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Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 1 A100H–Exploring the Universe: Introduction Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy [email protected] January 22, 2019

Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy [email protected]/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

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Page 1: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 1

A100H–Exploring the Universe: Introduction

Martin D. Weinberg

UMass Astronomy

[email protected]

January 22, 2019

Page 2: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Plan

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 2

1. What is this course about?

2. Organization and requirements

3. A bit about BIG numbers

Page 3: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Overview

⊲ Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 3

What is Astronomy?

⊲ Story of our understanding of the Universe

⊲ By the end of the course, we will have traveled through the solar system,

the Galaxy, clusters of galaxies to the beginning of the Universe.

Page 4: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Overview

⊲ Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 3

What is Astronomy?

⊲ Story of our understanding of the Universe

⊲ By the end of the course, we will have traveled through the solar system,

the Galaxy, clusters of galaxies to the beginning of the Universe.

Objectives

⊲ Organization of the Universe

⊲ Principal components that create this organization

⊲ Scientific method: how we try overcome human perceptual limitations to

figure this out

Page 5: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Earth in the Universe

Overview

⊲ Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 4

Page 6: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Earth in the Universe

Overview

⊲ Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 4

104 km

Page 7: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Earth in the Universe

Overview

⊲ Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 4

104 km

1010 km

Page 8: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Earth in the Universe

Overview

⊲ Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 4

104 km

1010 km

1018 km

Page 9: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Earth in the Universe

Overview

⊲ Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 4

104 km

1010 km

1018 km

3× 1019 km

Page 10: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Earth in the Universe

Overview

⊲ Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 4

104 km

1010 km

1018 km

3× 1019 km

1021 km

Page 11: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scale of the Universe

Overview

Earth in context

⊲ Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 5

Sun = basketball

Earth = marble at a few hundred feet

Nearest star = about 10000 miles away (Tokyo)

Center of the Milky Way = 10000 times the nearest star or 100,000,000 miles

away

Nearest Galaxy = 1000 times distance to center of Milky Way

100,000,000,000 miles away

Page 12: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Human Biases

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

⊲ Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 6

Human biases

Cosmic length scales—very large compared to human size

Cosmic time scales—very long compared to human lifetime

Cosmic events at many wavelengths—humans have limited sensitivity to the

electromagnetic spectrum

Page 13: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Looking into the past

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

⊲ Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 7

What was the Universe like in the past?

Destination Light travel time

Moon 1 second

Sun 8 minutes

Sirius 8 years

Andromeda Galaxy 2.5 million years

Page 14: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Looking into the past

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

⊲ Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 7

What was the Universe like in the past?

Destination Light travel time

Moon 1 second

Sun 8 minutes

Sirius 8 years

Andromeda Galaxy 2.5 million years

Observing at large distances is looking back in time!!

Page 15: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Looking into the past

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

⊲ Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 7

What was the Universe like in the past?

Destination Light travel time

Moon 1 second

Sun 8 minutes

Sirius 8 years

Andromeda Galaxy 2.5 million years

This is known as the “Space-time continuum”

Page 16: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Light-Year

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

⊲ The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 8

The distance light can travel in one year

About 10 trillion km (6 trillion miles)

At great distances we see objects as they were when the Universe was much

younger

Page 17: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Light-Year

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

⊲ The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 8

The distance light can travel in one year

About 10 trillion km (6 trillion miles)

At great distances we see objects as they were when the Universe was much

younger

Page 18: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Light-Year

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

⊲ The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 8

The distance light can travel in one year

About 10 trillion km (6 trillion miles)

At great distances we see objects as they were when the Universe was much

younger

Question: can we see the entire Universe?

Page 19: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Course

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

⊲ The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 9

Three encompassing topics

⊲ Motions, Light and Gravity

⊲ Stars

⊲ Galaxies & Cosmology

Page 20: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Course

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

⊲ The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 9

Three encompassing topics

⊲ Motions, Light and Gravity

⊲ Stars

⊲ Galaxies & Cosmology

Textbook: The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology, 8e, by

Bennett et al.

Page 21: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Course

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

⊲ The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 9

Three encompassing topics

⊲ Motions, Light and Gravity

⊲ Stars

⊲ Galaxies & Cosmology

Textbook: The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology, 8e, by

Bennett et al.

Attendance is optional, but you are responsible for topics covered in class

whether you attend or not.

Page 22: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Course

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

⊲ The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 9

Three encompassing topics

⊲ Motions, Light and Gravity

⊲ Stars

⊲ Galaxies & Cosmology

Textbook: The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology, 8e, by

Bennett et al.

Attendance is optional, but you are responsible for topics covered in class

whether you attend or not.

My role is to help you understand. Please ask questions!!

Page 23: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

The Course

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

⊲ The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Lec 01 01/22/19 – slide 9

Three encompassing topics

⊲ Motions, Light and Gravity

⊲ Stars

⊲ Galaxies & Cosmology

Textbook: The Cosmic Perspective: Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology, 8e, by

Bennett et al.

