PCC/ CCOG / PHY

Course Content and Outcome Guide for PHY 123

Date:
07-MAR-2011
Posted by:
Curriculum Office
Course Number:
PHY 123
Course Title:
Elementary Astronomy
Credit Hours:
4
Lecture hours:
30
Lecture/Lab hours:
0
Lab hours:
30
Special Fee:
$12

Course Description

Introduction to star clusters, the contents of our galaxy; other galaxies, including active galaxies, and cosmology. Algebra recommended. Prerequisite: WR 115, RD 115 and MTH 20 or equivalent placement test scores. Audit available.

Addendum to Course Description

This course will utilize as many of the following components as possible:  lecture, discussion, lab activities, telescope viewing session, videos, slides, CD’s, and computer aided instruction. It is necessary to successfully complete the lab part of the course in order to pass the class.
The text and materials for this class have been chosen by the faculty, and the viewpoint shall be that of the author(s). This includes the topics of relativity, the geologic time scale, and the evolution of the Earth, our solar system, our galaxy, and the universe.
Students are expected to be able to read and comprehend college level science texts and perform basic mathematical operations in order to successfully complete this course. 

Lab B Notes: The lab for this course has been approved as "Lab B". This means that Faculty effort in preparation and evaluation generally occurs outside of scheduled class hours. Class format is a combination of Faculty lectures and demonstrations, guided student interactions and supervised student application of lectures. Students produce written work such as lab notebooks, reports, and responses in writing to assigned questions, and the Instructor is expected to comment on and grade this written work outside of schedule class hours. This evaluation will take place on a regular basis throughout the term.

Intended Outcomes for the course

1) Use an understanding of our galaxy to contrast and compare it with other galaxies as to type, contents, age, luminosity, motion, and size.
2) Use cosmological models to analyze the size, age, structure, and motion of the universe overall.
3) Access space science information from a variety of sources, evaluate the quality of this information, and compare this information with current models of astronomical processes identifying areas of congruence and discrepancy.
4) Make field based observations and measurements of astronomical phenomena, use scientific reasoning to interpret these observations and measurements, and compare the results with current astronomical models identifying areas of congruence and discrepancy.
5) Assess the contributions of astronomy to our evolving understanding of global change and sustainability while placing the development of astronomy in its historical and cultural context.

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

(note:  topics may be chosen in any order by the instructor) 
  1. telescopes of various types and designs.
  2. open and globular clusters of stars and main-sequence fitting.
  3. the contents of our galaxy and the local group of galaxies.
  4. the dark matter issue and possible solutions and implications.
  5. clusters of galaxies and large scale structure of the universe, and active galaxies (AGN’s)
  6. Cosmological models, the universal expansion, and parameters including distances and ages.
  7. elementary particle physics and relativity.
  8. Topics in the history of astronomy may be included by the instructor.