George Mason University

ASTR 113 Foundations of Modern Astronomy II

Instructor and Contact Information

 
Professor Geller 	Room 363 A 	Science and Technology 1

Telephone:	703-993-1276

FAX:		703-993-1269

E-mail:		hgeller@gmu.edu

Office Hours:	MTWRF 1300-1400

		All other meetings by appointment only.

Grading Policy

There will be 3 one-hour in-class (regular class dates/times) examinations and one 3-hour comprehensive final. NO MAKEUP EXAMS

All examinations will be multiple choice type examinations.

Students are expected to follow the George Mason University rules of student honor. As noted in the catalog:

"George Mason University shares in the tradition of an honor system that has existed in Virginia since 1842. The Honor Code is an integral part of university life. On the application for admission, students sign a statement agreeing to conform to and uphold the Honor Code. Therefore, students are responsible for understanding the provisions of the code. In the spirit of the code, a student's word is a declaration of good faith acceptable as truth in all academic matters. Therefore, cheating and attempted cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing of academic work and related materials constitute Honor Code violations. To maintain an academic community according to these standards, students and faculty must report all alleged violations of the Honor Code to the Honor Committee. Any student who has knowledge of, but does not report, an Honor Code violation may be accused of lying under the Honor Code."

[Source: http://www.gmu.edu/catalog/9900/acadpol.html#honorsys ]

Textbook: Universe by Freedman and Kaufmann 7th Edition

Lectures will consist of various forms of presentation material including videos, computer displays, demonstrations and transparencies. Questions are acceptable at any time during the lecture. Students should be alert during the lecture and prepared to answer queries posed as they arise.

Course Format - Laboratory Sessions [for those taking associated laboratory]

Labs are collaborative effort of two or three students. Each group will hand in a single laboratory write-up for each experiment. Laboratory sessions will consist of both computer-based laboratory exercises and hands-on exercises. Laboratory reports will be turned in at the conclusion of each laboratory session.

Course Description

Covers the history of astronomy and its recent developments. Stresses the use of astronomical instruments and measuring techniques and includes the study and observation of the solar system, stars, and galaxies. Lectures are 3 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

This course serves as a one-year laboratory science course for non-science majors and as a science elective for science majors. Students are exposed to the sciences of chemistry, physics, and geology and the philosophy of science as they relate to the study of the universe and the cosmos. Students will gain a perspective of humankind's presence on a small blue planet that orbits a non-descript star that is one of billions in an ordinary galaxy.

Entry level Competencies

The course is a conceptual-based course using a minimal amount of algebra and geometry. There are no science prerequisites. Students have English composition skills at the English 111 level.

Course Objectives

  1. Describe the vastness of the cosmos in terms of time, mass, and space.
  2. Explain the scientific method, the philosophy of science, and the difference between science, pseudo-science, and religion as related to the study of astronomy.
  3. List and describe the physical laws that govern the interaction of matter, energy, time, and space in the cosmos.
  4. State how astronomers utilize electromagnetic radiation to gain the knowledge of the mechanics of the birth, life, and death of stars from the distant past.
  5. Appreciate the magnitude of the scientific problem of the search for extraterrestrial life in the universe.

Major Topics to be Included

  1. The physics of light, gravity, matter, energy, magnetism, radioactivity, nuclear energy, and relativity.
  2. The birth and death of stars and galaxies.
  3. The H-R diagram for stars including the location of the main sequence, red giants and white dwarfs.
  4. The "Big Bang" theory of universal creation, pulsars, neutron stars, and black holes.
  5. Stellar and galactic evolution.
  6. Normal and active galaxies.
  7. Cosmology and life in the universe.
  8. Laboratory work dealing with measuring instruments of the astronomer, and drawing conclusion from astronomical data.

Extra Topics

As time and schedules permit, the course may be supplemented with sky gazing sessions, guest speakers and discussions of new discoveries.