Astronomy 52: Relativity, Black Holes, and Quasars

Spring term 2008, Instructor: Francis Wilkin

tentative Syllabus | Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) | Union College Observatory

There will be two midterm exams: Week 4 and Week 8 (in class)

Final exam date: Tuesday June 10, 2:30pm in usual classroom

Announcements:

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Week 1: Mar 31-Apr 4: Classical Mechanics
Monday 3/31: Relative space and time, Galilean relativity, reference frames, addition of velocities.
Read M&V 1.6-2.4, p18-36 (but all of ch 1 recommended)
Wednesday 4/2: Law of inertia, inertial reference frames, Newton's laws of motion
Read M&V 2.5-2.6, p36-47. First hw assignment given (due monday 4/7)
Friday 4/4: Meaning of Newton's 2nd law, Newton's 3rd law, orbits
Read: 2.7-3.4, p48-62

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Week 2: Apr 7-11: Introducing Special Relativity
Monday 4/7: Hw1 due; Quiz 1 on classical mechanics; Maxwell and EM radiation
Read M&V: p62-78
Wednesday 4/9: Begin special relativity; relativity of time
Read M&V: p78-86
Friday 4/11:
Read: M&V to end of Ch 3
Saturday 4/12: Union College Observatory Open House 8:30-10pm (Go to Olin 301)(postponed due to clouds)

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Week 3: Apr 14-18: Special Relativity, continued
Monday 4/14: Quiz 2 on SR (up to 3.7)
Read M&V: to end of ch 3
Tuesday 4/15: Observatory Open House, viewing of Saturn, Moon, Mars 9-10pm
Wednesday 4/16: Continue special relativity: Space-time diagrams
Read M&V: Chapter 4, p96-113
Friday 4/18: HW2 due
Read: M&V p113-136

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Week 4: Apr 21-25: Special Relativity, Exam 1, General Relativity
Monday 4/21: Finish special relativity
Read M&V:
Wednesday 4/23: EXAM 1
Read M&V: Begin ch 5, up to p151
Friday 4/25: Begin General Relativity; equivalence principle
Read: M&V Ch 5: p137-153

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Week 5: Apr 28-May 1: General Relativity
Monday 4/28: Curved Space-time
Read Thorne, Chapter 2
Wednesday 4/30: Gravitational bending of light, Gravitational lensing, Quiz 3
Read
Finish Thorne, Ch 2 Friday 5/1: No class, Steinmetz Symposium

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Week 6: May 5-9 General Relativity and Black Holes
Monday 5/5: Perihelion Precession, Gravitational Time Dilation
Read
Wednesday 5/7: Gravitational Redshift, begin Black Holes (HW 3 due)
Read
Friday 5/9: Black Holes
Read
Saturday 5/10: Observatory Open House! 8:30-10pm, weather permitting.

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Week 7: May 12-16: Black Holes
Monday 5/12:
Read
Tuesday 5/13: Class trip to Rose Center, NYC!
Wednesday 5/14:
Read
Friday 5/16:
Read

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