ASTRONOMY 101.002 (Call # 14181) Syllabus: Spring 2013
Instructor:
Class Time:
Location:
Office Hours:
Phone:
email:
Office:
Dr. Kent Morrison
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 14:00-14:50
Regener Hall room 103
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 15:15 – 16:00, or just send email.
277-0433
lkm@unm.edu
Room 1115, Physics and Astronomy (panda) Building (corner of
Lomas and Yale)
Text: Understanding Our Universe by Palen, Kay, Smith and Blumenthal
(http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Understanding-Our-Universe/ ) Each chapter has
sections on “Reading Astronomy News”, a “Summary”, a “Summary Self-Test”, “Exploration”
and "Questions and Problems. In each chapter, there is also a section called "Working it Out".
Some of these are too quantitative for this class, but we will occasionally use some of this
material.
Astronomy is the oldest of the sciences and also one of the most fascinating to people in
general. This is a time of great discoveries about the universe that we all hear about in the
press on a seemingly regular basis. One of the goals of this course is for you to become
informed enough about the cosmos to understand how these discoveries have been made and
what they really mean.
We have a big task in front of us this semester: a tour of the universe. There’s no prerequisite
for this class besides an open mind and a desire to know what is out there. You will learn
some physics and we will use a small amount of math (high school level algebra and
trigonometry)
General: There is not time to do justice to every topic in the book, or in astronomy in general,
especially in the lectures. However, you are generally responsible for all material in a chapter,
whether I lecture on it or not. There are a couple of exceptions to this rule. First, the book has
more equations than the lectures will have. You are only responsible for the equations you see
in lecture. Second, you are only responsible for the "Working it Out" material if we discuss it
in class, some of which have a bit of math that we will cover in class. It will benefit you
greatly to read the relevant chapter or sections before I discuss them in class. The lectures are
used to reinforce the reading and to explain the more important concepts in some detail.
Webpage: My home page, http://panda.unm.edu/Courses/Morrison/Astro101Sp13, will have
electronic versions of all handouts (syllabus, test reviews, etc.) and occasionally other
material. You can also get to the homepage from http://panda.unm.edu, click on “classes”, then
on A101 Morrison. Be sure to read ALL of the syllabus.
Required Materials: i>clicker, course textbook including access code for the SmartWork
Online Homework, and two number 2 pencils.
Registering your i>clicker: To register your i>clicker; go to go to
http://iclicker.com/registration. You can use your e-mail address as your login name if you
want, that is what they recommend. For your Student ID, use your Banner ID (the nine digit
UNM ID# on your Lobo Card).
Registering for SmartWork (online homework): First create a SmartWork account and
self-enroll into this class following the "First Time User" instructions at
http://smartwork.wwnorton.com. You will need:
1. A valid email address
2. The enrollment key for your course: UNDUNIV4154 (this is case sensitive).
3. A registration code from W.W. Norton. The registration code is included in the new
textbook. If you purchased a used book, you can buy just the registration code in the
bookstore or you also purchase the registration code online here:
http://books.wwnorton.com/books/978-0-393-91834-2/ for $20.
For more information about SmartWork, including FAQ's and links to Technical Support,
please visit http://www.wwnorton.com/smartwork.
Homework: There will be regular reading assignments and homework assignments given in
the Schedule below. Read the chapter material BEFORE the class time. Homework
assignments will be completed on-line through the SmartWork Online Homework. Tentative
due dates for homework are listed on the syllabus (this is subject to change) and the
homework is due at 11:00 pm on the day indicated. The homework will not be accepted after
the due date, but I can give you an extension on the due date if you have a valid excuse.
However you must ask for the extension. Finally, note that occasionally more than one
answer is correct and you may be asked to provide all the correct answers. The homework is
part of your grade, so you do need to do it. There is no penalty for giving a wrong answer for
the homework and there are an unlimited number of tries for each problem, so you can easily
get a grade of 100% for your homework score. If you do not do an assignment, you will get a
grade of 0% for it unless you get an extension to the due date and then complete the
assignment before the new due date.
Grading:
1) There will be four multiple choice tests, each worth 100 points. Each test will cover only
on material since the last test (or, for the first test, since the beginning of the course). The last
test (test 4) will be held on May 8 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in Regener Hall room 103. Note this
test is NOT a final exam as such since it is equal to the other three and is not cumulative.
There will be NO make-up tests given, but I will drop the lowest test grade of the first three
tests. Do not ask me for a makeup test, I realize there are occasions when you must miss a test,
so that is why I am dropping your lowest test of the first three tests. So you can miss one of the
first three tests and still obtain an A in the class. Bring several sharpened pencils to class on
test days to mark your answer sheet. You must hand in both the answer sheet and the test
booklet or you will receive a zero for the test. Your answer should be circled on the actual test
and they should be bubbled in on the actual answer sheet that is machine graded. Your name
and Student ID (that is, your Banner ID) must be on both the test and the answer sheet. You
need to write your seat number in the upper right hand corner of the answer sheet. Your nine
digit Banner ID should be bubbled in under “Identification Number” on your answer sheet. I
will review all this in class before the test. If you mark a different answer on the test and the
answer sheet, then the answer sheet will be the one that counts. Tests will not be returned, but
you are welcome to come to my office and review your test and the answer sheet. I will post
the test grades on SmartWork within a week after each test.
