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Physics in the Universe! PhUn : Fall Semester 2020

With Master of Engineering! Barton Clark! email: bclark@tamdistrict.org

unit 1 syllabus: Big Bang!

 

week 1: August 24

Learning Objective Summary:________________

This week introduces students to 'how to be successful in Physics in the Universe. How to take notes in class and what it 'looks like' to study. (note: staring at your notes in NOT the way to study). New content topics this week will focus on the beginning of time and how the universe has evolved since the Big Bang.

New assignments this week.

  • Messy Notes!Watch Video: Origins with Neal DeGras Tyson (see links at right). Taking notes (TSP style!) on the evidence which leads us to believe in the Big Bang Theory. TAKE A CELL PHONE PICTURE OF YOUR NOTES AND EMAIL THEM TO CLARK
  • Create a poster which attempts to illustrate the major events in the beginning of the universe. This will be due at the end of NEXT WEEK>
  • WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY called Origins, back to the beginning, broken up into six, separate 10-minute segments (links in the far right pane).

Additional resources: (just for fun this week).

Introduction to Mr. Clark. Main point was that he's been "on both sides of the fence".. the student in the "back of the class" who did no homework and just "skated by" and the "heading to CAL" student (for graduate school).

Discussion: How to take notes in class.. (this will take several weeks to discuss). Note taking is an itteraitve and interactive process. You must 'excercise your brain" repetedly to learn first writing down as much as you can, then going over those notes attempting to identify key ideas and quesions, then get answers to those questions then.. to construct an entirely new document which should look like a text book. In short, a 30 minute lecture (and notes) should require an extra 45-60 minutes of interacting with. (this is what studying actually looks like, not staring at your notes or your book).

Messy Notes: Watch 5 minute video: Origins of the Universe 101. on the beginning of the universe and practice your note taking skills. (catch what you can). Of specific interest, is to identify (write down) the name of the EPOCH which finally includes words/ideas you've heard of before. What are those words/ideas? .

Class discussion with Clark reviewing some of the main ideas. subatomic particles, the 'edge of space', the beginning of time, radiation vs matter vs anti-matter?

Discussion/student breakout rooms: What did you think about the video? What Epoch is the first Epoch which includes terms you've heard before? (click here to see a list of questions to respond to in your group). Use this time to talk to others about your notes, what questions did you have? What questions did they have? What ideas or terms did you did talk about? (ADD THESE TO YOUR NOTES).. After the discussion sessions, take a cell phone picture of your notes and send them to Clark at bclark@tamdistrict.org

Assignment: Draw a picture (on large paper?) illiustrating the early universe including as many labels of parts as you can manage. (see this link for guidance). Send clark a picture of your illustrated guide by Next Tues/Wed. .

 

First ever black hole image released! The movie Interstellar (poster abovr) contains 'the most accurate simullation created depicting a black hole"

 

week 2: August 31

Note: Monday: All students start with Peter Parish during 2nd period (he sent a link to you). All students meet with David Gutfeld during 4th period (he sent you a link) and all students go to Clark during 6th period (after lunch).

PLEASE USE THIS LINK TO ATTEND CLARK's Back-to-school presentation.

Learning Objective Summary:________________

This week introduces students to 'the story' of the creation of the universe. This story unfolds as scientists make use of ever improved technology which ends up overturning our previous views of how our universe came into being. Along the way, we'll study the properties of light, since the majority of 'evidence' for this story comes from telescopes and the light being emited by stars and galaxies.

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

Discussion: Learning how to learn. In Waldorf eduction, students are often led through topics through story. First they hear the story, as read by the teacher. Then they 'act' the story, perhaps by taking on the rolls of characters, then they draw the story in pictures, then they write the story. This repeated process of interacting with the ideas through different modalites is a wonderful way to learn. As we learn about the formation of our our universe, we are on a similar pathway. The Video's we watched are the 'telling' of the story. The writing and drawing posters of the story are the next steps. On Monday, we'll share out some of the posters students have drawn and spend the rest of the weeek exploring some of the 'details' including historical events (with technology, primarily) and some of the finer details about 'light' iteself.

Lab/simulation: (MS WORD VERSION) Properties of light: Absorbtion.

Lab/simulation: (pdf version) Properties of light: Absorbtion; Students worked in 3-4 person breakout rooms to explore this lab and worked together to assemble a 'group' document to submit back to Clark.

(Click here for exciting video to be used in the above labs)

Minilab: How far is that bright star? Download any Astronomy/night sky/star identifying app. (here are some options) Go OUTSIDE the next time its clear and you can, find a bright star and IDENTIFY IT! (using your cell phone app or asking your mom who is an astronomer).. The LOOK UP th the name of that star and deterimine how far away that star is from us. Next question: How long would it take for a space ship travelling at 20,000 mph take to get there? (write this up and send it to me).

 

The Pillars of Creation!

Week 3: Sept 07

Learning Objective Summary:________________

This week continues with our discussion of light and how scientists can use the properties of light emissions and absorbtion to determine how old and how far other stars and galaxies are.

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

Discusion/review: How far is that bright star? (which apps worked the best?.. and share the 'revised' assignment.. now on a worksheet).

