* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Sample syllabus 2 - Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
Perseus (constellation) wikipedia , lookup
Non-standard cosmology wikipedia , lookup
International Ultraviolet Explorer wikipedia , lookup
Aquarius (constellation) wikipedia , lookup
History of astronomy wikipedia , lookup
Theoretical astronomy wikipedia , lookup
Astronomical unit wikipedia , lookup
Physical cosmology wikipedia , lookup
Hubble Deep Field wikipedia , lookup
Modified Newtonian dynamics wikipedia , lookup
Corvus (constellation) wikipedia , lookup
Lambda-CDM model wikipedia , lookup
Observable universe wikipedia , lookup
Stellar evolution wikipedia , lookup
H II region wikipedia , lookup
Stellar kinematics wikipedia , lookup
Timeline of astronomy wikipedia , lookup
Cosmic distance ladder wikipedia , lookup
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): • • • • • • 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 • • • • • Distance scales and units Angular measurements and parallax Geocentric and heliocentric models Kepler’s laws of orbital motion Newtonian mechanics • • • • • • • • • 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 • • • • 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 15 15 20 100 Evening • Complete: Worksheet 1, Lab 1 Worksheet • Reading: Section 1.5 • Advanced: Worksheet 1a (atmospheric lifetimes) 2 Chapter 3 • • • • • Wave nature of light The electromagnetic spectrum The Doppler effect Kelvin temperature scale Blackbody radiation Morning • • • • • • • • • 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 15 20 15 15 10 10 10 20 15 Afternoon • • • • • 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 • • • • Complete: Worksheet 2, Lab 2 Worksheet Reading: Discovery 3-1, More Precisely 3-2, 3-3 Advanced reading Astronomical observing (9 – 11 PM) 10 10 20 15 95 Day 3 Content Covered Daily Schedule Chapter 4 Morning • • • • Emission and absorption lines Structure of the atom Spectrum of hydrogen Atomic and molecular transitions • • • • • • • • 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 15 20 15 15 Afternoon • Lecture: Doppler shift of spectral lines • Worksheet 3: Radial velocities of stars • Lab: Gas tube spectroscopy 20 20 110 Evening • • • • 4 Chapter 16 • • • • • • 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 • • • • • • • • 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 20 15 20 15 10 15 20 15 Afternoon • • • • • 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 • • • • Complete: Worksheet 4, Lab 4 Reading: Section 16.7 Advanced reading Continue oral presentation research 20 10 15 20 85 Day 5 Content Covered Daily Schedule Chapter 17 Morning • • • • • The magnitude system Brightness and magnitude relations Stellar radius, temperature and mass The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram Morgan-Keenan classification system • • • • • • • • • 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 10 15 20 15 10 20 15 Afternoon • • • • Worksheet 5: Stellar color Lecture: Main Sequence, Giants and Dwarfs Worksheet 5: Luminosity classification Computer Lab: Photoelectric Photometry of the Pleiades 20 20 10 100 Evening (session held on the following Sunday) • • • • 6 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 • • • • • 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 • • • • • • • • • 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 5 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 20 Afternoon • • • • Lecture: Protostar phases; main sequence lifetime Worksheet 6: Stellar lifetimes Lecture: Molecular cloud collapse Computer Lab: Spectral Classification of Stars Evening • • • • Complete: Worksheet 6, Lab 6 Reading: 19.2–19.3, Discovery 19-1, Discovery 19-2 Advanced reading Continue oral presentation research 20 15 15 105 Day 7 Content Covered Daily Schedule Chapter 20 Morning • Advanced nuclear burning • Death of low mass stars • • • • • • • • 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 15 20 15 20 15 Afternoon • Lecture: Star clusters and turnoff points • Computer Lab: H-R Diagrams of Star Clusters 15 135 Evening • • • • 8 Chapter 21 • • • • 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 • • • • • • • 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 15 25 15 20 15 20 20 Afternoon • Lecture: Death of high mass stars • Oral Presentations Evening • • • • Complete: Worksheet 8 Reading: Chapter 21 Advanced reading Begin poster presentation research 20 130 Day 9 Content Covered Daily Schedule Chapter 22 Morning • • • • Neutron stars Pulsars and magnetars Black holes Special and general relativity • • • • • • 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 15 10 30 45 Afternoon • Computer Lab: Dying Stars and the Birth of the Elements 150 Evening • • • • 10 Chapter 23 • • • • • 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 • • • • 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 30 40 40 20 Afternoon • Computer Lab: Radio Astronomy of Pulsars Evening (session held on the following Sunday) • • • • Complete: Lab 10 Reading: Chapter 23 Advanced reading Continue poster presentation research 150 Day 11 Content Covered Daily Schedule Chapter 24 Morning • • • • • Hubble’s galaxy classification Tully-Fisher relation Galaxy clusters Hubble’s law Active galaxies • • • • Lecture: Galaxy classifications; Hubble sequence Activity: Galaxy Zoo Lecture: Hubble’s law Computer Lab: The Hubble Redshift-Distance Relation research Afternoon Length 10 50 10 60 150 • Continue poster presentation Evening • • • • 12 Complete: Lab 11 Reading: Chapter 24 Advanced reading Continue poster presentation research Chapter 25 Morning • • • • • • • • • 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 25 25 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 • • • • • Structure on the largest scales Cosmological principle The expanding universe Geometry of space-time Fate of the universe • • • • Lecture: Homogeneity and isotropy Lecture: Expansion of the universe; Olbers’ paradox Activity: Balloon analogy Lecture: Large scale curvature of space Length 30 40 20 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 • • • • • Cosmic microwave background The Big Bang Evolution of the universe Nucleosynthesis Inflation; the formation of structure Morning • • • • Student Program Evaluations Lecture: The cosmic microwave background Lecture: Pair production Video: Into the Universe 30 20 20 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