A316 Study Guide W2003

A316 Study Guide W2003

CLASS GRADE

CLASS GRADE

Your overall letter grade in the class is determines by the total points accumulated on four out of the following five:

(a) Three one hour-exams, each worth 25% of your final grade.
(b) A comprehensive final exam, worth 25% of your final grade.
(c) Daily homework and attendance, worth 25% of your final grade.

You may drop one exam score and substitute the final for that examination, or you may use all three exam scores plus your homework/attendance score to determine your class grade and choose to not take the final provided your attendance is least 80%.

EXAMINATIONS

EXAMS	DATES	TOPICS	CHAPTERS
#1	Thur. Jan. 30 2-3 pm	Stellar Properties	21, 7, 22, 27
#2	Mon. Feb. 24 2-3 pm	Stellar Evolution	23, 24, 28 - 31
#3	Wed. March 12 2-3 pm	Galaxies and Cosmology	32-35
FINAL	Tue. March 18 1-3 pm	Comprehensive	7, 21-24, 27-35

You may bring one page of notes for each examination. The worked out solutions to homework problems is not considered acceptable. On a one time basis only, you may make arrangements with me to make up a missed exam.

TEXT

Exploration of the Universe
George Abell, David Morrison, & Sidney Wolff
Saunders College Publishing
1993 Version, Sixth Edition

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. Richard Vawter
170 Bond Hall, 650-3823
Office Hours: 10-11 am & 1-2 pm MTWR

OUTLINE The following is a list of topics which will be discussed in class and over which you will be tested during the quarter. Normally you will only be tested on those topics which appear in the outline and are discussed in class. You will not be tested on those topics which appear in the textbook but are not in outline. The outline is your study guide of those topics which you should study before each exam. You will be informed before each exam which topics on the outline are relevant.

=== START FOR EXAM #1 ===

I. DISTANCE of STARS [Chapter 21]

Distances to Stars
Triangulation
- Skinny Triangles
- Astronomical Unit
Stellar Parallax
- Parsec

Movement of Stars
- Radial Velocity
  - Doppler Shift
- Proper Motion
  - Tangential Motion
- Space Velocity

II. LIGHT FROM STARS [Chapter 22]

Stellar Magnitudes
- Magnitude Scale
  - Visual or Apparent Magnitude
  - Color Index
  - Absolute Magnitude & Stellar Distances

Energy Output of Stars
- Luminosity
  - Wattage
- Intensity (Brightness of Star)
  - Inverse Square Law
- Bolometric Magnitude

Variable Stars
- Cephids
  - Period-Luminosity Relation

III. ANALYZING STARLIGHT

Wave Nature of Light [Chapter 7]
- Quantitative Properties
  - Wavelength (Angstroms)
  - Frequency (Hertz or cycles per second)
  - Speed of Light, c
  - Energy

Electromagnetic Spectrum
- Radio Waves, Microwaves, Infrared, Visible, Ultraviolet, X-rays, and Gamma Rays
- Color of Visible Light Waves
Black Body Radiation from Heated Objects
- Continuous Spectrum (Thermal Radiation)
  - Stefan-Boltzmann Law
- Temperature and Color of Stars
  - Wien's Law

Interaction of Light and Atoms [Chapter 22]
- Quantum Nature of Light
  - Photons
    - Energy, Speed, and Mass
- Structure of Atoms
  - Energy Levels (Electron Orbits)
    - Ground and Excited States
    - Electronic Transitions
    - Excitation and Ionization
  - Nucleus
    - Protons and Neutrons
    - Atomic Number and Weight
    - Isotopes
- Spectral Lines
  - Bright Line Emission Spectra
    - Photon Emissions
    - Balmer/Bohr Formula
  - Dark Line Absorption Spectra
    - Photon Absorption
  - Identification of the Elements

IV. STELLAR ENERGY PRODUCTION [Chapter 27]

Nuclear Fusion
- Proton-Proton Cycle
  - Neutrinos
- Nuclear Force
  - Binding Energy
- Thermonuclear Reactions

=== START FOR EXAM #2 ===

V. WEIGHING and MEASURING STARS [Chapter 23]

Kepler's' Laws
Mass of Stars
- Binary Stars
- Mass-Luminosity Relationship
Stellar Orbits
- Spectroscopic Binaries
- Eclipsing Binaries
Diameters of Stars

