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.
"I honestly didn't know that there were gas atoms inside of the neon signs... I feel like I should have known that."
"One thing I found interesting was how signs are made: 'Tubes with different types of gas atoms inside--exciting the electrons of these atoms with electricity produces photons of different colors.' I always wondered how that worked, but now I know."
"That an excited atom can illuminate neon signs."
"How we have never been to the sun yet we know that it has layers and other components that make it up."
"I found the sun section most interesting because it's interesting to learn how much is known about the sun without even being able to touch it."
"Sunspots. The fact that we can see anything on the sun is so interesting to me, since it's so incredibly bright."
"The explanation of sunspots was interesting although a bit confusing. I have successfully avoided taking a chemistry class for my whole life until now."
"I never knew sunspots came in pairs, and had no idea that they were basically like both north and south poles. I never knew it was even possible for any single planet to have a kind of micro-poles. I find it really interesting because it totally changes how I see the sun, and really every other astronomical body. I thought the sunspots were weather patterns like Jupiter's Great Red Spot. If I understand it right, it's not that the sunspots are actually empty or discolored, it's just because it's (seemingly intuitively) not as bright or hot as the rest of the sun, and so it looks black in comparison. I think I have a lot more to learn about the sun... "
"I thought it was interesting to learn about sunspots! I love the idea of a place on the sun that is just slightly less hot than everywhere else, even if you would still die upon contact."
"How you compared a lava lamp to the cross-section of the sun. The analogies really help to make things easier to understand, especially since I don't have first hand experience on any of the things I am learning. Bringing familiar things into it sends the idea home :)"
Describe something you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview, and explain why this was personally confusing for you.
"Electrons and atoms."
"The whole 'electron-photon jumping' concept really confuses me. I think it's because it's hard for me to conceptualize."
"Electrons and photons! they confused me in middle school and they're confusing me now."
"The photon rule, because I don't understand how it connects to astronomy."
"I did not find the chemistry portion to be confusing, but if it gets any more chemistry-ish I will be confused for sure."
"I see the wings on the sun, but not the fire-spitting cobras."
"Where does the sun get sunspots?"
"I didn't find anything particularly confusing."
"Honestly, I feel like this is the first chapter that I understand."
An electron in an atom must emit a photon when it jumps from a __________ energy orbital to a __________ energy orbital.
lower; higher. *** [3] higher; lower. **************************** [28] (Both of the above choices.) * [1] (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. **************************** [28] higher; lower. ** [2] (Both of the above choices.) * [1] (Unsure/guessing/lost/help!) *** [3]
The exterior of the sun, from inner to outermost layers, are the:
(Only correct responses shown.)
inner: photosphere [74%]
middle: chromosphere [68%]
outer: corona [65%]
State your preference regarding miso soup.
Strongly dislike. * [1] Dislike. *** [3] Neutral. ***** [5] Like ***** [5] Strongly like. **************** [16] (I don't know what miso soup is.) **** [4]
Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"Why is it that the corona is hotter than the surface of the sun itself?" (Short answer: no one really knows. Longer answer: the corona is very sparse compared to the sun itself, and it is thought that the sun's powerful magnetic fields and solar flares transfer a lot of energy to the few particles out in the surrounding corona, energizing them to make each of those particles very hot.)
"How were the layers of the sun determined if the sun is so hot? How was this data recorded?" (The sun jiggles like jello, and these vibrations show up on the surface. These vibrations can be analyzed to deduce what is going on inside of the sun; much like how earthquakes on the surface of Earth can be used to deduce what is going on inside of it.)
"Even with all these chapters on the sun and its activities, I've always found the sun to be extremely amazing. It's the most powerful & long-lasting energy source in our solar system (that I know of). This might be too sci-fi but I've imagined that if someday in the distant future we could truly harness that energy could we have an all powerful energy source?" (Well, we can harness the energy of the sun right now, using solar panels. However, there is serious research being done on fusing hydrogen here on Earth, like the core of the sun does, and the hope is that it would be much more efficient at harnessing the energy released from controlled fusion reactions in magnetic chambers than in harnessing the energy released from the fusion reactions in the sun.)
"Is physics or chemistry used more in the study of astronomy?" (Physics, in my opinion, especially when discussing how stars work.)
"In your presentation it states that electrons can jump from one orbit to another but not remain 'in-between,' why not?" (The "permitted orbits only" rule for electrons is somewhat like notes on different guitar strings. Each string (when plucked) only makes a certain tone. In this (admittedly very crude) analogy the electron exists as an "excitation" (pluck) on an orbit (string).)
"What type of atom has the most orbits, or do all atoms have the same amount of orbits?" (All atoms have an infinite amount of orbits (although only the innermost ones are important). However, different atoms have different orbit spacings, and so there will be different ways to jump down (or up), and so different atoms will emit (or absorb) different colored photons. This is why different atoms in "gas discharge tubes" (such as neon) will emit different colors; and also why different atoms will absorb only certain colors, which is how we can deduce what types of atoms are in a sample. More on this topic after the midterm!)
How does the orbit of an electron depend on the amount of energy it has? Aren't things either negatively charged and positively charged? How does whatever energy that's there tie it to the atom? Is that what electromagnetic force is? How do we know there's a limit? Literally every part makes new questions that makes me just confused." (Since the electron and proton are oppositely charged, the electron is always attracted to the proton--that's why it orbits the proton. However, if you try to pull them apart (and remember, they want to be close together) that will require energy; and if you let them "go," the the electron will move closer to the proton, as long as it releases energy. So the outer orbits for the electron are higher energy, and the lower orbits are lower energy. If you think about the orbits as rungs on an "energy ladder," then climbing higher up the ladder requires energy, while falling down the ladder releases energy.)
"What's the hottest star?" (Blue hypergiants, like Eta Carinae. We'll discuss how star colors relate to temperatures later this semester.)
"Do you take all of the photos in your presentations yourself? I love them, and they illustrate your points and descriptions wonderfully." (Only some of the photos, the rest are creative-commons or fair-use, with links to the originals if you want to see more from those photographers and artists.)
"Can we go over the exam and important topics for quizzes/exams in class?" (We will do exactly that for the upcoming midterm.)
"Where can I look to see what grade I have in the class?" (All of the points for this class will be added up after each midterm, so you can see your cumulative grade standing.)
I used to love miso soup but then I found out it has fish stock in it sometimes and I am vegan. But my favorite food in general is soups especially udon, ramen, and phở. Phở is my favorite food ever." (Just be aware that all those soups could be made with fish or meat stock.)
"Who do you think will take the Iron Throne in the season finale of Game of Thrones?" (No one. Everyone dies. #valarmoghulis)
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