ASTRO 210: Black Holes in the Universe
Section 1, Spring
2017
Lecture: Monday, Wednesday & Friday
Location: J. C.
Long, room 219
Time: MWF
2:00pm - 2:50pm
Instructor: Dr.
George Chartas
Office: 206 J.
C. Long
Office
hours: MWF : 3:00 - 4:00 pm
Phone: (843)
953-3609
Email: chartasg@cofc.edu
A
preliminary outline of the course can be found at the SCHEDULE website. Some of
this material is subject to change and this site will be constantly up-dated so
please check it before each class.
_____________________________________________________________
Syllabus
Required materials:
The required textbook for the course is
GravityŐs Fatal Attraction, Black
Holes in the Universe Second Edition by Mitchell Begelman
and Martin Rees.
Recommended
textbook for the course is Black Holes and Time Warps, EinsteinŐs Outrageous
Legacy by Kip S. Thorne
Course Objectives:
Ever
wonder what it would be like to cross the event horizon of a black hole, or
whether time travel was possible? Find
out how you can travel in a round trip close to the speed of light to find out
that your friend has aged when you return. Will the Large Hadron Collider create
mini black holes and is it safe? Learn
about how black holes drag space along as they rotate and do so with Ňno hairÓ.
This
course will cover the strange predicted properties of black holes and describe
observations of objects that we think harbor them.
Learning Outcomes:
Demonstrate
conceptual understanding (through quizzes, projects, and tests) of the
following topics:
- Understand Einstein's theory of special
relativity as it applies to length contraction, and time dilation.
- Understand EinsteinŐs
theory of general relativity as it applies to the equivalence principle, space-time,
and the prediction of black holes.
- Describe Stellar Evolution and the fate
of stars (Brown Dwarfs, White Dwarfs, Neutron stars, Black holes)
- Describe the techniques used for the detection
of stellar mass black holes
- Describe the current paradigm of active
galactic nuclei.
- Explain contemporary theories of Dark
Matter and describe methods to detect it.
- Describe
the current paradigm of Gamma Ray Bursts
- Describe recent observations of the
supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way
- Explain Gravitational
Waves and describe methods to detect them.
- Explain
Feedback between black holes and their environments
- Explain Miniholes and the Hawking Effect
I recommend that you
review the material before it is presented in class. This will help you to
better understand the concepts and enjoy the class. I expect your active
participation in the class.
SPECIFICS
CREDIT: This is a
three-credit course.
PREREQUISITES: This
course is designed for non-science majors. Advanced mathematics is not
required; only high-school level math will be used occasionally.
PRESENTATIONS: Every
student group will be expected to give a 15-minute presentation on a topic
related to material covered in the course. You will work in groups of two to
prepare and present the research talk.
The
presentation may be in PowerPoint, keynote, overhead or blackboard. It should
include a list of references and each student should present a portion of the
talk.
There
will be dates near the end of the semester allocated to these research
presentations.
Midterm Exams and Quizzes:
There
will be 2 midterm exams over the semester. Several quizzes will be given during
lectures. The quizzes will be based on material already presented in lectures. There
will be a final exam that will cover most of the material presented in the
lectures.
Grades
Your
final grade will be calculated as follows:
Quizzes |
15% |
Presentation
and Participation |
20% |
Midterms |
40% |
Final |
25% |
Your
number grade will be converted into a letter grade as follows.
>85% |
A |
80-84% |
A- |
76-80% |
B+ |
72-76% |
B |
68-72% |
B- |
64-68% |
C+ |
60-64% |
C |
56-60% |
C- |
52-56% |
D+ |
48-52% |
D |
44-48% |
D- |
<44% |
F |
Special
Needs
If you have any special needs or disabilities that
might require special arrangements to be made for any aspect of this course,
please let me know at the beginning of the semester or as soon as you become
aware of them.
1.
Any student eligible for and needing accommodations because
of a disability is requested to speak with the professor during the first two
weeks of class or as soon as the student has been approved for services so that
reasonable accommodations can be arranged.
2.
The College will make reasonable accommodations for persons
with documented disabilities. Students should apply for services at the
Center for Disability Services/SNAP located on the first floor of the Lightsey Center, Suite 104. Students approved for
accommodations are responsible for notifying me as soon as possible and for
contacting me one week before accommodation is needed.
3.
This College abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you have a documented
disability that may have some impact on your work in this class and for which
you may require accommodations, please see an administrator at the Center of
Disability Services/SNAP, (843) 953-1431) or me so that such accommodation may
be arranged.
Class
Policies:
Cellular
technology: Please respect your classmates
and keep your cellular devices off.
College
of Charleston Honor Code and Academic Integrity:
Lying,
cheating, attempted cheating, and plagiarism are violations of our Honor Code
that, when identified, are investigated.
Each incident will be examined to determine the degree of deception
involved.
Incidents where the instructor determines the student-s
actions are related more to a misunderstanding will be handeled
by the instructor. A written intervention designed to help
prevent the student from repeating the error will be given to the student. The intervention, submitted by form and
signed both by the instructor and the student, will be forwarded to the Dean of
Students and placed in the student-s file.
Cases
of suspected academic dishonesty will be reported directly by the instructor
and/or others having knowledge of the incident to the Dean of Students. A student found responsible by the Honor
Board for academic dishonesty will receive a XF in the course, indicating
failure of the course due to academic dishonesty. This grade will appear on the student-s
transcript for two years after which the student may petition for the X to be
expunged. The F is permanent. The student may also be placed on
disciplinary probation, suspended (temporary removal) or expelled (permanent
removal) from the College by the Honor Board.
Students
should be aware that unauthorized collaboration--working together without
permission-- is a form of cheating.
Unless the instructor specifies that students can work together on an
assignment, quiz and/or test, no collaboration during the completion of the
assignment is permitted.
Other forms of cheating include possessing or using an unauthorized
study aid (which could include accessing information via a cell phone or
computer), copying from others- exams, fabricating data, and giving
unauthorized assistance.
Research
conducted and/or papers written for other classes cannot be used in whole or in
part for any assignment in this class without obtaining prior permission from
the instructor.
Students
can find the complete Honor Code and all related processes in the Student Handbook at http://studentaffairs.cofc.edu/honor-system/studenthandbook/index.php