Welcome to NATS-206 The Golden Age of Planetary

Welcome to NATS-206 The Golden Age of Planetary Exploration Section 1 All humans by nature desire to know. -Aristotle

Instructors Instructor: Roger Yelle Email: rogeryelle@gmail. com Phone: 621 -6243 Office: Space Sciences, Room 525 Office Hours: 11: 00 -12: 00 Tuesday and Thursday or by appointment Teaching Assistant: Jess Vriesema Email: jess. vriesena@gmail. com Phone: 626 -9846 Office: Space Sciences, Room 429 F Office Hours: TBD Web Site http: //www. lpl. arizona. edu/undergrad/classes/spring 2006/Yelle_206 -2/

No Textbook Available books cost too much. All of them are so well done and at a level such that you don’t need me to help you read them. Buy one if you want and enjoy. We will occasionally pass out reading material in class. This is an experiment.

NATS 206 -1 on the Web Lectures, homework assignments, homework solutions, other assignments, announcements, and other items or interest will be posted on the class web site: TBD Check the web site frequently for announcements.

Subject Matter This course provides an overview of our understanding of the structure our Solar System and how its properties are the results of basic physical processes. We will also study how the solar system is related to stars, galaxies and other planetary systems and how the properties of the solar system affect life here on the surface of the Earth. We will describe in detail how humans have explored the solar system.

Subject Matter, cont. The study of our solar system is presented in the context of the planetary exploration, i. e. the space program, the greatest adventure and primary achievement of our age. The University of Arizona has been one of the primary centers for planetary exploration since the beginning of the space age. We have lots of unique resources for this course.

Success in NATS-206 (from the Instructors point of view) The successful student will 1) understand the nature and application of science, 2) be able to apply ideas and processes outside the classroom, 3) recognize the complexity of many scientific issues, 4) speak and write about scientific knowledge, 5) read and understand scientific literature from popular sources such as magazines and newspapers, and 6) perform appropriate mathematical calculations. Fundamentals such as appreciating the relative scale of objects, rates of change, the use of graphs, making quantitative deductions from data, etc. , are an integral part of the course.

Less Formally, … Learn some basic facts about the Universe in which you live. Achieve an understanding how scientific knowledge is obtained. Learn some basic physical principles that connect phenomena in our Universe. n What do falling apples have to do with planetary motion? See the application of these principles to real life situations. n n n Is the ozone layer disappearing? Is the Earth getting warmer? What’s the probability of being killed by an asteroid?

Grades Exams, 10% each for a total of Writing Assignment Homework Class Participation Total 30% 30% 100%

Exams There are 2 exams during the semester and a final, for a total of 3. The final is similar to the inclass exams and carries the same weight. Exams are a combination of multiple choice questions, simple problems, and short essay questions. Exams are cumulative but the emphasis is on recent material. Make-up exams will be given only if you have an extremely good reason and, if possible, you inform the instructor before the exam is given.

Writing Assignments A writing assignments is required. This is a 3 -5 page essay on any topic related to solar system exploration. The writing assignments will be graded on the basis of content and presentation.

Writing Assignment, cont. We will work on the writing assignment all semester. First, you pass in the title of your proposed topic along with a 1 or 2 sentence description. We will check to make sure the topic is appropriate (most are). Second, you pass in a first draft. This is not a “rough” draft, but a serious attempt at a report. We will read this and provide comments. Third, you revise the first draft and pass in a final draft. See the schedule of lectures for due dates.

Homework The Lecture Schedule lists the chapters of the book to be read before the lecture. Written homework will be assigned about every week, but not during exam weeks. The lowest homework grade will be dropped. It is very important to do the homework.

Keep it Brief! Good writing is concise writing. Avoid rambling, excessively wordy description, and repetition. In extreme cases, it will hurt your grade. Have some consideration for your instructors; we have to read this stuff. This applies to the writing assignment, homework, and exam questions.

Class Participation Class participation is encouraged and will help your grade. The instructors will keep track of students that attempt to answer questions and ask useful questions themselves. It’s no fun lecturing to a group of turnips. Look alive!

Keeping Score Every student will be assigned an identifier for class. Keep track of this: it’s the only way you will know what your score is. IDs will be handed out at the end of class today. We will attempt to keep current list of grades and the class average on the web site with grades listed according to your ID. (It’s illegal to list grades according to names).

What You Should Know You should be able to carry out simple mathematical calculations including fractions, raising quantities to a power, square roots, and use of scientific notation. You must have a calculator and know how to use it. Bring your calculator to the lectures. We will review these tools but if you are very unfamiliar with them you will likely have trouble in the course. You will not be asked to solve complex algebraic equations.

Writing Skills Literacy means not just recognizing words, but knowing how to write grammatically correct sentences, how to organize sentences into paragraphs, and how to present a logical and convincing argument. High quality is required in everything that you write. In particular, plan to spend significant time on your writing assignments. This may require you to review some of the basic rules of English composition. Papers are graded on the quality of the writing as well as content.

How to do Well Work hard and take this seriously, it’s important. Come to class! Do the homework several days before it is due. Get help if you don’t understand something. Study and review material regularly throughout the course, not on the nights before the exams. Ask the TA or Instructor if you have difficulty with a concept. That’s what we are here for. We actually like talking to students.

Communicating with Instructors Routine questions are best handled over email. You must include PTYS 206 -1 in the subject line or your email will not be processed. Email is usually better than a phone call. Questions about concepts, homework, etc. are best handled in person. Come to office hours! Don’t plan on talking to the instructors before class. Usually, we are preoccupied. It’s logistically impossible to talk to students after class (we need to clear the room, you have to get to your next class, …). Come to office hours!

Academic Integrity: Exams Anyone caught cheating on exams will fail the course and be reported to the administration. Several precautions will be taken to prevent cheating on exams. If you attempt to cheat it will be difficult to do and you will likely be caught.

Academic Integrity: Plagiarism An electronic copy of the writing assignment is required and will be submitted to an electronic web service that performs a plagiarism search. Plagiarized writing assignments will receive a grade of E. This represents 30% of your course grade. Do the math. Plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the course or notification of the University administration with a recommendation for expulsion. It is very easy to catch plagiarism. I fail several students for this reason each time that I teach an intro course.

Academic Integrity: Homework Students must do their own homework and all work handed in should be composed by them. Students are encouraged to discuss homework assignments with their classmates, but to complete the final work on their own. Copying someone else’s homework will teach you nothing and if you engage in this activity you are likely to do poorly on the exams.

For Next Class, “What is Science and What is Not Science? ” Think about it. Make sure that you can find the web site. Read the syllabus. Start thinking about writing assignment topics. Come and get your class IDs.