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Fall 2008

Nevada Science Standards
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Astrophysics Fall 2008
Syllabus

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Astrophysics Fall 2008
Syllabus

Thu, 11/20/2008
TOPIC(S): Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation and Earth's Gravity
OBJECTIVES:
1. Calculate and graph values of g as a function of latitude and altitude
2. Solve problems using Newton's Gravitational Law
KEY VOCAB:
Free Fall, Acceleration, Mass, Gravity,and Inverse Square Law
ON-LINE RESOURCES:
1. Ch 4, Section 4.3, Newton's 2nd and 3rd Laws
2. Pendulum Virtual Lab
ASSIGNMENTS (Due TBA):
1. V-Lab 15, Universal Gravitation
2. V-Lab 16, Gravitational Interactions
3. V-Lab 17, Satellite Motion
4. Problem Set 12-b
5. Earth's Gravity Lab I
6. Earth's Gravity Lab II
Friday, 11/14/2008
TOPIC(S): Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation
OBJECTIVES:
1. Calculate and graph values of g inside and outside the Earth
2. Solve problems using Newton's Gravitational Law
KEY VOCAB:
Free Fall, Acceleration, Mass, Gravity,and Inverse Square Law
ON-LINE RESOURCES:
1. Ch 4, Section 4.3, Newton's 2nd and 3rd Laws
2. Pendulum Virtual Lab
ASSIGNMENTS (Due TBA):
1. V-Lab 15, Universal Gravitation
2. V-Lab 16, Gravitational Interactions
3. V-Lab 17, Satellite Motion
4. Problem Set 12-b
5. Earth's Gravity Lab I

