\contentsline {section}{\numberline {1}\bf Tools for Success in ASTR 1120G}{1}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.1}Introduction}{1}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.2}A Note About Ratios}{1}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.3}The Metric System}{3}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.4}Beyond the Metric System}{3}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.5}Changing Units and Scale Conversion}{4}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {1.5.1}Map Exercises}{4}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.6}Squares, Square Roots, and Exponents}{6}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.7}Scientific Notation}{7}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.8}Calculator Issues}{9}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {1.8.1}Scientific Notation on a Calculator}{9}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {1.8.2}Order of Operations}{10}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.9}Graphing and/or Plotting}{10}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {1.9.1}The Mechanics of Plotting}{11}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {1.9.2}Plotting and Interpreting a Graph}{12}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.10}Does it Make Sense?}{14}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {1.11}Putting it All Together}{15}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {2}\bf Kepler's Laws}{17}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.1}Introduction}{17}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.2}Gravity}{18}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.3}Kepler's Laws}{19}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.4}Going Beyond the Solar System}{27}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.5}Take Home Exercise (35 points total)}{31}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {2.6}Possible Quiz Questions}{31}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {3}\bf Scale Model of the Solar System}{32}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.1}Introduction}{32}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.2}The Distances of the Planets From the Sun}{33}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.3}Sizes of Planets}{34}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.4}Questions About the Football Field Model}{36}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.5}Take Home Exercise (35 points total)}{38}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.6}Possible Quiz Questions}{41}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {3.7}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points)}{41}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {4}The Power of Light: Understanding Spectroscopy}{42}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.1}Introduction}{42}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.2}Blackbody Radiation}{43}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.3}Absorption and Emission Lines}{43}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.3.1}The Bohr Model of the Atom}{43}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.3.2}Kirchoff's Laws}{46}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.4}Creating a Spectrum}{47}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.5}Observing Blackbody Sources with the Spectrograph}{48}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.6}Quantitative Behavior of Blackbody Radiation}{49}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.7}Spectral Lines Experiment}{50}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.7.1}Spark Tubes}{50}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.7.2}Emission-line Spectra Experiment}{51}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {4.7.3}The Unknown Element}{53}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.8}Questions}{54}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.9}Summary (35 points)}{55}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.10}Possible Quiz Questions}{55}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {4.11}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points)}{55}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {5}Building a Comet}{56}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.1}Asteroids and Comets}{56}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.2}Comets}{58}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.3}Composition and Components of a Comet}{58}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.4}Types of Comets}{59}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.5}The Impacts of Asteroids and Comets}{59}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.6}Exercise \#1: Creating Impact Craters}{60}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {5.6.1}Impact crater questions}{62}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.7}Crater Illumination}{62}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.8}Exercise \#2: Building a Comet}{63}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {5.8.1}Comets and Light}{64}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {5.8.2}Comet Strength}{64}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {5.8.3}Comet Questions}{65}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.9}Take Home Exercise (35 points total)}{67}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.10}Possible Quiz Questions}{67}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {5.11}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points)}{67}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {6}\bf Paleoclimate}{68}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {6.1}Introduction}{68}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {6.2}Milankovich Cycles}{69}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {6.3}Ice cores and past climate record}{71}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {6.4}Relation of paleoclimate to orbital parameter variations}{73}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {6.5}Recent climate changes}{74}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {6.6}Long term climate change}{76}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {7}\bf The Origin of the Seasons}{79}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {7.1}Introduction}{79}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {7.2}The Seasons}{79}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {7.3}The Spinning, Revolving Earth}{83}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {7.4}Elevation Angle and the Concentration of Sunlight}{90}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {7.5}Take Home Exercise (35 total points)}{95}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {7.6}Possible Quiz Questions}{95}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {7.7}Extra Credit (make sure to ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points)}{95}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {8}\bf Density}{96}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {8.1}Introduction}{96}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {8.2}Mass versus Weight}{96}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {8.3}Volume}{97}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {8.4}Take Home Exercise (35 points total)}{106}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {8.5}Possible Quiz Questions}{108}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {8.6}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points)}{108}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {9}\bf The History of Water on Mars}{109}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {9.1}Water Flow Features on Mars}{109}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {9.1.1}Warrego Valles}{110}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {9.1.2}Ares and Tiu Valles}{113}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {9.2}The Global Perspective}{117}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {9.3}Take Home Exercise (35 points total)}{119}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {9.4}Possible Quiz Questions}{119}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {9.5}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points)}{120}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {10}Measuring Distances Using Parallax}{121}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.1}Introduction}{121}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.2}Parallax in the classroom}{122}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.3}Measuring distances using parallax}{123}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {10.3.1}Angular motion of an object}{123}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {10.3.2}Distance between the vantage points}{124}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {10.3.3}Using parallax measurements to determine the distance to an object}{124}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.4}Using Parallax to measure distances on Earth, and within the Solar System}{126}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {10.4.1} The ``Non-Tangent'' way to figure out distances from angles}{126}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.5}Distances to stars using parallax, and the ``Parsec''}{127}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.6}Questions}{129}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.7}Summary (35 points) }{131}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.8}Possible Quiz Questions}{131}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {10.9}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points )}{131}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {11}The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram}{132}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.1}Introduction}{132}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.2}Magnitudes and Color Index}{134}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.3}The Color-Magnitude HR Diagram}{136}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.4}The Color-Magnitude Diagram for the Pleiades}{136}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {11.4.1}Procedure}{141}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {11.4.2}Converting Diameters to Magnitudes}{141}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {11.4.3}Constructing a Color-Magnitude Diagram}{142}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.5}Results}{142}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.6}Summary (35 points)}{145}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.7}Possible Quiz Questions}{145}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {11.8}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points)}{145}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {12}\bf Characterizing Exoplanets}{148}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.1}Introduction}{148}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.2}Types of Exoplanets}{148}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.2.1}Gas Giants}{148}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.2.2}Hot Jupiters}{148}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.2.3}Water Worlds}{149}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.2.4}Exo-Earths}{149}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.2.5}Super-Earths}{149}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.2.6}Chthonian Planets}{149}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.3}Detection Methods}{149}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.3.1}Transit Method/Light Curves}{149}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.3.2}Direct Detection}{150}
\contentsline {subsubsection}{\numberline {12.3.3}Radial Velocity (Stellar Wobble)}{151}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.4}Characterizing Exoplanets from Transit Light Curves}{152}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.5}Deriving Parameters from Transit Light Curves}{153}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.6}The Habitable Zone}{161}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.7}Classifying Your Exoplanets}{163}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.8}Take Home Exercise (35 points total)}{166}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.9}Possible Quiz Questions}{166}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {12.10}Extra Credit (ask your TA for permission before attempting, 5 points )}{166}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {13}\bf Appendix A: Algebra Review}{168}
\contentsline {subsection}{\numberline {13.1}Solving for X}{168}
\contentsline {section}{\numberline {14}Observatory Worksheets}{170}