VI. INFORMATION from STAR LIGHT [Chapter 24]

Light from Stellar Objects
- Stellar Spectra
  - Spectral Types
    - Surface Temperature
  - Continuous, Absorption, and Emission Spectra
  - Stellar Compositions
- Hertzsprung-Russell Diagrams
  - Main-sequence Stars
    - Mass-Luminosity-Size Relationships
    - Spectroscopic Parallax
    - Stellar Lifetimes
  - White Dwarf and Red Giant Stars
  - Evolutionary Tracks

VII. LIVE and Death of STARS [Chapters 28 & 30]

Star Birth [Chapter 28]
- Gravitational Contraction
  - Gravitational Force
    - Free-Fall Collapse
    - Hydrostatic Equilibrium
  - Protostars (Pre-Main Sequence Stars)
    - Interstellar Medium

Evolutionary Tracks on the H-R Diagram
- Main-sequence Stage
  - Our Sun
  - Turn-Off Point
    - Globular and Open Star Clusters

Evolutionary Stages [Chapter 30]
- Protostars
  - Gravitational Contraction and Heating
- Main-sequence
  - Fusion of Hydrogen into Helium
    - Energy Production
  - Internal Structure
    - Energy Transport
- Red Giant Stars
  - Helium Flash
  - Fusion of Helium into Carbon
    - Triple-Alpha Process
  - Horizontal Branch
- Variable Stars
  - Cepheid Variables
  - Instability Strip on H-R Diagram
- Planetary Nebulae
  - Surface Blow-off
- White Dwarf Stars
  - Degenerate Matter Core
  - Gravitational Redshift
  - Surface Gravity
- Nova
  - Roche's Lobe
- Supernovae
  - Production of Heavy Elements
  - Galactic Recycling of Elements
    - Population I and II Types of Stars
  - Cosmic Rays
- Neutron Stars
  - Pulsars
  - Neutron Degeneracy

VIII. BLACK HOLES [Chapter 31]

Event Horizon (Schwarzchild Radius)
- Escape Velocity
  - Tidal Forces
Structure of Black Holes
- Density/Size Relationship
- Curvature of Spacetime
  - Singularity
Detection of Black Holes
- Binary Systems
  - Roche Lobe
- Accretion Disk
Rotating and Mini-Black Holes

=== START FOR EXAM #3 ===

IX. GALAXIES [Chapters 32 & 33]

Constituents of Our Galaxies
Population I and II Type Stars
- Ages and Chemical Composition
- Locations and Motions in the Galaxy
Star Clusters
- Globular Clusters
- Open Clusters
Spiral Arms
Nucleus (Center of a Galaxy)
Interstellar Material
- Location of Dust and Gas
- HI and HII Regions
- 21 cm Radio Emission
Halo and Corona
Galactic Motions
High-velocity Population II Stars
Individual Stellar Orbits
- Population I - Circular Orbits
- Population II- Eccentric Orbits
Differential Rotation of the Galactic Arms
Density-wave Theory
- Star Formation Along the Spiral Arms
Galactic Evolution
Ages of Galaxy
- Globular Cluster Main-Sequence Turn-Off Ages
Role of Rotational Energy in Galactic Shapes
- Spherical, Elliptical, Spiral, and Irregulars
Protogalaxy Gravitational Collapse
- Formation of Population II Stars
Disk Formation
- Chemical Enrichment
- Formation of Population I Stars

X. COSMOLOGY [Chapter 34 & 35]

Big Bang Model of the Universe
- Universal Expansion
  - Redshifts
  - Recessional Velocities
    - Doppler Effect
  - Hubble's Law
  - Size and Age of the Observable Universe
    - Hubble's Bubble
  - Hubble's Constant
    - Rate of Expansion of the Universe
- Primordial Background Radiation
  - Three Degree Cosmic Black-body Radiation
  - Primeval Fireball
- Early Moments of the Universe
  - Cosmic Nuclear Fusion of Elements
  - Decoupling of Matter and Radiation
  - Inflationary Theory
  - Primordial Blackholes
- Future of Big Bang Universes
  - Oscillating Universe
    - Finite Closed Universes
  - Ever Expanding Universes
    - Unbounded Open Universes
Quasars and Radio Galaxies
- Radio Galaxies
  - Radio Lobes
  - Synchrotron Radiation
    - Polarized Radiation
- Quasar Energy Output and Distances
  - Large Redshifts
- Small Sizes
  - Galactic Supermassive Black Holes
Cosmological Principles
- Homogeneity and Isotropy of Space Location Principle
- Olbers' Paradox
  - Look-back Time
Steady-state Model
- "Perfect" Cosmological Principle
- Continuous Creation of Matter
Curvature of Space
- Open, Closed, and Flat Universes
  - Missing Mass
  - Escape Velocity and the Expanding Universe