Discussion: Reading from a text book (Clark scanned in a chapter from a high-school Astronomy Text) see new assignmet at left.

Video: Space Exploration: The Age of Hubble. This video replaces the previous documentary, created in 2004 and Narrated by Neil DeGrass Tyson.. which is no longer availble. This video is more recent film, taking more time to explore the newer technology in satelites and telescopes which have been designed in recent years.

Dicussion of X-ray telescope used to see the Sun!

Click here to see the Chandra X-Ray Telescope and how it works!

Click here to see awesome 'photos' of the Sun taken in X-rays! (if you could see X-rays, this is what you would see!) More pictures of the Sun

Light lab part 2: Reflection and refraction.

(Click here for exciting video of pencils and mirrors)

 

 

 

The HELIOSPHERE! Where our Sun's 'shockwave' stops and 'interstellar space' begins!

Week 4: Sept 14

Learning Objective Summary:________________

This week examines the mathematics of speed and wavelength. Unit conversions are introduced as a method to 'guide the math'. The concept of the model is explored as a way to imagine the Big Bang.

New assignments this week.

The Age of Hubble. Video (click here for worksheet part 2).

Discussion: How far is that bright Star? The last question has students calculating how long it would take to get to the bright star they have selected. With a series of equalities and unit conversion, the answer can be determined in years.

Video: Space Exploration: The Age of Hubble. (the second half) and discussion. (click here for accessory questions sheet; to be posted soon).

Discussion/activity: Modeling the Big as an explosion. (slow motion video of explosion).

Reading assigment and questions. Chapter 6: Light and Telescopes.(part 2).

Activity: Modeling the Big Bang! Watch this video! Explosions in super slow motion! Students first watched this video of various things exploding.. then choosing one which best 'models' the Big Bang. (Students first worked individually to watch the video and consider the question, Clark opened up the Breakout rooms during the last 20 minutes for students to share notes with each other).

  • (click here to see the instructions) Please go to the Assignments tab in Canvas to access the shared response document (the thing you'll fill out and submit through Canvas to hand in).

Chandra X-Ray observatory

Week 5: Sept 21 First Day of Fall!

Learning Objective Summary:________________

This week begins the discussion of nucleosynthesis. (how elements such as carbon and oxygen come into being.).

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

Discussion: What is nucleosynthesis? (click this link to 'everything you need to know and more, about nucleosynthesis).

click here to see Tues/Wed's class recording (Sept 22/23)

Major topics include:

  • What are nucleons? What are atoms?
  • What is fission? What is fusion?
  • What happens inside stars? Why is Iron 'the last' element to form inside a normal star? What happens when stars explode? (supernova)
  • How can we gain energy from fission? How can we gain energy from fusion? What are the problems with each?
  • What do nuclear equations look like?

 

Nuclear Physics!

 

Week 6: Sept 28

Learning Objective Summary:________________.

This week continues with discussion of nuclear fusion vs nuclear fission, in this case, used as processes to create energy/electricty.. and the dangers of each.

New assignments this week.

Click here for the review guide for next week's test.

 

Decay series in radioactive (unstable) isotopes

Fusion as it is idealized in current, nuclear power plants

Catastrophic failures of nuclear power plants. Fukushima Daiichi as an example. (click here to see footage of earthquake in 2011)

California's own, coastal nuclear power plant: Diablo Canyon.

Week 7: Oct 5

Learning Objective Summary:___________

This week included our first test of the year.. and began the conversation of our next unit; the formation of our solar system.

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

Discussion/review: The Very Large Baseline technique of linking telescopes from around the world to effectively create an image, as if the telescope was the size of the Earth. Clark walked through several interesing moments from this recording of a presentation of the data collected and how scientists assembled the data into the first images ever, of the event horizon around a black hole. (Click here to see the Event Horizon Research Project presentation)

Tues/Wed was test day.. the first test of the semester and Clark's first attempt to construct a Canvas Test). (Click here for the review guide)

Thurs/Friday was movie day. Students watched the film; The history of Earth, how our planet formed. (2017)with incredible graphics of the early solar system, Earth accreting from debris and dust, the bombardment of comets and the formation of the moon in one of the largest 'collisions' in our solar system. Students were to take 'messy notes' on this one for discussion next week.

Did the early Earth spin on its side?

Week 8: Oct 12

Learning Objective Summary:___________

This week continues with our discussion of the solar system and its formation. Of special interst, is the rotational dynamics of our system, and the fact that EVERYTHING rotates clockwise (as viewed from above the NOrth Pole).

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

Discussion: (based on the documentary from last week): The early solar system and formation of the Earth and Moon (Monday's lecture focused on the Conservation of Angular momentum, which led to all objects rotating in the same direction). Also discussed, was the gravitional braking of the planet as the moon slowly drifted out.

Click here to see Tues/Wed's lecture on rotational dynamics of our solar system.

Discussion: The layers of the Earth and the differential rotation which causes the Earth's magnetic field to form. The Kupier Belt and the Oort Cloud.

