P-dog's blog: boring but important

20130419

Physics quiz archive: circuits (2)

Physics 205B Quiz 5, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Section 30882, version 1
Exam code: quiz05c4Rb

Section 30882 results

0- 6 :	* [low = 6]
7-12 :	***********
13-18 :	********** [mean = 15.8 +/- 5.5]
19-24 :	*********
25-30 :	* [high = 27]

20130417

Astronomy current events quiz: white dwarf and red dwarf binary system

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Whitney Clavin, "Gravity-Bending Find Leads to Kepler Meeting Einstein," April 4, 2013
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-124

NASA's Kepler space telescope detected a white dwarf in a binary star system with a red dwarf by observing __________ as they pass in front of and behind each other.
(A) solar flares.
(B) x-ray pulses.
(C) brightness changes.
(D) repeated nova explosions.
(E) magnetic field fluctuations.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 6 student
(C) : 24 student
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 18 students

Astronomy current events question: Io's volcano locations

Jia-Rui C. Cook, Nancy Neal-Jones, Bill Steigerwald, "Scientists to Io: Volcanoes are in the Wrong Spot," April 4, 2013
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-125

According to NASA and European Space Agency researchers, __________ on Jupiter's moon, Io, are displaced from positions expected from tidal heating.
(A) hydrocarbon lakes.
(B) polar ice caps.
(C) lightning storms.
(D) volcanoes.
(E) subduction zones.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 0 student
(D) : 49 students
(E) : 1 student

Astronomy current events question: hydrogen peroxide on Europa

Jia-Rui C. Cook, "Mapping the Chemistry Needed for Life at Europa," April 4, 2013
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-126

Analysis of near-infrared data from the Keck II telescope confirmed the presence of __________, a potential energy source for life on Jupiter's moon, Europa.
(A) hydrocarbons.
(B) adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
(C) hydrogen peroxide.
(D) radioactive nuclides.
(E) chlorophyll.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 5 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 43 student
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 1 student

20130414

Astronomy quiz archive: stellar evolution

Astronomy 210 Quiz 5, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30674, version 1
Exam code: quiz05n3wT

Section 30674

0- 8.0 :	* [low = 8.0]
8.5-16.0 :	***
16.5-24.0 :	******
24.5-32.0 :	********* [mean = 25.8 +/- 8.5]
32.5-40.0 :	******* [high = 40.0]

Section 30676, version 1
Exam code: quiz06s0uL

Section 30676

0- 8.0 :	* [low = 8.0]
8.5-16.0 :	******
16.5-24.0 :	********** [mean = 23.5 +/- 6.9]
24.5-32.0 :	****************
32.5-40.0 :	**** [high = 36.5]

Physics quiz archive: capacitors, circuits

Physics 205B Quiz 4, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Section 30882, version 1
Exam code: quiz04eQu7

Section 30882 results

0- 6 :	** [low = 6]
7-12 :	********
13-18 :	*************** [mean = 15.7 +/- 5.2]
19-24 :	*******
25-30 :	* [high = 27]

20130412

Overheard: Wite-Out™

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

(Overheard as students are working on their astronomy laboratory worksheets.)

Student: "P-dog--do you have any Wite-Out™?"

Instructor: (Making crossing-out motions.) "Can't you use 'black-out?'" (Looks around the instructor work station.) "Besides, I can't have any Wite-Out™ lying around the classroom--it's a controlled substance."

20130411

Astronomy current events question: Mars solar conjunction

Guy Webster, "Sun in the Way Will Affect Mars Missions in April," March 20, 2013
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-108

Early next month, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will suspend sending commands to spacecraft at Mars because:
(A) Mars is nearly behind the sun.
(B) of massive winter dust storms.
(C) daylight saving time starts on Mars.
(D) they are listening for possible extraterrestrial radio signals.
(E) of loss of government funding.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 50 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 0 students
(E) : 2 students

Astronomy current events question: twin GRAIL spacecraft crashes

Nancy Neal-Jones and Bill Steigerwald, "NASA's LRO Sees GRAIL's Explosive Farewell," March 19, 2013
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/news/grail-results.html

NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory spacecraft crashed into the moon's north pole regions in order to __________, as observed by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
(A) kick up dust and gas plumes.
(B) avoid disturbing the Apollo landing sites.
(C) create future moon base shelters.
(D) measure the moon's gravitational pull.
(E) release raw building blocks of life.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 38 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 11 students
(E) : 1 student

Astronomy current events question: "sideline" quasars

Michael Shull and Jim Scott, "'Sideline Quasars' Helped to Stifle Early Galaxy Formation, says CU Study," March 21, 2013
http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2013/03/21/%E2%80%98sideline-quasars%E2%80%99-helped-stifle-early-galaxy-formation-says-cu-study

University of Colorado researchers studied quasar light passing through gaseous material in space, and propose that quasars __________ in the early universe.
(A) slowed the rate of expansion.
(B) produced antimatter.
(C) created helium.
(D) destroyed black holes.
(E) prevented small galaxy formation.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 8 students
(B) : 0 students
(C) : 13 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 40 students