DATE                             TOPIC                  READING ASSIGNMENT

Tuesday, Feb.  18   Energy                                   section 6.5, p107
                    The Nature of Light                    Chapter 11
                      How do we learn about the universe?       
                        By analyzing the light we receive.  
                      Light is an electromagnetic wave       section 11.2
                        with frequency(f), period(P), 
                        & wavelength(lamda)                 
                             f = 1/P, lambda = cP = c/f
	              Light is particles (photons)           section 11.3
                        with frequency(f),energy(e), and wavelength
	                ephoton=hf=hc/lambda
		      Spectrum of light                      Figure 11-7

                    Telescopes                             Chapter 12
		       Telescopes collect light              sections 12.1-12.4,12.7
                       Detectors record light                section 12.6

Thursday, Feb. 20   Spectra:  The Key to the Universe      Chapter 13
                      Atom - a nucleus orbited by electrons  section 13.2
                      Thermal radiation                      section 13.1
                          Hotter -> Bluer
	                  Hotter -> Brighter
	                  Larger -> Brighter
                      Emission & Absorption of Light:
                          Spectra                            section 13.2

	              Homework #5, due Thursday 27 Feb.

Tuesday, Feb. 25    Observing Stars                        Chapters 14 & 15 
                      Measuring Luminosity, the rate of energy loss 
                         Brightness                          section 15.1
                           farther = fainter
                         Distances by parallax              
                         Number and the luminosity relation
                      Measuring Surface temperature of stars section 14.1
                         Spectra -> temperature,
                                    composition (abundances), 
                                    & density                sections 14.1-2, 14.4

Thursday, Feb. 27   Observing Stars, continued             Chapters 14 & 15
                      Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram            sections 15.1-2
                      Measuring mass of stars            
                         binary stars, Doppler shift         sections 14.3, 15.5
                         mass/luminosity relation            Figure 15-11

                      Homework #5, due NOW

                      Moon Project and Peer Evaluations Due NOW 
      
		      Homework #6, due Thursday 13 March

Tuesday, March 4     Spring Break
Thursday, March 6    Spring Break

Tuesday, March 11   The Stars:  Energy & Structure          Chapter 16
                      Pressure and Gravity                   section 16.5
                      Energy Sources:
	                 Energy generation (nuclear fusion)  sections 16.2-3
                      Energy loss (radiation & convection)   section 16.5

Thursday, March 13  Stars: Continued                         Chapter 16
                      Structure         
                         Determined by two balance conditions:
                           pressure and gravity              section 16.5
                           energy generation and loss        section 16.5
                      Tests of the Theories:
                           Oscillations, neutrino experiments section 16.4
                           Atmosphere                        section 16.7

                      Homework #6, due NOW
		      Homework #7, due Thursday 20 March

Tuesday, March 18   Formation & Evolution of Stars          Chapters 17-19
                      Birth & evolution to the Main Sequence Chapter 17
                        Formation of planetary systems
                      Maturity:  core hydrogen fusion on the
                          Main Sequence                      sections 16.6,18.1


Thursday, March 20 Formation & Evolution of Stars, Cont'd  Chapters 17-19
                      Old Age as a Red Giant                 Chapter 18
                      Tests:  using star clusters            section 18.7
                      Dependence on Mass                     Figure 19-32
                      History
	              Death
	                  White Dwarfs                       section 18.6

                      Homework #7, due NOW
		      Homework #8, due Thursday 27 March

Tuesday, March 25  Formation & Evolution of Stars:         Chapters 17-19
                      Death (continued)
                          Supernovae & nucleosynthesis       section 19.2
                          Neutron Stars (pulsars)            section 19.3
                          Black Holes                        section 19.4

                    Quiz 2: (Warm-up for Exam 2)             Chapters 11-18

Thursday, March 27 Review                                  Chapters 11-19
                      return and review Quiz #2
                    
                     Homework #8, due NOW

Tuesday,  April 1    Mid Term Exam #2                      Chapters 11-19
                 

1. Describe the structure of an atom. Describe the relation between temperature and motion.
2. Identify the concept of energy. Understand the concept of conservation of energy.
3. Describe the relationship between type of light, wavelength, energy of photon and temperature of the source of the light.
   Apply this relationship to determine the surface temperature of planets and stars.
4. Describe the process of absorption and emission of photons by atoms.
5. State the functions of a telescope and a detector.
6. Describe how to measure a star's luminosity, brightness, distance, mass and surface temperature.
7. Describe how stellar spectra are used to determine the temperature and abundances at the surfaces of stars.
8. Explain the relations between pressure, temperature and density in terms of collisions between atoms, ions and electrons.
9. Describe how astronomers concluded that the source of stars' energy was thermonuclear reactions.
10. Describe how the balances between gravity and pressure, and between energy loss and supply maintain a star's equilibrium structure.
11. Describe how models of stellar structure are tested.
12. Explain the evolution of a star in terms of loss of energy to space, consumption of nuclear fuel, upsets in the equilibrium balance conditions and gravitational contraction.
13. Describe the evolution of a star in terms of stages and how they depend on the mass of the star. Describe the properties of stars in different evolutionary stages:
    pre-main sequence, main sequence, red giant, white dwarf, supernova, neutron star and black hole.
14. Be able to plot a Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, and locate the regions of giant, main sequence and white dwarf stars. Describe the relations between surface temperature, luminosity, mass and size for these three types of stars.
    Describe the evolutionary state of the 16 brightest northern-hemisphere stars.
15. Apply the paradigm of the scientific method as applied to astronomy to the theories of stellar structure and evolution. Describe the development of our current model of the structure of stars, and how this depended on other branches of physics and new technologies.

Visions of the Universe