LECTURE SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGMENTS
Readings are from the textbook (The Cosmic Perspective Fundamentals).
iclicker quizes are given in class on Fridays (except where noted below) and will test the material presented in previous lectures
| Date | Topic | Assignment | Quiz covers |
| Sept 7 | 1. Introduction | ... | ... | Sept 9 | 2. Our Place/Time in the Universe |
Read: Chap 1, Appendix C H/W: Q1-12 |
... |
| Sept 14 | 3. Seasons and Constellations |
Read: Section 2.1 H/W: Q1-5 |
... |
| Sept 16 | 4. Moon phases, eclipses |
Read: Sections 2.2 & 2.3 H/W: Q6-12, 18 |
Sep 7/9 |
| Sept 21 | 5. Aristarchus, Eratosthenes, Ptolemaic System |
Read: Section 3.1 H/W: Q1-3 |
... |
| Sep 23 | 6. Copernicus, Tycho, and Kepler |
Read: Section 3.2 H/W: Q4-8, 13 |
Sep 14/16 |
| Sept 28 | 7. Galileo and Newton |
Read: Section 3.3 H/W: Q9-12, 20 |
... |
| Sep 30 | 8. Light |
Read: Tools of Science, pp. 80, 184, 132, & 116 H/W: Memorize EM spectrum, Q.13, p127 |
Sep 21/23 (cancelled) |
| Oct 5 | 9. Light (part 2) and Telescopes |
Read: Tools of Science, pp. 132, 116, & 43 H/W: Q.13, p127 |
Sep 21/23 |
| Oct 7 | 10. Characteristics of the Solar System |
Read: Section 4.1 H/W: Q1-4,15 |
Sep 28/30 |
| Oct 12 | 11. Conservation Laws |
Read: Tools of Science, p. 62 H/W: Q.14 |
... |
| Oct 14 | 12. Birth of the Solar System |
Read: Section 4.2 H/W: Q.5-10,16,18 |
Oct 5/7 (cancelled) |
| Oct 19 | 13. Midterm review | ... | Oct 5/7 |
| Oct 21 | Midterm |
Covers Chap 1 to 4.2 plus all material in lectures |
... |
| Oct 26 | 14. Age of the Solar System |
Read: Section 4.3 H/W: Q.11-12 |
... |
| Oct 28 | 15. The Earth |
Read: Section 5.1 H/W: Q.1,8,9,10 |
Oct 12/14 (cancelled) |
| Nov 2 | 16. Mercury/The Moon/Mars |
Read: Section 5.2 H/W: Q.2-5,13 |
Oct 12/14 |
| Nov 4 | 17. Venus vs. Earth |
Read: Section 5.2 H/W: Q.6-7,11 |
Oct 26/28 |
| Nov 9 | 18. Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming |
Read: Section 5.3 H/W: Q.12 |
Nov 2/4 |
| Nov 11 | Class Cancelled | ... | ... |
| Nov 16 | 19. Jovian Planets |
Read: Section 6.1 H/W: Q.1-2,13 |
... |
| Nov 18 | 20. Jovian Moons/Rings |
Read: Section 6.1 H/W: Q.3-7 |
Nov 9/16 (cancelled) |
| Nov 23 | Class Cancelled | ... | ... |
| Nov 25 | Thanksgiving Break | ... | ... |
| Nov 30 | 21. Asteroids, Meteors, and Comets |
Read: Section 6.2 H/W: Q.8-10 |
Nov 9/16 |
| Dec 2 | 22. Impacts |
Read: Section 6.3 H/W: Q.11,12 |
Nov 18/30 |
| Dec 7 | 23. Detecting Exoplanets |
Read: Section 7.1 H/W: Q.1-4,13 |
... |
| Dec 9 | 24. Characteristics of Exoplanets |
Read: Section 7.2 H/W: Q.5-10 |
Dec 2/7 |
| Dec 14 | 25. Formation of Exoplanets |
Read: Section 7.3 H/W: Q.11-12 |
Dec 9/14 |
| Dec 16 | MAKE-UP FINAL EXAM (Must obtain permission to take) | Covers all chapters & material presented in lectures | 12N - 3PM Location: Serin 307W |
| Dec 20 | FINAL EXAM | Covers all chapters & material presented in lectures | 8-11 AM Location: SC-123 |
Please send any comments to Jack Hughes, jph //at\\ physics.rutgers.edu.
Revised Sept 6, 2016