P-dog's blog: boring but important

20130507

Astronomy current events question: Einstein's general theory of relativity and PSR J0348+4032 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!)

Dave Finley, "Einstein's Gravity Theory Passes Toughest Test Yet," April 25, 2013
http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2013/gravitylab/

Researchers confirmed that changes in __________ from the white dwarf and neutron star pulsar in the binary star system PSR J0348+4032 are consistent with Einstein's general theory of relativity.
(A) hot spots.
(B) absorption line widths.
(C) radioactivity.
(D) brightnesses.
(E) radio pulse timing.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 8 students
(C) : 8 students
(D) : 7 students
(E) : 25 students

20130501

Overheard: selective with the truth

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

(Overheard during a review session, just before a midterm.)

Student: (Pointing to notes.) "P-dog--is this the right answer?"

Instructor: (Beat.) "Yes, I think so."

Student: "Really? Are you lying to us?"

Instructor: "Why would I lie to you? I would never lie to you."

Student: "That sounds like a lie. How do we know you're not lying to us?"

Instructor: (Beat.) "I may be selective with the truth, but I would never lie to you."

Physics quiz archive: magnetism, induction

Physics 205B Quiz 6, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Section 30882, version 1
Exam code: quiz06h4cK

Section 30882 results

0- 6 :
7-12 :	*** [low = 12]
13-18 :	*********
19-24 :	************* [mean = 20.8 +/- 5.4]
25-30 :	******* [high = 30]

20130430

Astronomy current events question: Kepler-69e and Kepler 69f

Michele Johnson and J. D. Harrington, "NASA's Kepler Discovers Its Smallest 'Habitable Zone' Planets to Date," April 18, 2013
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/news/kepler-62-kepler-69.html

NASA's Kepler space telescope discovered three super-Earth planets which may have oceans, as determined by their:
(A) lack of microwave emissions.
(B) reflectivity.
(C) distances from their stars.
(D) colors.
(E) infrared absorption.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 7 students
(C) : 32 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 6 students

Astronomy current events question: Thirty Meter Telescope construction site

Tim Hornyak, "Eye in the sky," April 14, 2013
http://news.cnet.com/2300-17938_105-10016452.html

Hawaii's Board of Land and Natural Resources __________ for the Thirty Meter Telescope atop Mauna Kea.
(A) approved the construction site.
(B) requested a size reduction.
(C) issued a volcano eruption warning.
(D) is holding a naming competition.
(E) will have all city streetlights turned off after midnight.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 44 students
(B) : 0 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 0 students
(E) : 3 students

Astronomy current events question: dark matter detected?

Camille Carlisle, "Homing in on Dark Matter," April 16, 2013
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/Dark-Matter--203199671.html

The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) collaboration detected possible three dark matter events from sensors:
(A) at old atomic bomb test sites.
(B) on the dark side of the moon.
(C) in a deep underground mine.
(D) downrange from the Large Hadron Collider.
(E) in an Antarctic research station.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 6 students
(C) : 33 students
(D) : 5 students
(E) : 3 students

20130425

Astronomy quiz archive: Milky Way, cosmology

Astronomy 210 Quiz 6, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Section 30674, version 1
Exam code: quiz06Nu1N

Section 30674

0- 8.0 :
8.5-16.0 :
16.5-24.0 :	********* [low = 16.5]
24.5-32.0 :	******** [mean = 28.2 +/- 7.6]
32.5-40.0 :	*********** [high = 40.0]

Section 30676, version 1
Exam code: quiz06Sl6n

Section 30676

0- 8.0 :	* [low = 5.5]
8.5-16.0 :	********
16.5-24.0 :	*************** [mean = 21.1 +/- 5.9]
24.5-32.0 :	***************
32.5-40.0 :	* [high = 36.5]

20130422

Astronomy current events question: naming exoplanets?

Thierry Montmerle, Alain Lecavelier des Etangs, and Lars Lindberg Christensen, "Can One Buy the Right to Name a Planet?," April 12, 2013
http://www.iau.org/public_press/news/detail/iau1301/

The International Astronomical Union issued a public warning of an unauthorized organization collecting money to:
(A) repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
(B) broadcast messages to extraterrestrials.
(C) nominate and vote on exoplanet names.
(D) sponsor the International Space Station.
(E) name the asteroid NASA will bring to Earth orbit.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 45 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 1 student

Astronomy current events question: formation of Mars' early atmosphere?

Kevin Stacey, "Carbon's Role in Atmosphere Formation," April 8, 2013
http://news.brown.edu/pressreleases/2013/04/magma

Researchers investigated how magma in the moon and early Mars may have trapped and released atmospheric carbon by:
(A) analyzing sunlight reflected by the moon and Mars.
(B) using rovers on the moon and on Mars to drill into rocks.
(C) melting similar Earth rocks.
(D) creating lunar and Martian minerals from scratch.
(E) detecting fossil bacteria.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 7 students
(B) : 18 students
(C) : 19 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 5 students

Astronomy current events question: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS)

MIT Press Office, "NASA Selects MIT-Led TESS Project for 2017 Mission," April 5, 2013
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2013/nasa-selects-tess-for-mission-0405.html

NASA selected the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to launch in 2017 to detect exoplanets:
(A) while they form.
(B) as they orbit in front of their stars.
(C) being swallowed by dying stars.
(D) in neighboring galaxies.
(E) passing close to our solar system.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 27 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 10 students
(E) : 11 students