Online reading assignment: Kirchhoff's laws (NC campus)

Astronomy 210, spring semester 2016
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 Kirchhoff's laws.


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 different spectra types, because I didn't know about them before. What was how to read these 'bar codes' so you could figure which spectrum it was."

"The Doppler effect to be interesting, because it has to do with stuff that happens everyday all around us, that I didn't even know I knew about before."

"The different types of spectra--it was neat to be able to look at it at a deeper level and be able to more understand the different types."

"The Doppler effect is pretty cool and easy to understand, because we talked about it in physics in high school, but also since I was a band nerd for eight years, so it just makes sense."

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

"Trying to figure out what kind of objects or things belong to the different spectra and why."

"I didn't really understand how to tell the difference between the different types of spectra."

"How to detect different light spectra, because I still don't understand how you can tell which spectra it is by just knowing that it comes from the sun or a light bulb."

"I don't really understand the different kinds of light stuff (like continuous and emission and stuff)."

I believe Pluto should be a planet.

Strongly disagree.	[0]
Disagree.	***** [5]
Neutral.	*** [3]
Agree.	* [1]
Strongly Agree.	* [1]

Briefly explain your answer to the previous question (whether Pluto should be a planet).

"Pluto feels left out and it's not fair."

"Doesn't fit in the description of what a planet is."

"From my understanding from last time we spoke about it, Pluto was considered Dwarf Planet, but now since things have changed, it isn't anymore."

"I don't mind that it;s not a planet, but it would of helped if it was discovered sooner."

"It was demoted for good reasons."

"Pluto should be a dwarf planet rather than a planet because although it revolves around the sun and has a rounded shape, it does not dominate its orbit."

"No, Pluto should not be a planet. It no longer fits in completely with the definition of planet. Pluto does not have a cleared orbit."

"Pluto is love, Pluto is life."

Match the spectrum type with their appearance.
(Only correct responses shown.)

Rainbow containing all colors: continuous [90%]
Rainbow with thin black lines: absorption [90%]
Colored lines on a black background: emission [80%]
Given off by hot, dense object: continuous [40%]
Given off by hot, diffuse gas atoms: emission [50%]
Passing through cool, diffuse gas atoms: [40%]

Hot, molten metal produces a __________ spectrum, which appears as a:

continuous; rainbow.	** [2]
emission; series of bright lines on a dark background.	*** [3]
absorption; series of dark lines on a rainbow background.	**** [4]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	* [1]

The sun produces a __________ spectrum, which appears as a:

continuous; rainbow.	** [2]
emission; series of bright lines on a dark background.	***** [5]
absorption; series of dark lines on a rainbow background.	* [1]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	** [2]

The lights atop the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, CA, produces a __________ spectrum, which appears as a:

continuous; rainbow.	*** [3]
emission; series of bright lines on a dark background.	**** [4]
absorption; series of dark lines on a rainbow background.	* [1]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	** [2]

Your instructor produces a __________ spectrum, which appears as a:

continuous; rainbow.	* [1]
emission; series of bright lines on a dark background.	***** [5]
absorption; series of dark lines on a rainbow background.	** [2]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	** [2]

The balrog from The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring produces a __________ spectrum, which appears as a:

continuous; rainbow.	[0]
emission; series of bright lines on a dark background.	******* [7]
absorption; series of dark lines on a rainbow background.	* [1]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	** [2]

Suppose you are standing on the sidewalk as a car, with its horn continuously on, passes by (video link). The loudness of the car horn:

starts loud, then gets quieter.	* [1]
starts quiet, then gets louder.	** [2]
starts quiet, gets louder, then goes back down to quiet.	****** [7]
starts loud, gets quieter, then goes back up to loud.	[0]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	[0]

Suppose you are standing on the sidewalk as a car, with its horn continuously on, passes by (video link, same as above). The pitch (high note/low note) of the car horn:

starts high, then drops lower.	*** [3]
starts low, then goes higher.	* [1]
starts low, goes higher, then drops back down to low.	***** [5]
starts high, goes lower, then goes back up to high.	* [1]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)	[0]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.

"My textbook is in Lompoc currently, so everything was confusing because I couldn't read this weekend. Sorry about that; I am a bit embarrassed."

"No questions."

"How was your weekend?" (Thanks for asking--Mrs. P-dog and I had a great snow day.)