20150304

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

Astronomy 210, spring semester 2015
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.
"In order to move an electron to an outer shell, it requires energy in the form of photons."

"The electron and photon rule. Finally science I can understand."

"Ancient Egyptians were merely trying to explain what they saw with what they knew: wings and fire-spitting cobras."

"That we are able to tell the different layers of the sun--this is interesting to me because when I look up, all I see is a bright spot and nothing else! How amazing technology is!"

"The sun is basically just a giant ball of gas that has no solid surface...whaaatt?"

"If I was ever to go on a trip to the sun, I would try to land on a sun spot so I can live a millisecond longer."

"It was interesting to know that the sun has layers even though we cannot see them with the other factors that hinder our observations. Shrek: 'Layers. Onions have layers. Ogres have layers.'"

Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.
"Quantum mechanics."

"How exactly are photons emitted/absorbed? I am mot sure what generates these processes."

I'm a little confused on what happens to an atom when the photon energy isn't exactly the amount needed to jump to another level. I believe that you need an exact amount of photon energy (no more, no less) to equal the exact energy levels specified, but I don't understand what happens if the photon doesn't equal that level."

"Mr. P-Dog, I find everything confusing until your teachings clarify it for me. Great teacher!"

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.  ************************************* [37]
(Both of the above choices.)  * [1]
(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.  ************************************ [36]
higher; lower.  ***** [5]
(Both of the above choices.)  ** [2]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)  [0]

The exterior of the sun, from inner to outermost layers, are the:
(Only correct responses shown.)
inner: photosphere [72%]
middle: chromosphere [77%]
outer: corona [79%]

State your preference regarding miso soup.
Strongly dislike.  *** [3]
Dislike.  ** [2]
Neutral.  *********** [11]
Like  ************ [12]
Strongly like.  *************** [15]
(I don't know what miso soup is.)  [0]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"The problem with miso soup is when it is too salty, as has been with all of my past experiences. But, perhaps that is just my luck."

"I'd like to let you know that I had miso soup today right before I did my astronomy homework--great minds think alike?"

"I like everything but the tofu in miso soup, which is probably the most important ingredient, I assume."

"The small details are what I have hard time with, just keeping all the facts straight in general. But this is more of a personal struggle, not so much the material."

"The sun is my favorite planet (btw I'm completely kidding, I know it's a star)."

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