Date/Class Mon, 10/20 (B) Tue, 10/21 (A) Wed, 10/22 Thu, 10/23 (B) Fri, 10/24 (A)
What's Due Declining B
B-Reversal
Topic Earth's B-Field
Objectives Calculate B-Field for Specified Location
Determine Rate of B-Declination
Analyze B-Reversal
Key Vocab Tesla, Magnetic Field, k-index
Assignments Collect B-Field
Graph B-Field Data
Web Links ASCII Data
Spectrograph
Date Topic(s)
On-Line Text		 Objectives/Key Vocab Hand-Outs/Notes/Assignments
Tue, 10/14 1) Declining B-Field
2) B-Field Reversal
3) B-Field Data Collection
Geomagnetism Hand-Out 		1. Analyze how the Earth's B-Field is Changing
2. Predict when the Earth's B-Field = 0 nT
3. Recognize how the Earth's B-Field has during the past 800,000 yrs
4. Predict condition for the next B-Field reversal
B-Field, Nano-Tesla, Dipole, and Slope 		1. Declining B-Field
2. Magnetic Reversal
Fri, 10/08 1) Guest Speaker
2) Wandering B-Field 		1. Describe Applied Astrophysics
Astrophysics, College, Nuclear 		1. N/A
Wed, 10/08 1) Photoelectric Effect
2) Wandering B-Field 		1. Determine the Wavelength for Photoelectric Effect
2. Graph KE of Ejected e- vs. Wavelength
3. Graph KE of Ejected e- vs. Incident Laser Energy
Photoelectric Effect, Joule, Photon, Frequency, Wavelength, e- 		1. Finish V-Lab 34
2. Start Wandering B-Field
Mon, 10/06 1) Photoelectric Effect
2) Wandering B-Field 		1. Determine the Wavelength for Photoelectric Effect
2. Graph KE of Ejected e- vs. Wavelength
3. Graph KE of Ejected e- vs. Incident Laser Energy
Photoelectric Effect, Joule, Photon, Frequency, Wavelength, e- 		1. Finish V-Lab 34
2. Start Wandering B-Field
Thu, 10/02 1) Calculate B-Field Using ASCII Data 1. Calculate Earth's B-Field
2. Download 1-Months Data
B-Field, nano-Tesla, Magnetism, Solar Weather 		1) Download ASCII Data
2) Use Excel to calculate B-Field
Tue, 9/30 1) Super Novae
 1. Describe Type 1a Super Novae
2. Describe Type 2 Super Novae
3. Describe Gamma Ray Bursts
4. Describe the Photoelectric Effect
Super Nova, Hydrogen, Photon, Frequency, Wavelength
1) V-Lab 34: Photoelectric Effect
2) Super Novae Essay
Fri, 9/26 1) Electromagnetic Radiation
Ch 23: Atomic Physics
Ch 04:Spectroscopy
 1. Explain and calculate E = hf
2. Explain Wien's Law
3. Explain Stefan-Boltzmann Law
4. Explain the Photoelectric Effect
5. Explain absorption Spectra
Spectra, Absorption, Emission, Wien's Law
1) V-Lab 34: Photoelectric Effect
Assignment 5 (MINI_TEST)
ALPHA
BETA
GAMMA
Wed, 9/24 1) Electromagnetic Radiation
Ch 23: Atomic Physics
Ch 04:Spectroscopy
 1. Explain and calculate E = hf
2. Explain Wien's Law
3. Explain Stefan-Boltzmann Law
4. Explain the Photoelectric Effect
5. Explain absorption Spectra
Spectra, Absorption, Emission, Wien's Law 		1) V-Lab 34: Photoelectric Effect
Assignment 5 (MINI_TEST)
ALPHA
BETA
GAMMA
Mon, 9/22 1) Electromagnetic Radiation
Ch 23: Atomic Physics
Ch 04:Spectroscopy
 1. Explain and calculate E = hf
2. Explain Wien's Law
3. Explain Stefan-Boltzmann Law
4. Explain the Photoelectric Effect
5. Explain absorption Spectra
Spectra, Absorption, Emission, Wien's Law 		1) Calculate E = hf for EMR
2) Calculate Temperature from max Wavelength
3) Calculate Energy Flux from Temperature
4) 9/22 Lecture Notes
5) 9/22 Worksheet
Thu, 9/18 1) E = hf
2) Earth's Magnetic Field
Ch 23: Atomic Physics
Ch 04:Spectroscopy
 1. Explain and calculate E = hf for EMR
2. Calculate Balmer and Lyman transitions
3. Calculate Earth's B-Field
Spectra, B-Field, Absorption, Emission,
1) Assignment_3: Due by Sunday, 9/21/03 at 11:59pm
Hw_03 (Last Name A-G)
Hw_03 (Last Name H-P)
Hw_03 (Last Name Q-Z)
2) Calculate E = hf for EMR
3) Calculate Lyman and Balmer series
Tue, 9/16 The Big Bang Theory
Earth's Magnetic Field		 1. Explain various aspects of the Big Bang Theory
2. Describe the LHC experiment
3. Calculate Earth's B-Field
LHC, Big Bang, Cosmic Background Radiation, Steady State Theory 		1) Video: LHC
2) Calculate B-field intensity at various locations
Fri, 9/12 Atomic Structure
Earth's Magnetic Field		 1. Explain various aspects of atomic structure
2. Describe various aspects of subatomic particles
3. Explain Rutherford's Model
4. Explain Bohr's Model
5. Calculate Earth's B-Field
Atom, Energy Levels, Electron, Photon, Plank 		1) Finish Video: Atom Part 2
2) Review Assignment_2
3) Calculate B-field intensity at Carson City for August 2008
Atom, Nucleus, Proton, Neutron, Energy Level
Wed, 9/10 Atomic Structure
Earth's Magnetic Field		 1. Explain various aspects of atomic structure
2. Describe various aspects of subatomic particles
3. Explain Rutherford's Model
4. Explain Bohr's Model
5. Calculate Earth's B-Field
Bohr, Rutherford, Atomic Theory 		1) Video: Atom Part 2
2) Assignment_2
3) Calculate B-field intensity at Carson City for August 2008
Mon, 9/08 Atomic Structure 1. Explain Rutherford's Model
2. Explain Bohr's Model
3. Calculate Earth's B-Field
Bohr, Rutherford, Atom, Nucleus 		Video: Atom Part 2
Wave Applets Assignment
1) Waves Part 1
2) Waves Part 2
3) Wave Frequency
4) Wave Interference 1
5) Constructive Interference
6) Destructive Interference
7) Wave Interference 1
8) Wave Interference 2
9) Classic 2-Slit Experiment
10) Electron Interference
11) Bohr's Atom 1
Thu, 9/04 Atomic Structure
Quantum Theory		 1. Identify Parts of the Atom
2. Explain the role of Ernest Rutherford in atomic theory
3. Explain Bohr's contribution to atomic theory
4. Describe different aspects of wave mechanics
MOdern Physics, Quantum Theory, Descrete 		1. In-Class Assignment (on-line)
2. Calculate Earth's B-Field
Tue, 9/03 Atomic Structure
Wave Mechanics		 1. Identify Parts of the Atom
2. Explain the role of Ernest Rutherford in atomic theory
3. Explain Bohr's contribution to atomic theory
4. Describe different aspects of wave mechanics
Quantum, Atomic Theory 		1. Video: History of the Atom Part 1
Thu, 8/28 Atomic Structure
Earth's Magnetic Field		 1. Identify Parts of the Atom
2. Explain the advancements in the understanding of the atom
3. Calculate the Earth's B-Field at Carson City using ASCII Data
4. Differentiate between Newton's and Einstein's description of gravity
Einstein, Warp, Curvature 		1. Finish Video: The Atom, illusion of Reality
2. Video: Quantum Theory
3. Calculate B-Field (In-Class) 4. Essay: Newton vs. Einstein (In-Class)
Tue, 8/26 Atomic Structure 1. Identify Parts of the Atom
2. Explain the basics of quantum Theory
Atom, Nucleus, Electron, Proton, Neutron 		1. Video: The Atom, illusion of Reality

