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 the evolution of medium-mass stars, massive stars, and on neutron stars and black holes.
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.
"Novae and type la supernovae. They were the only thing I kind of understood."Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.
"I thought it was interesting that stars die and give birth to new stars. I didn't really ever think about it in that way. I just look up and see the stars the way they are. Now I know that some stars are maybe 'sons' or 'daughters' of dead stars."
"Black holes, totally radical!"
"It's interesting how main-sequence stars die after they use up all their hydrogen."
"How the entirety of a low mass star is used for fuel as opposed to a massive star which just uses its core. A low mass star circulates hydrogen throughout its whole body to the core for fusion."
"Higher mass stars can burn other elements like carbon, oxygen, and neon when their supply of hydrogen and helium runs out. I always assumed all stars only used hydrogen and helium as fuel, but after reading this section I found out that if a star has enough mass it could also burn up carbon, oxygen-neon, and silicon besides hydrogen and helium."
"I am lost and really confused by the presentation."A Hummer H2 and a SmartCar ForTwo will travel the same distance with a full tank of gas. Briefly explain how this is possible.
"This reading was pretty straightforward. Nothing was too confusing."
"What was confusing to was the capacity for the medium-mass stars and the low-mass stars. Why doesn't the medium-mass star have more capacity, as it's bigger?"
"Black holes, the effect they have on space."
"It was so much information...BRAIN OVERLOAD"
"I'm still trying to understand the star cluster H-R diagram. I need more work figuring out where massive stars, medium-mass stars, and low-mass stars are along the main sequence line. The analogy of star clusters being like a house party helps me understand the order of star formation."
"What confused me from the presentation is how a Hummer and a SmartCar could travel the same distance with a full tank of gas. Since I thought the Hummer would be able to go farther than the SmartCar since it was bigger."Briefly explain the difference between a nova and a type Ia supernova.
"The comparison between the Hummer and SmartCar was a bit confusing because you would think a SmartCar would go longer miles because of the higher miles per gallon."
"A Hummer has a larger tank of gas but gets less miles per gallon and a SmartCar ForTwo has a smaller tank of gas but gets more miles per gallon so they equal out distance-wise."
"A Hummer has a huge gas tank with horrible gas mileage, and a SmartCar has a tiny gas tank with excellent gas mileage."
"If a nova happens then the star will eventually recharge with hydrogen but if a type la supernova happens then everything is gone."The first rule of astronomy class is...
"A nova is a white dwarf flaring up, a type Ia supernova is the destruction of the white dwarf."
"A nova is caused by a slow biuldup of hydrogen on a white-dwarf and can happen multiple times. A type Ia supernova occurs when hydrogen build up quickly on a white dwarf, causing a massive explosion destroying the white dwarf and the neighboring star."
"I'm completely lost."
"Don't talk about astronomy class." (2 responses.)Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"Learn astronomy."
"Have fun." (2 responses.)
"Show up early."
"To be awesome! :P." (2 responses.)
"P-dog is the one and only supreme ruler of Astronomy 210. You do not question P-dog. You dare not look P-dog in the eye. You will die a slow and painful death."
"No cuts, no buts, no coconuts?"
"To ask questions!"
"What is the evidence?"
"Get to class on time and be prepared."
"Always be a stargeek?"
"I have no idea..." (5 responses.)
"What causes different elements to have different spectra?"(Different energy levels, which electrons will make different jumps up or down to absorb/emit different energy photons.)
"I don't have a 'study buddy' for this class, so when I miss class or an assignment, and don't know the correct answers for flashcard questions, where can I turn for help?" (See me after class. Come to office hours. Make an appointment for an office visit. E-mail me. Whatever it takes.)
"Can we see a picture of Mrs. P-dog? Like what does she look like?" (Didn't I show you this picture of Mrs. P-dog and me from 15 years ago already?)
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