ASTR-4220: Astrophysics
General Information – Fall, 2009
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Instructor |
Prof. Wayne G. Roberge – roberw
AT rpi
DOT edu 276-6454 |
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Office
Hours |
Mon: |
10:00-11:00 in JSRC 1C36* |
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Tues: |
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Teaching Assistant |
Mr.
Office
Hour: Thurs from 2:00 to 3:00, CII 8219 |
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Class Meetings |
Mon: Wed: Thu: |
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Attendance |
Not required but in-class
activities count toward the final grade. |
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Format |
Lectures and group
activities. |
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Learning Assessment |
Problem sets (45%) 3 in-class exams (45%) In-class
activities (10%). |
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Learning Outcomes |
A student
who successfully completes this course will be able to: ·
Solve
problems using the theory of radiative transfer ·
Calculate
the pressure of degenerate and nondegenerate gases. ·
Calculate
the ionization balance in a stellar atmosphere or interior. ·
Describe
the important nuclear reactions in stars. ·
Predict
the endpoints of stellar evolution for stars of different masses. ·
Describe
the different phases of the interstellar medium (ISM). ·
Explain
how the ISM is heated and cooled. ·
Explain
why molecules exist in the ISM and their significance. ·
Calculate
the optical properties of interstellar dust. ·
Solve
the equations of gas dynamics for simple applications. ·
Find
the dispersion relations for sound waves and MHD waves. |
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Texts |
The Physics of Stars by A.C. Phillips (required) |
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Academic
Honesty |
We are
all responsible for upholding the rules of academic honesty as spelled out in
the Rensselaer Handbook. Students
are encouraged to collaborate on homework but must write up solutions
independently. Students may not copy or paraphrase homework solutions
obtained from the internet, textbooks, or any other sources. A single instance of cheating will
result in a failing grade for the course. |
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*Note the
time change. |
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Last
modified: |
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