The Earth's Magnetic Field

Spectra of Stars

The Sun at different wavelengths


Radio Wave (10.7 cm)
Microwave (1.7 cm)
Infrared (1,083 nm)
Visible
Ultraviolet (19.5 nm)
X-Ray (10 nm)
Blackbody Radiation Applet
Element Spectra
Electromagnetic Spectrum Applet
Spectrum_color Applet
HR Diagram Applet
Astronomy Applets
HR Activities
HR Applet 2
Nick Strobel's Astronomy Notes
Physics Java Applets
Blackbody Spectrum

Courtesy of NASA and the University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory

Geomagnetic Event Observation Network by Students (GEONS)

The THEMIS Education and Public Outreach (E/PO) team has established ten ground-based magnetometer stations each located across the United States and Canada, including WNCC's Jack C. Davis Observatory. High school students and teachers are helping collect data for NASA's THEMIS mission to study space storms. The network of these teachers, students, and magnetometers together with other students who participate using the web is called the Geomagnetic Event Observation Network by Students (GEONS). Current Carson City Schools involved are Carson High School and Carson Middle School
Solar X-rays:

Geomagnetic Field:
Status
Status
SOHO Observatory
  
From n3kl.org

Carson City, NV: 24 Hour Magnetic Field Plots
click on the images below for real-time displays


Spectrograph
XYZ-Plot		 HDB-Plot

*Waves in the Earth's magnetic field have a frequency that is given on the y-axis.

*The color represents the amount of power in the waves:

*Red indicates a lot of power and interesting space weather. However, it can also indicate cars passing by the school or other moving metal nearby the magnetometer.

*Blue very little power.

*Green-yellow is solid background noise in the magnetometer.

Time is on the x-axis in Universal Time. The y-axis measures the magnetic field (nanotesla). There are three panels representing the Earth's magnetic field:

1) 1st pannel X-direction: Centered on the North-South Magnetic Line
2) 2nd pannel Y-direction: is centered perpendicular to X which is East-West
3) 3rd pannel Z-direction: is centered on perpendicular to earths surface, Up-Down

Earth's magnetic field strength is largest in the Z panel, this means that Earth's magnetic field in the U.S. is mostly downward. The next largest magnetic field strength is in the X panel, indicating that Earth's magnetic field in the U.S. points strongly northward towards Earth's magnetic pole.

Time is on the x-axis in Universal Time. These are three panels representing Earth's magnetic field:

1) 1st panel shows the magnetic field strength in units of nanotesla in the H-direction: the direction horizontal to Earth's surface like the way in which a typical compass points
2) 2nd panel shows the angle (D) from the X-direction (close to magnetic north) where the magnetic field is pointing
3) 3rd panel shows the total magnetic field strength at this location.

Each HDB plot represents magnetic field data observed at the Jack C. Davis observatory. Because the angle is so small in the D panel, this means that the horizontal directional changes in Earth's magnetic field due to space weather or electrical currents nearby are very small compared with Earth's total magnetic field.

GEONS Archive Data
Carson City: 30-Minute Plots
Earth's Magnetic Field Calculator
Magnetometer ASCII Data
Template

Courtesy of NASA and the University of California, Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory

NOAA: Space Weather Now K-index Info Space Weather.com Wrath of RA Space Weather Center IMF

NOAA Space weather Scales, disturbances in the geomagnetic field caused by gusts in the solar wind that blows by Earth.

Δx (nT) K-index NOAA Geomagnetic Storm Level
> 500 K = 9 G5: Extreme
330-500 K = 8 G4: Severe
200-330 K = 7 G3: Strong
120-200 Kp = 6 G2: Moderate
70-120 K = 5 G1: Minor
40-70
20-40
10-20
5-10
0-5		 K = 4
K = 3
K = 2
K = 1
K = 0		 G0: Below storm alert

Geomagnetic Events Observation by Carson High School Students


Average Daily Magnetic Field Strength
Daily K-indices


Kp (Planetary), Courtesy of NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

