Survey of Astronomy -- Physics 314
Instructor: Roland E. Allen
1-979-845-4341, Room 519 Engineering/Physics Building
allen@tamu.edu, http://faculty.physics.tamu.edu/allen/survey-of-astronomy.html
Office hours: 3:00-4:00 p.m. MWF, or by appointment.
You will find interesting information, and many interesting websites with astronomical images, information, and news, at http://astronomy.tamu.edu .
In the fall of 2005, Physics 314 is being offered as an honors course, suitable for all honors students who have had a first introduction to calculus and physics.
The textbook is The Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy , by Frank H. Shu. If you go to http://www.amazon.com you will find that the average customer rating for this book is 5 stars (maximum possible), and that it is regarded as being the best astronomy textbook suitable for students with some facility in algebra and elementary calculus.
Evaluation:
Homework 40%
3 exams 40%
final exam (one-half on last part of course, one-half comprehensive) 20%
Homework is due at the beginning of class each Tuesday. Homework late by < 48 hours, 1/2 credit. Homework late by > 48 hours, no credit.
The homework problems marked with an asterisk are not required, and instead can be turned in for extra credit. In many cases, however, these are among the most interesting problems!
All exams will be on Thursdays: September 22, October 20, November 17. The exams will involve partial-credit problems and questions, and will be based on (i) what is covered in class and (ii) the homework sets, with the assumption that the related material in the textbook has also been read.
Final Exam: Friday, December 9, 12:30-2:30 p.m
An optional 5-10 minute talk can be given for extra credit equal to one homework set (i.e. 50 homework points).
Time: 7:00-9:00 p.m., Tuesday, November 22.
Physics 314 Homework
All problems are from The Physical Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy , by Frank H. Shu.
1. Due Tuesday, September 6: 1.1, 1.2, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5
2. Due Tuesday, September 13: 3.6, 3.15, 3.16, 4.3, 4.4*, 4.5, 4.7
3. Due Tuesday, September 20: 4.12, 4.13, 4.14, 4.15, 5.1, 5.3
Thursday, September 22 -- Exam 1
4. Due Tuesday, September 27: 5.4, 5.7, 5.9, 5.10, 5.11, 5.12
5. Due Tuesday, October 4: 5.13, 6.2, 6.4, 6.7, 6.9*, 6.12, 7.2
6. Due Tuesday, October 11: 7.1*, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8
7. Due Tuesday, October 18: 7.10, 7.11, 7.12, 8.1*, 9.1, 9.3
Thursday, October 20 -- Exam 2
8. Due Tuesday, October 25: 9.7, 9.8, 9.10, 10.2, 10.4, 10.5*, 10.9
9. Due Tuesday, November 1:10.10, 11.2, 11.3, 11.5, 11.10, 11.11,
10. Due Tuesday, November 8: 11.12, 12.4, 12.5, 12.11*, 13.11, 13.16, 15.1
11. Due Tuesday, November 15: 15.9, 15.10*, 16.3, 16.5, 16.6, 16.9, 16.10
Thursday, November 17 -- Exam 3
12. Due Tuesday, November 22: 16.14, 16.19, 17.1, 17.2, 17.4, 17.10, 17.11*
13. Due Tuesday, November 29: 17.12, 17.13
14. Due Tuesday, December 6: 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4*, 18.5, 18.10, 18.11