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

Astronomy 210, fall 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 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.
"An atom has electrons. The electrons orbits the nucleus. The atom has energy levels in which the electrons can jump from one energy level to another."

"I liked the analogy of lava lamps and miso soup to describe the surface of the sun. It made it easier to understand."

"I found it interesting that different atoms emit different photons of color. After reading this it made sense but it was something that I never really thought of."

"How the sunspots aren't actually black in color, that the bright surface surrounding the sun spot just makes it appear black when really it's not."

Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.
"I understood the electron rule and the proton rule but I don't understand why they make colors in the neon lights. The book defines atom, isotope, electron, proton etc., but I still do not understand what they do and how they are arranged."

"Any and all talk of atoms, nuetrons, protons, etc. I did not understand quantum jumps and orbiting of electrons, etc."

"The photons creating different colors in tube lights is a little confusing, because my knowledge of chemistry is limited but it is interesting nonetheless."

"Corona, I don't see the 'wings.'"

"Sunspots. There's a lot more to them than I originally thought. More complex."

"ELECTRONS!"

An electron in an atom must emit a photon when it jumps from a __________ energy orbital to a __________ energy orbital.
lower; higher.  ********** [10]
higher; lower.  ********************* [21]
(Both of the above choices.)  [0]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)  ** [2]

An electron in an atom must absorb a photon when it jumps from a __________ energy orbital to a __________ energy orbital.
lower; higher.  ****************** [18]
higher; lower.  *********** [11]
(Both of the above choices.)  ** [2]
(Unsure/guessing/lost/help!)  ** [2]

The exterior of the sun, from inner to outermost layers, are the:
(Only correct responses shown.)
inner: photosphere [61%]
middle: chromosphere [64%]
outer: corona [67%]

State your preference regarding miso soup.
Strongly dislike.  * [1]
Dislike.  *** [3]
Neutral.  **** [4]
Like  ********** [10]
Strongly like.  ************ [12]
(I don't know what miso soup is.)  *** [3]

Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"How would you advise me to study the content in this class to earn an 'A?'" (Students from last semester have some advice for you on what was helpful (or not helpful) for studying for the first midterm.)

"Miso soup is good but without some chili paste and soy sauce it isn't nearly as good."

"All of the presentations make me hungry." (Me, too.)

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