| Class Schedule: T Th 2pm-4:50pm | Professor: Steve Liebling |
| Classroom: Pell Hall 302 | Office: Pell Hall 210 |
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Text: J.Bennett, M.Donahue, N.Schneider, & M.Voit.
The Cosmic Perspective, Third Edition, Addison Wesley, (2004)
the accompanying Astronomy Media Workbook, 4/E. and a personal access kit (required) for the Astronomy Place website (ClassID: cm948096). Same as last semester's. |
Office Hours: T Th 1:00-2:00pm (and by appointment) |
| Web: http://relativity.liu.edu/steve | Phone: 299-3439 |
| Email: |
| Labwork | 20% |
| Project (details) | 15% |
| Quizzes & Homework | 15% |
| Classroom Participation | 5% |
| Test 1 | 15% |
| Test 2 | 15% |
| Final Exam | 15% |
Class Participation: Everyone starts with 90%. Subtractions are made for being disruptive (excessive talking, ringing phones, being late, etc) as well as excessive absences. Additions are made for contributing (questions or answers) to class discussions.
Homework: Homework will be assigned in class, usually every week or two. Often the homework will consist of assignments from the publisher's class web page (astronomyplace.com).
Quizzes: Quizzes from the publisher's web page (astronomyplace.com) will be "assigned" for each chapter we cover. You will be responsible for taking these quizzes online (and outside of class) before the next test. Make sure you are signed up for our class on the web page so that your scores will be recorded. Additionally, questions for each chapter will be asked in class with scores counted. These questions are to ensure that you keep up and read the chapters before class.
Tests: The class will have two tests on the dates indicated on the syllabus. The tests will be given during classtime.
Final: The final will be held at the time dictated by the Registrar during Exam Week.
Academic Honesty: You are encouraged to work on homework problems with others. However, you must work alone on quizzes and tests. On quizzes and exams you may use only a calculator and writing utensils (no cell phones, PDAs, etc). All the work you turn in must be your own.
Other Resources: Tutors, library books, office hours, supplemental texts, and study groups.
Syllabus:
Below is the anticipated schedule of what we'll cover. The dates of
the tests are fixed; on principle I do not change them so that students
can plan for them. Near the end of the semester, I generally have
flexibility in what we cover.
If you have a preference for what we might cover, please feel free
to provide feedback.
| Week 1 | Jan. 24 | Introduction | Course Overview; Review of needed knowledge | |
| Jan. 26 | Space and Time | Chapter S2 | ||
| Week 2 | Jan. 31 | Ch. S2 | ||
| Feb. 2 | Spacetime and Gravity | Ch. S3 | ||
| Week 3 | Feb. 7 | Ch. S3 | ||
| Feb. 9 | Building Blocks of the Universe | Ch. S4 | ||
| Week 4 | Feb. 14 | Ch. S4 | ||
| Feb. 16 | Test 1 | |||
| Week 5 | Feb. 21 | President's Weekend--NO CLASSES | ||
| Feb. 23 | Star Stuff | Ch. 17 | ||
| Week 6 | Feb. 28 | Presentations of the First Part of Project Due | ||
| March. 2 | The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard | Ch. 18 | ||
| Week 7 | Mar. 7 | Ch. 18 | ||
| March 9 | Our Galaxy | Ch. 19 | ||
| Week 8 | March 14 | Ch. 19 | ||
| March 16 | Galaxies: From Here to the Horizon | Ch. 20 | ||
| Week 9 | March 21 | Ch. 20 | ||
| March 23 | Test 2 | |||
| Week 10 | March 28 | Galaxy Evolution | Ch. 21 | |
| March 30 | Ch. 21 | |||
| Week 11 | April 4 | Dark Matter and the Fate of the Universe | Ch. 22; Second Part of Project Due | |
| April 6 | The Beginning of Time | Ch. 23 | ||
| Week 12 | April 11 | Spring Break--NO CLASSES | ||
| April 13 | Spring Break--NO CLASSES | |||
| Week 13 | April 18 | Life Beyond Earth | Ch. 24; Extra Credit Presentations | |
| April 20 | Dark Energy And Other Topics | Supplemental Materials | ||
| Week 14 | April 25 | Supplemental Materials | ||
| April 27 | Review for Final | |||
| Week 15 | May 2 | Project Presentations | ||
| May 9 | Final Exam (1:50pm-4:30pm) |