2) Homework: The SmartWork Online Homework will count 50 points, equal to one half a
test. NOTE: The “Student Average” score listed in your SmartWork gradebook is incorrect.
It does not calculate the correct average of homework and tests. Please ignore the “Student
Average” score listed in SmartWork.
3) Participation: The in-class i>clicker participation exercises will count 50 points, also equal
to one half a test. You will get credit for participating and for getting the correct answer.
These i>clicker questions may appear on the tests, so they are important.
4) Your final grade will be an average of your three test scores (test 4 plus the highest two of
the first three tests), your homework score, and your i>clicker score. The grades are not
rounded. Test questions will be based on the lectures, the text and the homework.
Tutoring:Free tutoring for this class is available through CAPS. Go to
http://www.unm.edu/~caps/.
Grading Scale: Depending on class performance, I may or may not grade according to a
curve. Grading on a curve can only improve your grade; it cannot lower it. I will assign letter
grades according to the following scale:
A+ is 97.0-100
A is 93.0-96.9 A- is 90.0-92.9
B+ is 87.0-89.9
B is 83.0-86.9 B- is 80.0-82.9
C+ is 77.0-79.9
C is 73.0-76.9 C- is 70.0-72.9
D+ is 67.0-69.9
D is 63.0-66.9 D- is 60.0-62.9
F is below 60.0
Regarding grade disputes; if you feel your test grade is in error, please bring it to my attention
no later than 2 weeks after receiving your graded test.
Make-up Tests: There are no makeup tests and I will not give the final exam earlier or later
than it is scheduled.
Cell phones, Ipods, blackberries, etc. : keep them turned off and out of sight in class or
preferably don't bring them to class at all. If a phone rings, I will stop lecturing and stare in the
direction of the ringing until the problem goes away.
Lectures. The powerpoint lectures are be available here
http://panda.unm.edu/Courses/Morrison/Astro101Sp13
The lectures are numbered and we will generally cover all of a numbered lecture in one class.
Here is the tentative schedule of topics covered and homework assignments, but this schedule
may change. Homework is always due at 11:00 pm on the date given.
SCHEDULE (subject to change, see SmartWork for correct due dates for homework)
Date
Jan 14
Feb
Mar
Apr
16
18
21
23
25
28
30
1
4
6
8
11
13
15
18
20
22
25
27
1
4
6
8
11-15
18
20
22
25
27
29
1
3
5
8
10
12
15
17
19
TOPIC
L1, Class Introduction, Chapt 1
(Our Place in the Universe)
L2, Ch 1
L3, Ch 1
HOLIDAY
L4, Ch 2 (Patterns in the Sky)
L5, Ch 2
L6, Ch 3 (Laws of Motion)
L7, Ch 3
L8, Ch 3
L9, Ch 4 (Telescopes)
L10, Ch 4
TEST 1 (Chapters 1 – 4)
L11, Ch 5 (Formation of Stars)
L12, Ch 5
L13, Ch 6 (Terrestrial Worlds)
L14, Ch 6
L15, Ch 7 (Atmospheres)
L16, Ch 7
L17, Ch 7
L18, Ch 8 (The Giant Planets)
L19, Ch 8
L20, Ch 9 (Small Bodies)
L21, Ch 9
TEST 2 (Chapters 5 – 9)
SPRING BREAK
L22, Ch10 (Measuring Stars)
L23, Ch10
L24, Ch 11 (Our Star)
L25, Ch 11
L26, Ch 11
L27, Ch 12 (Low Mass Stars)
L28, Ch 12
L29, Ch 12
L30, Ch 13 (High Mass Stars)
L31, Ch 13
TEST 3 (Chapters 10 – 13)
L32, Ch 14 (Expansion of Space)
L33, Ch 14
L34, Ch 15 (Galaxies)
L35, Ch 15
HOMEWORK Assignment
Enroll in SmartWork, do Ch 1 Summary
Self Test (SST) and
Reading Astronomy News (RAN),
due Jan 22 at 11:00 pm
same
same
Ch 2, SST and RAN, due Jan 27
same
Ch 3, SST and RAN, due Feb 3
same
same
Ch 4, SST and RAN, due Feb 7
same
Ch 5, SST and RAN, due Feb 14
same
Ch 6, SST and RAN, due Feb 19
same
Ch 7, SST and RAN, due Feb 26
same
same
Ch 8, SST and RAN, due Mar 3
same
Ch 9, SST and RAN, due Mar 7
same
Ch 10, SST and RAN, due Mar 21
same
Ch 11, SST and RAN, due Mar 28
same
same
Ch 12, SST and RAN, due Apr 4
same
same
Ch 13, SST and RAN, due Apr 9
same
Ch 14, SST and RAN, due Apr 16
same
Ch 15, SST and RAN, due Apr 21
same
Apr
May
May
22
24
26
29
1
3
8
L36, Ch 16 (Milky Way)
Ch 16, SST and RAN, due Apr 25
L37, Ch 16
same
L38, Ch 17 (Cosmology)
Ch 17, SST and RAN, due Apr 30
L39, Ch 17
same
L40, Ch 18 (Life)
Ch 18, SST and RAN, due May 5
L41, Ch 18
Same
Test 4, 3:00 – 5:00 pm in Regener Hall room 103
Enjoy your summer!