Attendance is optional, but you are responsible for topics covered in class

whether you attend or not.

My role is to help you understand. Please ask questions!!

Web site:

http://courses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw

Page 24: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Requirements

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

⊲ Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 10

Reading: Assignments in the text for each class will be given in preceding

class and are required. The relevant chapters are also listed in the Syllabus by

subject.

⊲ You should expect to spend about 3 hours out of class for every one hour

of class time.

⊲ Effort = Final Grade

Page 25: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Requirements

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

⊲ Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 11

Exams: One midterm and a final exam. The exams will be multiple choice

and short answer. 60% of total grade.

The exam dates are in the syllabus. They will only change if the University is

closed (e.g. snow day). In that case, the exam will be held at the next class

meeting.

Format: combination of multiple choice and short answer questions.

Makeup exam policy: Following the University guidelines, makeup exams

will be given only for documented medical or family emergencies or by prior

arrangement.

Page 26: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Policies

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

⊲ Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 12

Homework: There will be (roughly) weekly homework assignments worth

30% of the total lecture score.

We will using www.masteringastronomy.com, an online assignment system.

Page 27: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Policies

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

⊲ Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 12

Homework: There will be (roughly) weekly homework assignments worth

30% of the total lecture score.

We will using www.masteringastronomy.com, an online assignment system.

Special-topic reports: Choose three topics of interest to you (approx. 1000

words). Due by end of February (1), end of March (2) and end of April (3).

Worth 10% of the total score.

See web site for suggested list of topics. Confirm others with me.

Page 28: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Policies

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

⊲ Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 13

Extra credit: At the end of each class, you may pass in a sheet of paper with

your name, UMass ID and★

1. Brief description of an idea or topic from the day that you

found particular interesting

2. Your top question from the day’s class

⊲ Over the entire semester, this is worth up to 5% to your final score.

⊲ Some of the homework assignments will have additional questions that

count for extra credit.

⊲ There are no other forms of extra credit.

Page 29: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Grades

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

⊲ Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 14

Grades will be assigned on a modified straight scale. Scores will be adjusted

upward if the exam is too hard.

92.5% A

90% A-

87.5% B+

82.5% B

80% B-

77.5% C+

72.5% C

70% C

67.5% D+

60% D

3 exams 60%

Online homework 30%

In-class feedback 5%

Topical reports 10%

Academic Honesty is expected of all scientists, and also of all students of

science.

Page 30: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

MasteringAstronomy

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

⊲ MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 15

Interactive, online homework and study system (see your handout)

You must register for MasteringAstronomy access on line for $59.95

MasteringAstronomy comes with the e-Text at no additional cost

There are also Mastering apps for iPad and Android so you can read on

tablets or phones

Page 31: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

MasteringAstronomy

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

⊲ MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 15

Interactive, online homework and study system (see your handout)

You must register for MasteringAstronomy access on line for $59.95

MasteringAstronomy comes with the e-Text at no additional cost

There are also Mastering apps for iPad and Android so you can read on

tablets or phones

If you want a paper book:

⊲ Used books are perfectly OK, older editions are fine

⊲ You can buy an “upgrade” to a paper book when you register for

Mastering for another $35 (approx)

Page 32: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

MasteringAstronomy

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

⊲ MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 15

Page 33: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

MasteringAstronomy: grading

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

⊲ MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 16

The assignments untimed. You may stop in the middle, go back later, etc.

The system offers you hints, if you want them. Not using hints is worth 2%

bonus credit.

If you give an incorrect response, in many cases, you will get some extra help

from the system and you can try again. However, every time you answer

incorrectly, you lose 20% of the available credit for that problem.

There is no penalty for incorrect answers inside of Hints

Assignments submitted before the due date, of course, get full credit. For

every day an assignment is late, you lose 3.5%. So after approximately two

weeks, you will have lost 50%.

Assignments that are more than two weeks late receive at most 1/2 credit.

Page 34: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

MasteringAstronomy: assignments

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

⊲ MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 17

Practice assignment available (DO THIS FIRST)

⊲ Check your computer/browser/plugin installation by testing all aspects

of MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Get used to MasteringAstronomy style

First real assignment available

⊲ Physical scales

⊲ Due next Tue

Page 35: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 18

104 km

1010 km

1018 km

3× 1019 km

1021 km

Page 36: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 19

The numbers encountered in this class are astronomical:

The nearest star is 41,000,000,000,000 kilometers away

The mass of the sun is 2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000

grams

Scientists have devised a more compact notation for dealing with such numbers

called scientific notation.

