Astronomy and Cosmology (Ph 110, Section 2)
Spring 2022
COURSE OUTLINE
Course Name and Number: 01:750:110:S2 "Astronomy and Cosmology"
LMS: Canvas
Course LMS Site: To Be Announced
Semester: Spring 2022
Meeting Days, Times, and Places:
The course consists of 2 meetings (MW 7:30PM-8:50PM)
each week in the Physics Lecture Hall on Busch Campus.
Lecturer: Prof. Jack Hughes, Busch Campus,
Serin-307, Tel: (848)445-8878, e-mail: jph "at" physics.rutgers.edu
Office Hours: To Be Announced
Textbook: Required. The Cosmic Perspective:
Fundamentals (2nd edition, 2015, Pearson) by Bennett, Donahue,
Schneider, and Voit. Available from the bookstore in either print or
e-book format (your choice). Optional: The Pearson on-line
"MasteringAstronomy" website. This site contains lots of useful
learning aids that many students will find useful.
iclickers: Required. We will be doing in-class
quizzes using the iClicker classroom response system. Details for
registering your iclicker will be given in class. Note you will need an
actual iclicker device, since the phone app will not be allowed.
Overview: In this course we shall study the structure
and evolution of stars, the properties of galaxies, and the past,
present, and future of the Universe. There are no college-level
prerequisites for this course, but typical high school algebra and
science preparation is assumed. The companion course, Physics 109,
covers the historical foundations of astronomy, the tools and
techniques used by modern astronomers, the constituents of our solar
system, and the processes by which it formed.
Learning Goals:
- Acquire a qualitative understanding of
- the motions of solar system objects and how they relate to
observed phenomena on Earth
- the methods and tools of modern astronomy
- how stars form, what powers their prodigious luminous output, why they live for such long times, how they evolve and die
- the nature of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes
- the properties of galaxies and their importance to life on Earth
- the expanding universe
- the evidence for the big bang, dark matter, and dark energy
- the search for extraterrestrial life
- Develop critical reading skills for scientific writing (i.e., the textbook)
- Develop an ability to understand new concepts and relate them in
new material
Assessment: Grades will be determined based on three
elements weighted equally: (1) in class iclicker quizes, (2) a midterm
exam, and (3) a cumulative final exam. All quizes and exams will be
closed-book format and will consist of multiple-choice questions.
Iclicker quizes will be given on material that has been presented in
class or covered in the assigned reading. Both exams will be
computer-graded; be sure to bring a number 2 pencil.
There will be a make-up final for students with a class conflict, a
medical/family emergency, or other serious and unforeseen event.
In all cases, documentation (your class
schedule, a doctor's note, etc.) must be provided to take the make-up
exam.
Exam Schedule:
- Midterm Exam: in class, March 9
- Final Exam: location TBD, date/time: TBD
- Make-up Final Exam: location TBD, date/time: TBD
How to succeed in this class:
- Read the relevant chapter in the textbook before class.
- Attend all lectures and ask questions based on your readings and
the material presented.
- Regularly attend a study group
- Review the posted lectures.
- Prepare for in class iclicker quizes by working the assigned
homework, which are selected Quick Quiz Questions from the end of each
chapter. The solutions to all the Quick Quiz Questions are given in
Appendix D of the textbook.
- Talk to the professor if you have any questions/concerns about
the material or content during office hours or immediately before or
after the lectures. If you can't get to my office hours send me an
e-mail and we'll arrange another time that's convenient.
- Work through the practice exams (to be provided) while preparing
for the examinations. Be sure to understand the conceptual basis for
each question, so that you can confidently derive the answers
yourself. Do not memorize answers!
Academic Integrity Policy: Students are expected to
maintain the highest level of academic integrity. Visit the Academic
Integrity
site
(Link here) at Rutgers University and familiarize yourself with
the university policy
(Link
here) on academic integrity. Resources for Students are available
here. Violations will be reported and
enforced according to this policy.
Rutgers University takes academic dishonesty very seriously. By enrolling in this course, you assume responsibility for familiarizing yourself with the Academic Integrity Policy and the possible penalties (including suspension and expulsion) for violating the policy. As per the policy, all suspected violations will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. Academic dishonesty includes (but is not limited to):
-
Cheating
-
Plagiarism
-
Aiding others in committing a violation or allowing others to use your work
-
Failure to cite sources correctly
-
Fabrication
-
Using another person’s ideas or words without attribution or re-using a previous assignment
-
Unauthorized collaboration
-
Sabotaging another student’s work
If in doubt, please consult the instructor.
Mask Requirement: We will follow all University rules
regarding restrictions for minimizing the spread of COVID-19 among
the Rutgers community.
Student Wellness Services:
- Student Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatric Services (CAPS) for
non-emergency psychological health issues, (848) 932-7884, 17 Senior
Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(Link here).
CAPS is a University mental health support service that includes
counseling, alcohol and other drug assistance, and psychiatric
services staffed by a team of professionals within Rutgers Health
services to support students’ efforts to succeed at Rutgers
University. CAPS offers a variety of services that include: individual
therapy, group therapy and workshops, crisis intervention, referral to
specialists in the community, and consultation and collaboration with
campus partners.
- Crisis Intervention: (Link here).
- Report a concern: (Link here).
-
Violence Prevention & Victim Assistance (VPVA), (848) 932-1181, 3
Bartlett Street, New Brunswick, NJ
08901, (Link here) . The
Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance provides
confidential crisis intervention, counseling and advocacy for victims
of sexual and relationship violence and stalking to students, staff
and faculty. To reach staff during office hours when the university
is open or to reach an advocate after hours, call 848-932-1181.
-
Office of Disability Services (848) 445-6800, Lucy Stone Hall, Suite
A145, Livingston, 54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ
08854, (Link here). Rutgers
University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the
University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration
for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must
contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where
you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and
provide
documentation:
(Link here). If the documentation supports your request for
reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office
will provide you with a Letter of Accommodations. Please share this
letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them
as early in your courses as possible. To begin this process, please
complete the Registration form on the ODS web site
at:
(Link here).
The address of this page is
http://www.physics.rutgers.edu/ugrad/110/intro.html
Please send any comments to Jack Hughes,
jph "at" physics.rutgers.edu.
Revised November 28, 2022