Physics 2451/2452 - ASTRONOMY
(2015/2016)
Instructor: Dr. David Tindall
Electronic Mail: david.tindall@dal.ca
Tel: 902-494-2337 (Dept.)
902-455-7456 (Home)
Web-page: myweb.dal.ca/tindall/astronomy
If you are not already on my Astronomy e-mail list, which is used for Astronomy news items,
please send me a blank e-mail with Astronomy List as the Subject.
2451 & 2452 together cover the whole of the Universe.
Prerequisites: 2451: A previous university-level science class. For 2452, normally, PHYC 2451.
Text: "Universe" by Roger A. Freedman, Robert M. Geller & William J. Kaufmann III; 10th Ed.
Tuesday Evenings 19:05 - 21:55 (Dunn 101), with two ten minute breaks.
There will also be occasional optional observing and planetarium sessions.
Accommodation Policy:
"Students may request accommodation as a result of barriers related to disability, religious obligation, or any
characteristic under the human rights legislation. Students who require academic accommodation for either
classroom participation or the writing of tests and exams should make their request to the Advising and Access
Services Center (AASC) prior to or at the outset of the regular academic year. Please visit www.dal.ca/access for
more information and to obtain the Request for Accommodation form.
A note taker may be required as part of a student’s accommodation. There is an honorarium of $75/course/term (with
some exceptions). If you are interested, please contact AASC at 494-2836 for more information or send an email to
notetaking@dal.ca
Please note that your classroom may contain specialized accessible furniture and equipment. It is important that these
items remain in the classroom, untouched, so that students who require their usage will be able to fully participate in
the class."
Each term’s grade will be determined as follows:
Assignments (roughly biweekly, due before class)
Quiz #1 (Oct 20th/Feb 9th - 50 min/one formula sheet*)
Quiz #2 (Nov 17th/Mar 8th - 50 min/one formula sheet*)
Final Exam (3 hr/two formula sheets* permitted)
* Formula sheet: 8 ½" x 11", both sides
20%
20%
20%
40%
WARNING!
The exams for these classes are often scheduled near the end of the exam periods.
Do not make travel arrangements that will make you unavailable for the examinations.
Outline of the classes:
PHYC 2451 (Fall term):
PHYC 2452 (Winter term):
Chapters 1-6: "Introducing Astronomy"
Chapters 7-15: "Planets and Moons"
Chapters 16-22: "Stars & Stellar Evolution"
Chapters 23-27: "Galaxies and Cosmology"
... Over
Notes concerning PHYC 2451 & 2452 assignments
Assignments are due at the beginning of class
Late assignments will not be marked.
In order to facilitate marking of the assignments, please observe these Guidelines:
a) Use 8 1/2" x 11" paper.
b) You do not have to do the questions in the order given, but start each question on a new
sheet of paper.
c) Clearly indicate the question number at the top right hand corner of the page.
d) Submit your assignment with a covering sheet clearly showing your name, class number and
assignment number. You may find it convenient to use the assignment sheet itself for this.
e) Arrange your answers to the questions in the order given and securely staple all the sheets
together in the top left hand comer.
f) Show your working ... few marks will be given for the answer itself ... I want to see that you
understand the problem.
g) Try to be neat.
Plagiarism (“copying”):
“Dalhousie University defines plagiarism as the submission or presentation of the work of
another as if it were one's own.
Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offence that may lead to the assignment of a failing
grade, suspension or expulsion from the University. If a penalty results in a student no longer
meeting the requirements of a degree that has been awarded, the University may rescind that
degree. ”
http://www.dal.ca/academics/academic_calendars/Undergraduate_Calendar_2014_2015/University_Regulations.html#I11
Part of the learning process in Physics comes from discussing ideas and problems with others and
I have no wish to prevent this - quite the contrary, in fact - I recognise that often you will learn
much from discussions with your fellow students. Consequently, in PHYC 2451 & 2452 it is
permissible to discuss assignments with others, but the material submitted must be your own
work; certainly not copied from another student's assignment.
As a particular example, in the case of those questions which require measurements to be made,
you must make and record those yourself, independently.
I hope this is clear. If you have any questions, please contact me.
2015-04-21
... Over