Physics109-02, Astronomy & Cosmology

Course Outline (Fall 2009)

T. & Th. 8:10 PM – 9:30PM

September 1 – December 10

PHYSICS LECTURE HALL

Dr. Slawomir Piatek

Office: Serin Labs (West) 335

Phone: 732-445-5500 x8250

e-mail:piatek@physics.rutgers.edu

Office hour: T. & Th. 7:00 PM– 8:00 PM

Class website:www.physics.rutgers.edu/~piatek/class/Phys109/F09/Outline.htm

 

Text:

 

Universe,The Solar System, 3rd Edition by Roger A. Freedman & William J.Kaufmann III, published by W. H. Freeman and Company, ISBN: 0-7167-9563-9

 

Special Notes:

 

Students with Disabilities, please see this URL: http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/ugrad/disabilities.html

 

Readings: I have listed the readingassignments below. You should complete the readings before the correspondinglectures.

 

Exams: There will be two exams (on thedays indicated in the outline, unless amended by the instructor) and a finalexam.  Each exam has 30multiple-choice questions with five choices for an answer.  Exams are not cumulative.  To each exam, you must bring a photo IDand a pencil.  You must also knowyour Rutgers University ID (RUID).

 

 

Exam Schedule:

 

Exam 1: Thursday, October 15;        8:10 PM – 9:30 PM;Location: PLH

 

Exam 1 Key (Correctanswers are marked in green)

 

Exam 2: Tuesday, November 17;    8:10 PM – 9:30 PM; Location: PLH (Note newexam date)

 

Exam 2 Key (Correct answers are marked ingreen)

 

Exam 3 (Final Exam): Friday, December 18; 4:00 PM – 5:20 PM; Location: TBA

 

Sample 100 questions fromthe past exams

 

Homework: I will assign homework on a weeklybasis starting September 9 (Wednesday at 12:01 AM) using the web-based WebAssign system.  Touse the system, you must purchase the access from either the Rutgersbookstore or directly from the WebAssign web page.  If you purchased our required text fromthe Rutgers bookstore, the WebAssign access isincluded in the purchase.  Thehomework will be due 1 minute before midnight on the following Tuesday.  No late submission will beaccepted.  No paper.  I will drop 3 lowest homework scoresout of the 13 when calculating your course grade.  The results and answers to the questions will be availableon the WebAssign.

 

Your login name is your RUID with leading zeros (0s)ignored.  The initial password isthe upper-case first letter of your last name followed by your full RUID.  Please change the password and rememberthe new one.  For institution, typein: “rutgers” (lower case “r” and without the quotes). For example, the loginname for Slawomir Piatek (RUID 123006789) would be 123006789 and the passwordP123006789. 

 

Attendance:  I do not takeattendance.

 

Grading: I will determine your course gradebased on the two exams, homework, and the final exam. Each exam, homework, anda final determines 25% of your course grade.  The course grade will be assigned based on the followinggrade matrix:

 

            85%-100%   A

            80%-  85%   B+

            70%-  80%   B

            65%-  70%   C+

            50%-  65%   C

            40%-  50%   D

              0% -  40%   F

 

ClassCalendar:

 

Lecture 1      (T.9/1) Introduction and course overview.

                        Read:Familiarize yourself with the WebAssign system

 

Lecture 2      (Th. 9/3) Introduction to Astronomy.

                        Read: Ch.1

 

Lecture 3      (Th. 9/10) Motions in the sky.

                        Read: Ch.2

 

Lecture 4      (T. 9/15) Motions in the sky, cont’d

                        Read: Ch.2

 

Lecture 5      (Th. 9/17) Eclipses

                        Read: Ch.3

 

Lecture 6      (T. 9/22) Greek & Renaissanceastronomy

                        Read: Ch.4

 

Lecture 7      (Th. 9/24) Newton’sLaws of Motion & Gravity

                        Read: Ch.4

 

Lecture 8      (T. 9/29) Newton’sLaws of Motion & Gravity, cont’d

                        Read: Ch.4

 

Lecture 9      (Th. 10/1) Light

                        Read: Ch.5

 

Lecture 10    (T. 10/6) Light, cont’d

                        Read: Ch.5

 

Lecture 11    (Th. 10/8) Optics & Telescopes

                        Read: Ch.6

                       

Lecture 12    (T. 10/13) Overview of the SolarSystem & basic concepts in physics

Read: Ch.7

 

Lecture 13    (Th. 10/15) Exam # 1 (Chapters 1– 6; 30 MC Qs; Bring a photo ID, pencil #2, & eraser; Know your RUID)

                        Read: Review all of the chaptersdiscussed.

 

Lecture 14    (T. 10/20) Overview of the SolarSystem & basic concepts in physics, cont’d

Read: Ch.7

 

Lecture 15    (Th. 10/22) Origin of the SolarSystem

                        Read: Ch.8

 

Lecture 16    (T. 10/27) The Earth

                        Read: Ch.9

 

Lecture 17    (Th. 10/29) The Earth, cont’d

                        Read: Ch.9

 

Lecture 18    (T. 11/3) The Moon

                        Read: Ch.10

 

Lecture 19    (Th. 11/5) The other terrestrialplanets

                        Read:Ch.11

 

Lecture 20    (T. 11/10) The other terrestrialplanets

                        Read:Ch.11

 

Lecture 21    (Th. 11/12) Class Cancelled due to the football game

 

Lecture 22    (T. 11/17) Exam # 2(Chapters 7 – 11; 30 MC Qs; Bring a photo ID, pencil #2, & eraser;Know your RUID)

                        Read or Review all of the chaptersdiscussed.

 

Lecture 23    (Th. 11/19) Jupiter & Saturn

                        Read: Ch 12

 

Lecture 24    (T. 11/24) Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn

                        Read: Ch.13

 

Lecture 25    (T.  12/1) The outer planets and objects

                        Read: Ch.14

 

Lecture 26    (Th. 12/3) Minor objects in the Solar System

                        Read: Ch.15

 

Lecture 27    (T. 12/8) The Sun

                        Read: Ch.16

 

Lecture 28    (Th. 12/10) The Sun, cont’d

                        Read:Ch.16

 

Exam 3 (Final exam) Friday 12/18, 4:00 PM – 5:20 PM

Read/review Chapters 12 – 16; Bring a photo ID,pencil #2, & eraser; Know your RUID)