20140930

Online reading assignment: quantum leaps, sun's outer layers (NC campus)

Astronomy 210, fall semester 2014
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students have a weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.

The following questions were asked on reading textbook chapters and previewing presentations on quantum leaps, and the sun's outer layers.


Selected/edited responses are given below.

Describe something you found interesting from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally interesting for you.
"The granulated nature of the sun's surface was interesting because you'd think it was sort of smooth since it's a giant ball of flaming gas and also because the granulation reminds me a lot of what happens when you mix watercolor paint with sugar water (very cool, do recommend looking at it)."

"Sunspots are interesting because they are caused by magnetic fields."

"I found it interesting that sunspots are slightly cooler than the remaining surface of the sun. I thought the opposite would be true."

Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.
"How electrons move from level to level in an atom. I don't understand how they do this, and, more importantly, how does this cause light?"

"The concept of electrons jumping energy levels and giving off or taking electrons. This is confusing because I can't visualize it and make sense of it."

"Nothing was really confusing. It will just take a while to bring back all the chemistry terms."

"For sunspots I got confused on how there could be a non-circulating part of the surface of the sun. It was confusing because I do not understand how that is possible?"

An electron in an atom must emit a photon when it jumps from a __________ energy orbital to a __________ energy orbital.
lower; higher.  ***** [5]
higher; lower.  ************************** [26]
(Both of the above choices.)  [0]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)  [0]

An electron in an atom must absorb a photon when it jumps from a __________ energy orbital to a __________ energy orbital.
lower; higher.  *************************** [27]
higher; lower.  **** [4]
(Both of the above choices.)  [0]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)  [0]

The exterior of the sun, from inner to outermost layers, are the:
(Only correct responses shown.)
inner: photosphere [84%]
middle: chromosphere [77%]
outer: corona [81%]

State your preference regarding miso soup.
Strongly dislike.  * [1]
Dislike.  * [1]
Neutral.  ** [2]
Like  ************ [12]
Strongly like.  *********** [11]
(I don't know what miso soup is.)  **** [4]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"I just can't stand miso soup at all."

"Miso soup is pretty great, to be honest."

"The sun can be anything it wants! If it wants to be a TV with a magnet, or a lava lamp, then let it! Equality for the sun! We owe it that much! P. S. The sun wants us to have a miso soup party."

"I think P-dog looks a bit like Glenn from the Walking Dead TV series. The character is badass."

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