Physics 306 (Basic Astronomy)
Fall 2006
Instructor: Dr. Alexey Belyanin
(979) 845-7785, Room ENPH 509
Email: belyanin@tamu.edu
http://faculty.physics.tamu.edu/belyanin/phys306.html
Office Hours --
The textbook is Foundations
of Astronomy, Ninth Edition, by Michael Seeds (Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2007), ISBN 0-495-26588-8 (bundled with WebAssign
access code).
Tentative exam schedule:
Exam 1, Ch. 1-3: Sept. 14
Exam
2, Ch. 4-8: Oct.12
Help
sessions:
Oct.
10,
Oct.
11,
Exam 3,
Help Session for Exam 3: Nov. 10,
Final exam: Dec.
8,
Evaluation:
Three mid-term exams: each counting 20% of
the final grade
Homework: 10% of the final grade
Final exam: 30% of the final grade
If you miss an exam due to an authorized excused
absence as outlined in the
University Regulations, you must contact your instructor no later than the next
class meeting following the missed exam to arrange for a makeup exam. If you have an excused absence for one mid-term exam,
the grade for that exam can be dropped in calculating the final average.
You are
allowed to bring one 8.5" x 11" page with formulas (on one side) for
every mid-term exam. You can bring three such pages for the final if you wish.
You need to prepare these formula sheets yourself.
Level of
math used:
You will use simple algebra and elementary
functions, such as logarithms and exponents. Powers of 10 will be used all the
time, so an ability to work with scientific notation is important. I will
provide you with necessary math background; however, some of you might need
extra practice to refresh your high-school math.
Attendance:
It is expected that you will attend all classes (except for possible excused absences). I will check attendance regularly.
Homework
assignments:
Homework
assignments are a required part of the course. They constitute 10% of the final
grade. The assignments will be posted on the WebAssign
every Monday and should be turned in via WebAssign by
next Monday. The login address is https://www.webassign.net/login.html. You will
need to enter your username, password, and the institution code. Our
institution code is tamu. Your username and initial password is
your SID number. You can change your password and customize your home page after
logging in. Once you log in, you will be required to enter the Access Code.
There is a short grace period until September 11 during which you can use WebAssign without entering a code. After the grace period,
you must enter a valid code before you can continue using WebAssign.
If you bought a new textbook required for this class, your Access Code should
come with the textbook. If you do not have the book, you may purchase the code
online for $25. You will see the Purchase an access code
online button after you log in. You may also purchase an online
version of the textbook if you wish and if you do not have a hard copy.
Your
first homework assignment is already posted on your WebAssign
home page. It is designed to help you understand basic features of WebAssign. The detailed online manual is available on your
home page. You can save it on your computer as a pdf
file. It is very important that you do the assignments. Quantitative problems in your exams will be similar to
those in your homework. If you have problems with homework, seek help from me
or at the help desk.
Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy Statement
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal
anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection
for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires
that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that
provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you
have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of
Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities, in Room 126 of the Koldus Building or call 845-1637.
Aggie Honor Code
“An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or
tolerate those who do.” The university has instituted severe penalties
for students involved in scholastic dishonesty, including plagiarism. For
more information, go to www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor.
Lecture Notes
Lecture notes will be posted at http://faculty.physics.tamu.edu/belyanin/phys306.html immediately after each lecture. They are to help you with
test preparation and homework and to complement the textbook. Lecture notes are
not a substitution for attending the lectures or reading the textbook.
Acknowledgement: lecture notes below
contain information and images from numerous educational and research websites.
They are strictly for educational use and not for distribution. Many of these
websites can be accessed from the following webpage:
http://cassfos02.ucsd.edu/public/astroed.html
Not included in the Fall
2006: