PHYZ 103 Astronomy Lab WebPages - Fall 2002
Syllabus


Instructors

Jonathan Dickinson           Email: vcuastrolab@hotmail.com
Dave Smith

Phone: 828-7353, Office: Oliver Hall North Room 2116
Course Homepage:
http://www.courses.vcu.edu/PHYS-aab/PHYZ103

Materials

For the Fall 2003 lab there is no assigned course book.
All students are expected to bring a pencil, ruled notebook paper, and appropriate clothing for going outside to every lab meeting.

Course Goals

To inspire wonder about the nature of our universe
To foster an understanding and appreciation of the scientific method
To reiterate and elucidate some of the fundamental ideas of physics presented in the Elementary Astronomy lecture course
To engage students in logical reasoning and develop a greater level of critical thinking
To focus on basic local astronomical phenomena so that students will comprehend to such a level as to be able to explain it
To present interesting factoids about our solar neighborhood and other astronomical bodies
These goals were developed in part from the stated goals of the College of Humanities and Sciences.  (page 43 of the Undergraduate Bulletin 2002-03 http://www.vcu.edu/bulletins/200203/ub/05.pdf)

Course Organization

Sign In
            Before lab begins, students are to sign in and pick up graded material from the previous week.
Brain Teaser or Open Floor
            Lab meetings may begin with a consideration of an enigmatic phenomena, or an open floor for general science questions.  Students are expected to propose and discuss hypotheses relating to the presented conundrums. This is a warm-up exercise that is intended to get the everyone into an analytical frame of mind and permit the introduction of a few additional fundamental ideas of physical science.  At the lab instructor's discretion, this portion of the lab may be omitted.
Main Lab
            The listed “Topics Covered” pertain to this portion of the lab.  Depending upon the topic and available resources, this portion of the lab will take the form of an activity, an experiment, or a demonstration.  In all cases the Main Lab will commence and conclude with a lecture which will hopefully evolve into a dialogue.  The lecture notes will be posted on the Elementary Astronomy Laboratory website:  http://www.courses.vcu.edu/PHYS-aab/PHYZ103.
Exploratory Dialogue
            This dialogue will explore the covered topics in greater depth as well as serve as a platform to discuss subjects normally beyond the scope of an elementary astronomy course.  Before the semester is ended I hope to discuss relativity, black holes, dark matter, do a little myth busting, and address the failings of pseudo-sciences.  At the lab instructor's discretion, this portion of the lab may be omitted.
Clean Work Space
           
Students will return all equipment to its proper location and straighten their work area for the next lab.
Turn In Work
            At the end of each lab students will turn in all work pertaining to the material presented that day.  Questions can come from any portion of the lab, not only the Main Lab.

Grading Policy

Each lab will be graded on a 25 point scale.  There is an expectation of participation and a lack of such can be reflected in the lab grade.  There will be NO MAKE-UP LABS under any circumstances. Of the eleven labs this semester, your ten best lab grades will count towards your final grade. This policy does not condone “missing” the last lab if you have completed the previous ten experiments.  Do not abuse this system.  
 Letter grades will be assigned on the following scale:
A: 90-100%, B: 80-89%, C: 70-79%, D: 60-69%, and F: <60%
Physics Department Laboratory Policies

1.   There will be NO MAKE-UP LABS under any circumstances. Of the eleven labs this semester, your ten best lab grades will count towards your final grade. This policy does not condone “missing” the last lab if you have completed the previous ten experiments.

2.   Students may work with a single lab partner; however, each student must submit an individual lab report reflecting his/her own work. (If there are not enough experimental stations for accommodating students in pairs, then the TA will assign those groups that are larger than two students.)

3.   Lab reports are due by the end of the class period during which the experiment is performed. Your graded report should be returned to you at the beginning of the next class period. If your TA is not returning graded reports promptly, then please contact the physics office (828-1818, jpguyer@vcu.edu). 

4.   Bring your textbook and calculator to the laboratory. Many of the questions in these labs require you to know formulas or concepts from the textbook and to do short calculations.

5.   Do not use lab computers for unauthorized purposes. Any student caught modifying the computer setup, downloading and installing software, or using a computer for some other unauthorized purpose not related to this course is liable to default a large portion of their grade for the lab section.

6.   There is to be no food or drink in the laboratory.

7.   The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires Virginia Commonwealth University to provide a reasonable accommodation to any individual who advises us of a physical or mental disability. If you have a physical or mental limitation that requires an accommodation or an academic adjustment, please arrange a meeting with your professor and lab T.A. within the first two weeks of class.

If you have any questions or concerns related to the laboratory, you may contact the lab coordinator Dr. Alison Baski at aabaski@vcu.edu  or  828-8295.

 

Honor Code

Please read the VCU Honor System Statement. Clear and convincing evidence of honor system violations in this class will result in the submission of formal written charges to the Honor System Coordinator. 

Students with Disabilities

[Top of Page]

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires Virginia Commonwealth University to provide a reasonable accommodation to any individual who advises us of a physical or mental disability. If you have a physical or mental limitation that requires an accommodation or an academic adjustment, please arrange a meeting with me at your earliest convenience.

 

Physics 103 Astronomy Lab Schedule – Spring 2003

Week of
(or Test Date)

Chapter
Number

Topics Covered

Lab Topics Are Open to Change

Aug. 25

Content PreTest for everyone taking the Astronomy Lecture course.

Sept. 1

VCU is closed, ergo we will have no lab.

Sept. 8

To the Ends of the Earth:  Round or Flat?

Sept. 15

Models and Maps.  Introduction to Celestial Globes.  

Sept. 22

Hurricane Isabel closed VCU.  We will not make up this lab.  

Sept. 29

Seasons.  For every season, tilt, tilt, tilt. 

Oct. 6

Lunar Phases.  Full Moon Fever.

Oct. 13

Eclipses and Tidal Forces.  We will jump at the shadows of eclipses and try to turn back the tides of Earth's demise.

Oct. 20

Solar System Model.  Wear walking shoes.

Oct. 27

Nature of Light. How we learn about stars.

Nov. 3

Optics.  Reflection, Refraction, and Telescopes 

Nov. 10

Atomic Spectra. Stars get shifty.

Nov. 17

Cosmology Where we came from...Where we are...Where we are going...  

Nov. 24

Content Post Test for everyone taking the Astronomy Lecture course.
Dec. 1 Not Yet Announced

 

 
Email comments or questions about this Web site  t
o
vcuastrolab@hotmail.com.
This page does not represent an official position of Virginia Commonwealth University.