Page 37: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 20

41,000,000,000,000 kilometers

2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 grams

There are really only two important parts to each of the numbers:

1. The leading digits – which establish the precision of the number itself

2. The number of digits – which sets the size or magnitude of the number

In Scientific notation:

4.1×1013 and 2.0×1033

Page 38: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 21

The “×” is, as it appears, a multiplication:

102 = 10 × 10 = 100

103 = 10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000

104 = 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 10,000

105 = 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 100,000

106 = 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000,000

so 4.5×104 = 4.5 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 45,000.

Page 39: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 22

Counting zeros and moving the decimal place is a convenient way of carrying out

the multiplication by powers of ten

Example:

Want: 103 × 105

103 × 105 = 10× 10× 10 × 10× 10× 10× 10× 10 = 108

The result of that long string of multiplication is that we add the exponents of the

10’s: 3 + 5 = 8

Page 40: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 23

Addition a bit more tricky:

103 + 105 = 10× 10× 10 + 10× 10× 10× 10× 10 = 1.01× 105

Page 41: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 23

Addition a bit more tricky:

103 + 105 = 10× 10× 10 + 10× 10× 10× 10× 10 = 1.01× 105

or

1, 000 + 100, 000 = 101, 000 = 1.01× 105

Page 42: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Scientific Notation

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

⊲ Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 23

Addition a bit more tricky:

103 + 105 = 10× 10× 10 + 10× 10× 10× 10× 10 = 1.01× 105

or

1, 000 + 100, 000 = 101, 000 = 1.01× 105

or

0.01× 105 + 1.0× 105 = 1.01× 105

Rule: add the prefix (mantissa) when power of ten (exponent) for the addends is

the same

Page 43: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Light-year in km

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

⊲ Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 24

1 light-year = (speed of light)× (1 year)

= 300, 000km

s× 1 year

= 300, 000km

s× 1 year ×

365days

1 year×

24hr

1day×

60min

1hour×

60 s

1min

Page 44: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Light-year in km

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

⊲ Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 24

1 light-year = (speed of light)× (1 year)

= 300, 000km

s× 1 year

= 300, 000km

✁s× 1✘✘✘year ×

365✟✟✟days

1✘✘✘year×

24✚✚hr

1✚✚day

×

60✟✟✟min

1✘✘✘hour×

60 ✁s

1✟✟✟min

Page 45: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Light-year in km

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

⊲ Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 24

1 light-year = (speed of light)× (1 year)

= 300, 000km

s× 1 year

= 300, 000km

✁s× 1✘✘✘year ×

365✟✟✟days

1✘✘✘year×

24✚✚hr

1✚✚day

×

60✟✟✟min

1✘✘✘hour×

60 ✁s

1✟✟✟min= 9, 460, 000, 000, 000 km

Page 46: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Light-year in km

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

⊲ Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 24

1 light-year = (speed of light)× (1 year)

= 300, 000km

s× 1 year

= 300, 000km

✁s× 1✘✘✘year ×

365✟✟✟days

1✘✘✘year×

24✚✚hr

1✚✚day

×

60✟✟✟min

1✘✘✘hour×

60 ✁s

1✟✟✟min= 9, 460, 000, 000, 000 km

= 9.46× 1012 km

Page 47: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Light-year in km

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

⊲ Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 24

1 light-year = (speed of light)× (1 year)

= 300, 000km

s× 1 year

= 300, 000km

✁s× 1✘✘✘year ×

365✟✟✟days

1✘✘✘year×

24✚✚hr

1✚✚day

×

60✟✟✟min

1✘✘✘hour×

60 ✁s

1✟✟✟min= 9, 460, 000, 000, 000 km

= 9.46× 1012 km

≈ 1013 km

Page 48: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Metric Prefixes

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

⊲ Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 25

10−15 femto-

10−12 pico-

10−9 nano-

10−6 micro-

10−3 milli-

10−2 centi-

10−1 deci-

10 deka-

102 hecto-

103 kilo-

106 mega-

109 giga-

1012 tera-

1015 peta-

Page 49: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

⊲ Measuring distance

Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 26

Distance in meters (m)

Page 50: Martin D. Weinberg UMass Astronomy astron100h-mdw@umasscourses.umass.edu/astron100h-mdw/lectures/lec01.pdf · MasteringAstronomy Scientific Notation Light-year in km Metric Prefixes

Energy Output

Overview

Earth in context

Scale of the Universe

Human Biases

Back in time

The Light-Year

The Course

Requirements

Policies

Grades

MasteringAstronomy

Scientific Notation

Light-year in km

Metric Prefixes

Measuring distance

⊲ Energy Output

Read: Chap 1 01/22/19 – slide 27

Energy Source Total Energy (J)

Big Bang 1068

Radio galaxy 1055

Supernova 1046

Sunlight (1 y) 1034

Volcanic explosion 1019

H-bomb 1017

Thunderstorm 1015

Lightning flash 1010

Baseball pitch 102

Typing (per key) 10−2

Flea hop 10−7