PHS 550: PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY (3 semester hours)

(The physics in astronomy)

ASU Main campus: Physical Sciences Center, room H-356/358, 4:30-7:30 pm

Instructor: Prof. Carl Covatto, ASU Dept. of Physics

Teachers will learn physics-related concepts in astronomy and will develop lessons that they can use in their classrooms. The course will incorporate together lectures, discussions and group activities, including use of Internet resources and computer laboratory experiments in support of class material. The emphasis is on basic physical concepts as applied in astronomical research. Major concepts and applications to be studied are:

1. Kepler’s Laws

2. Overview of the Solar System and the Search for Extrasolar Planets

3. Measuring Astronomical Distances

4. Hubble’s Law and the Expansion of the Universe

5. The Greenhouse Effect and the Evolution of Planetary Atmospheres

One potential class activity is use of ASU’s Braeside observatory. This class period would need to be from about 8:00 to 11:00 pm on a date to be determined.

Optional topics include: light & spectroscopy, impact cratering, cosmology, and galaxy morphology & classification.

The course is open to high school physics, physical science, earth/space science, and mathematics teachers. A working knowledge of college algebra is recommended, as well as two semesters of algebra-based physics.

No textbook is required. However, it is recommended that students use a fairly recent edition of a good introductory textbook for background material. For example, The Cosmic Perspective by Bennett et al, 21st Century Astronomy by Hester et al, The Universe by Freedman and Kaufmann, Astronomy Today by Chaisson and McMillan, or Foundations of Astronomy by Seeds. A more advanced book is Introductory Astronomy and Astrophysics by Zeilik and Gregory.