(click here to see Thurs/Fri's short discussion of binary star systems)

The Asteroid Belt

 

Week 9: Oct 19

Please use THIS link for Monday only (all sections). All students start with Peter Parish during 2nd period. All students spend 4th period with David Gutlfeld. All students spend 3rd period with Barton Clark.

Learning Objective Summary:___________

This week continues with our discussion of the solar system and its formation. Of special interst this week, is the concept of 'gravitational braking' and of the moon being 'gravitationaly locked' in its orbit around the Earth.

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

New project: Creating a historical fiction depicting the creation of our solar system. In the absence of hands-on labs to 'practice science', this project is intended to be a fun, yet challenging way for students to 'give back' to Clark, their understanding of the formation of our solar system. In parallel, this proejct is designed to be a 'review' of events, prior to our next, unit test (in about 3 weeks). (click here to download the project descriptor).

Discussion: Rotational Dynamics of the Moon around the Earth. (click here to see the lecture). This discussion focused on the moons formation early in our solar systems history and how the moon has been slowing down in its rotation due to gravitational braking.

click here to see Tue/Wed lecture including a discussion of the assignment below (starting at the 16 minute mark).

New "Lab" assignment: GO SEE THE MOON AND DRAW IT! Basically, the moon is (as of this writing) a beautiful, waxing Crescent, clearly visable in the Western horizon. Students will, over the next ten days, go outside at night (same place and same time) sketch out what they see.. Complete directions are described in the lecture from Tues/Wed: Rotational Dyanmics of the moon, starting at about the 16 minute mark.

 

Osirus Rex space craft lands on an asteroid to collect samples of material from the beginning of our solar system

Week 10: Oct 27

Learning Objective Summary:___________

Also introduced, is the idea that planetary orbits are actually elliptical not circular (though mathematically speaking, circles are a special class of ellipses).

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

Who was Johannes Kepler? What were his laws of motion? What were the major events of his day? How did his life's work transform modern astronomy?

Who was Johannes Kepler?

Week 11: November 02.

Learning Objective Summary:___________

This week is study and project time. The end of unit exam is on Thurs/Friday.

Review guide for this week's end-of-unit test.

Monday is group project time.

Tues/Wednesday is review of "moon viewing timing" (ten minutes) and project/study time.

Thurs/Friday is the unit test.

Keplers Nested Solids

Week 12: November 09.

New assignments this week.

Breath Easy Week. Wednesday was Vetrans Day (off) so Monday was "Wednesday".

For Monday/Tuesday: Please watch the video witch is a tour of the international space station. https://thekidshouldseethis.com/post/international-space-station-tour-iss (Links to an external site.)

While watching the video, please identify at least five moments which:

  • you thought were interesting or..
  • questions you had about how things work or..
  • Things which surprised you? or..
  • Things you would like to do in space. 
  

Week 13: November 16.

New assignments this week.

  • Video: Einstein's Big Idea. Students are to watch the 'middle section' of the film describing each of the terms mC(squared). Three pages of messy notes, one for each section (see details at right).
  • Momentum lab: Skateboard and cell phones.. a dangerous combination. (click here to download the lab).

Video: Einstein's Big Idea. Students are to watch the 'middle section' of the film describing each of the terms mC(squared). Three pages of messy notes, one for each section

  • Section 1: M is for Mass (starts at the 23:33 min/sec mark)
  • Section 2: The Speed of light (starts at the 46:48 mark)
  • Section 3: 2 is for Squared (starts at 55:02, ends at 1hr:07 min mark).

Discussion: What is momentum? (Tues/Wed class discussion)

Discussion: How does conservation of energy differ from the conservation of mass? (Thurs/Friday class discussion).

Momentum Lab. (to be described soon).

Best Papers! Please take a look at some of the best papers that came in recently. All of these papers earned As and all were fantastic, for very different reasons. I've included the rubric scores of each, so students can see what it 'looks like' to earn a 5 on each measured aspect of the grade. [click here to see 'the rubric']

 

 
Week 14: November 23. Thanksgiving week holiday  

Week 15: November 30/Dec. 01.

New assignments this week.

Additional resources:

 

Dicussion: Skateboard lab tips and tricks! (smooth surfaces, wheels that roll without friction).

Click here to see Clark's Tues/Wed lecture on Excel basics.

Video/Demo: Car down a ramp at Clark's Super Speedway (a.k.a. his living rooms) Click here for the Data Set in (Excel format) of this exciting event! Click here for the data set in CSV format.

Lab: Using data analytic programs (MS Excel and/or Google Sheets and/or?) to show that momentum is conserved during a collision. (click here for a recording of the class discussion:

 

Week 16: December 07

Additional resources:

 click here to see a recording of this week's discussion on using Excel to show that momentum is conserved in collisions. (to be posted soon).  
STOP! The items listed in the weeks below are from Last years syllabus. In some instances, dates may be changed and assigments/activities may be repositioned on the calendar as time progresses.

Voyager II illmunates the boundry of interstellar space

 

 

 

Lab/simulatin: Properties of light: Diffraction (to be uploaded soon) Discussion: Light is bent by gravity!

 

Discussion: The X-ray telescope!

Making a mini-WeVideo documentary yourself (retelling and acting the story!).

 
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