January 2008

Date
Magnetic Field Strength, B (nT)
ASCII Data Calculations
K-Indices
Click on the links to see spectrographs for k ≥ 5
Sunspots
Carson City, NV
39.19 N
119.75 W
Loysburg, PA
40.17 N
78.38 W
Pineridge, SD
43.11 N
102.60 W
Petersburg, AK
56.83 N
133.16 W
McGrath, AK
62.97 N
155.62 W
Kiana, AK
66.98 N
160.43 W
Carson City, NV
KIndices
Loysburg, PA
KIndices
Pineridge, SD
KIndices
Petersburg, AK
KIndices
McGrath, AK
KIndices
Kiana, AK
KIndices
Estimated
Planetary
Kp
1/31/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/30/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/29/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/28/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/27/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/26/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/25/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/24/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1/23/08
50,047
 
 
 
 
 
11122223
 
 
 
 
 
00100112
 
1/22/08
50,047
 
 
 
 
 
01101223
 
 
 
 
 
01000101
 
1/21/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11111111
 
Carson City, NV
39.19 N
119.75 W
Loysburg, PA
40.17 N
78.38 W
Pineridge, SD
43.11 N
102.60 W
Petersburg, AK
56.83 N
133.16 W
McGrath, AK
62.97 N
155.62 W
Kiana, AK
66.98 N
160.43 W
Carson City, NV
KIndices
Loysburg, PA
KIndices
Pineridge, SD
KIndices
Petersburg, AK
KIndices
McGrath, AK
KIndices
Kiana, AK
KIndices
Estimated
Planetary
Kp
1/20/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
13212122
 
1/19/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
11333312
 
1/18/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
33312322
 
1/17/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
31122223
 
1/16/08
50,055
 
 
 
 
 
23323233
 
 
 
 
 
33332223
 
1/15/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
32223202
 
1/14/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
33343333
 
1/13/08
56,375
 
 
 
 
9
 
 
 
 
 
63359876
32213332
 
1/12/08
 
 
 
 
 
56,412
 
 
 
 
 
32231132
00112432
 
1/11/08
 
 
 
 
 
56,428
 
 
 
 
 
66531132
10110011
 
Carson City, NV
39.19 N
119.75 W
Loysburg, PA
40.17 N
78.38 W
Pineridge, SD
43.11 N
102.60 W
Petersburg, AK
56.83 N
133.16 W
McGrath, AK
62.97 N
155.62 W
Kiana, AK
66.98 N
160.43 W
Carson City, NV
KIndices
Loysburg, PA
KIndices
Pineridge, SD
KIndices
Petersburg, AK
KIndices
McGrath, AK
KIndices
Kiana, AK
KIndices
Estimated
Planetary
Kp
1/10/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
20011101
 
1/09/08
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
32211011
 
1/08/08
50,068
 
 
 
 
56,380
01010233
 
 
 
 
33587775
23221442
 
1/07/08
 
 
 
 
 
N/A
 
 
 
 
 
N/A
44233012
 
1/06/08
 
 
 
 
 
56,391.32
 
 
 
 
 
56599866
24223333
 
1/05/08
 
 
 
 
 
56,378
 
 
 
 
 
33779867
22444434
12
1/04/08
50,062
 
 
 
 
56,399
01011213
 
 
 
 
21431113
00000102
 
1/03/08
50,064
 
 
 
 
 
10110022
 
 
 
 
 
00000000
 
1/02/08
N/A
52,334
 
 
 
56,406
N/A
00012331
 
 
 
12142221
00000000
13
1/01/08
50,067
 
 
 
 
56,407
01010233
 
 
 
 
33232222
11001101
11
GEONS Archive Data 2007
Astronomy Related Links
Western Nevada College SETI Variable Stars
The Planetary Society NASA  
Sky and Telescope Heavens-Above  
Windows to the Universe UC Berkeley-Space Science Laboratory  
UC Berkeley/NASA-THEMIS Project GEONS  
Fleischman Plantarium Astronomical Society of Nevada  
Current NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory Missions Space.com Astronomy Calender
Gravity Probe B Astrophotography  
CNN Space Science News Fox Science News University of Arizona Astronomy
UC Berkeley Astronomy UC Berkeley Space Science Lab Cal Tech Astronomy
Jet Propolsion Laboratory Stanford Astronomy Cambridge Astronomy
University of Washington Astronomy UCLA Astronomy MIT Astronomy
Mauna Keo Observatories Palomar Observatory University of Virginia Observatories
NOAA Pine Mt. Observatory National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Multimedia Links

Videos Interactive Applets PowerPoints
Feather vs. The Hammer Lunar Eclipse Aug 2007 Time Dilation The Drake Equation Mr. Parent's: Earth's Magnetic Field
    Kepler's 1st Law Kepler's 2nd Law Gravity Probe B
    Kepler's 3rd Law Elemental Emission/Absorption Spectra The Science Behind Magnetometer Signatures
    Powers of Ten Kepler Motion  
    Stellar Parallax Lunar Phases  
    Galilean Moons Hubble Expansion Law  

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