20131001

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

Astronomy 210, fall semester 2013
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.
"It's cool to see the ancient Egyptian sun glyph in context. I just thought it was cool iconography, not an astute astronomical observation."

"The sunspot thing was pretty interesting. I've always wondered if it was possible to land on the surface."

"That the sun is made up of granules and fade after 10 to 20 minutes. I guess I expected the sun to be a smooth ball of fire, that stays constant."

"That there are different gases in neon signs, because we call them 'neon' signs instead of their respective gases. I have always wondered how such bright colors were made, and using this example to introduce quantum leaps makes it so much more relatable to real life."

Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.
"If watching the sun can make you blind how is it possible for us to study it?"

"The electron and photon rules."

"If there is a specific, exact amount of energy needed to transfer the electrons to different energy levels wouldn't transitions be pretty rare in nature? And is there ever too much energy?"

"Atoms. Just don't get them."

"When a photon is absorbed does it disappear or is the electron just kind of holding on to it? Does a quantum leap happen every time a electron moves or is it specific instances?"

"I found nothing confusing."

An electron in an atom must emit a photon when it jumps from a __________ energy orbital to a __________ energy orbital.
lower; higher.  ******** [8]
higher; lower.  **************** [16]
(Both of the above choices.)  [0]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)  * [1]

An electron in an atom must absorb a photon when it jumps from a __________ energy orbital to a __________ energy orbital.
lower; higher.  **************** [16]
higher; lower.  ****** [6]
(Both of the above choices.)  ** [2]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)  * [1]

The exterior of the sun, from inner to outermost layers, are the:
(Only correct responses shown.)
inner: photosphere [80%]
middle: chromosphere [72%]
outer: corona [68%]

State your preference regarding miso soup.
Strongly dislike.  * [1]
Dislike.  [0]
Neutral.  ******** [8]
Like  *** [3]
Strongly like.  ***** [5]
(I don't know what miso soup is.)  ******** [8]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"Can we have miso soup in class?" (That's your homework this week.)

"I. Hate. Miso. Soup."

"What does miso soup have to do with anything?!? Funny...I had some today in fact. Delicious!"

"Don't listen to atoms, they make up everything..."

"Astronomy is the bee's knees."

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