PHYS 202A LAB COURSE SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR

Name TBA and E-mail: TBA

OFFICE HOURS

Hours and Location: TBA

TEXTBOOK

Astronomy Laboratory Manual (Physics 202A), sold by NJIT bookstore. The manual is also used as a lab report.

DESCRIPTION

PHYS 202A is a laboratory course associated with Introductory Astronomy and Cosmology course (PHYS 202). 

HELP

• Visit or email your instructor if you are having trouble with the lab course.
• If you need an accommodation due to a disability, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services at OARS@NJIT.EDU, or visit the office in Kupfrian Hall 201 to discuss your specific needs.

GENERAL

INFORMATION

• There is no exam in the lab course.
• No make-up for missing labs is allowed.
• No eating or drinking in the laboratory room.
• Experiments are a group effort.
• Laboratory reports should be individual ones submitted by each student.
• Lab computer login method: Username: your UCID and Password: your UCID password
• NJIT physics lab website: https://research.njit.edu/introphysics/

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face:
  Delivery of instruction is structured around in-person classroom meeting times. Instruction is delivered in person, and students are expected to attend class.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Students will master basic physics concepts by performing an experiment relevant to corresponding course work.
• Students will gain hands-on experiences with experimental processes.
• Students should develop collaborative learning skills by working in a group.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Students will demonstrate basic experimental skills by practicing setting up and conducting an experiment. 
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the analytical methods required to interpret and analyze results and draw conclusions as supported by their data.
• Students will demonstrate basic communication skills by working in groups on laboratory experiments and the thoughtful discussion and interpretation of data.

ATTENDANCE

• Attendance policy is very strict. It is a student’s responsibility to confirm his/her attendance with the Lab instructor. 
• It is required for students to attend all lab experiments since grading is based on attendance, participation, and lab report.
• It is required for a student to sign the attendance sheet in every lab class. If a student fails to sign it, it is treated as being absent.
• Attendance will be checked in the beginning and middle of each class by your instructor.
• If a student does not appeal and resolve his/her attendance within 7 days, no further complaint will be accepted. 
• If a student makes more than 3 unexcused absences, the student is very likely to fail the lab course.
• If a student has excusable absences, the student should contact the Office of the Dean of Students to email an official excuse to his/her lab instructor.
• Students can check their Attendance and Participation grade by appointment with the TA
• There might be a camera recording by a lab instructor for attendance and participation (It is required for the students to sign a waiver acknowledging that they are being recorded).

GENERAL GRADING POLICY

1. The grading guidelines are as follows:

Attendance (20%); Participation (20%); Laboratory Report (60%)

2. Attendance Points: Attendance for each lab session is 1 point
3. Lateness penalties: Late by 10-20 minutes (-0.2 points); Late by 20-30 minutes (-0.5 points); Late by more than 30 minutes (marked as absence).
4. Participation Points: Active (2 points), Average (1 point), Not participate (0).
5. A grade of zero (0) will be given for any missed experiment with no excuse.
6. Submission of the lab report is due the following week class begins – penalty for lateness is 10 % per day.

GRADING SCALE

90 - 100 % = A, 85 – 89 % = B+, 80 – 84 % = B, 75 – 79 % = C+, 65 – 74 % = C, 50 – 64 % = D, 0 – 49 % = F

Week

Period

Experiment

1*

9/1(T) - 9/8 (T)

Introduction

2

9/9(W) - 9/15(T)

The Celestial Sphere: Horizon Coordinate System

3

9/16(W) - 9/22(T)

The Celestial Sphere: The Ecliptic

4

9/23(W) - 9/29(T)

The Celestial Sphere: Equatorial Coordinate System & Sidereal Time

5**

9/30(W) - 10/6(T)

Motion of Mercury: Drawing the Orbit 

6

10/7(W) - 10/13(T)

Orbit of Mercury: Kepler’s Laws

7

10/14(W) - 10/20(T)

The Moon

8

10/21(W) - 10/27(T)

Planetary Configuration

9

10/28(W) - 11/3(T)

The Synodic Period of the Sun

10***

11/4(W) - 11/10(T)

Spectroscopy

11

11/11(W) - 11/17(T)

Reflection and Refraction

12

11/18(W) - 11/24(T)

Thin Lenses and Astronomical Telescope

13****

11/25(W) - 12/3(R)

The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram 

14*****

12/4(F) - 12/11(F)

The Hubble Classification of Galaxies and Cosmology

*

9/7 (Monday) Labor Day. University Closed

*

9/8 (Tuesday) Conversion Day - Monday Classes Meet

**

10/2 (Friday) Wellness Day. No Classes. Labs are skipped and will be made up on 12/11 (Friday)

***

11/10 (Tuesday) Last Day to Withdraw from Classes

****

11/25 (Wednesday) Conversion Day - Friday Classes Meet

****

11/27 (Thursday) and 11/28 (Friday) Thanksgiving Recess. No classes 

*****

12/11 (Friday) Friday Classes Meet - Make up for Wellness Day: Lab experiment in Week 5 (which was skipped on Wellness Day) will be performed.

12/24 (R) Final Grades Due