarchical merger model
Clusters and superclusters
Large-scale structure
25
25
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30
Afternoon
• Field Trip: North Museum
Evening
• Reading: Chapter 25
• Advanced reading
• Continue poster presentation research
150
Day
13
Content Covered
Daily Schedule
Chapter 26
Morning
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Structure on the largest scales
Cosmological principle
The expanding universe
Geometry of space-time
Fate of the universe
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Lecture: Homogeneity and isotropy
Lecture: Expansion of the universe; Olbers’ paradox
Activity: Balloon analogy
Lecture: Large scale curvature of space
Length
30
40
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40
Afternoon
• Lecture: Dark energy; acceleration of the universe
• Continue poster presentation research
30
120
Evening
• Poster Presentation Session
• Reading: Chapter 26
• Advanced reading
14
Chapter 27
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Cosmic microwave background
The Big Bang
Evolution of the universe
Nucleosynthesis
Inflation; the formation of structure
Morning
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Student Program Evaluations
Lecture: The cosmic microwave background
Lecture: Pair production
Video: Into the Universe
30
20
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60
Afternoon
• Lecture: Big Bang nucleosynthesis
• Lecture: Cosmic inflation
• Astrophysics game show
15
15
120
Evening
• Post-assessment review
• Post-assessment
15
Chapter 28
Morning
• The Drake equation
• Exoplanets
• Lecture: The Drake equation
• Lecture: The Kepler mission; exoplanets
• Class party
20
20