Instructor:
Prof. JAMES NEFF,
144 SCIC, 953-5325, neffj@cofc.edu
office hours: 4:30-5:30 Tuesdays and Thursdays; 3:30-4:30 Wednesdays
Goals and Objectives: This course is intended as a senior-level "capstone" course that ties together all of the material that you have learned in the individual upper-level physics courses. We will see how basic physics is applied in a current and exciting (astrophysical) context. This course is also a "bridge" between undergraduate, fundamental development courses and graduate, topically oriented courses. We will address the properties of fluids, gasses, and plasmas. We will develop an understanding of atomic and nuclear reactions and nucleosynthesis. Most importantly, we will address the properties of electromagnetic radiation, in particular the interaction of radiation and matter.
Text and Required Materials: There are no comprehensive textbooks covering the broad range of material that is included in this course. In order to derive a complete understanding, it will be necessary to refer to several classic texts (typically written for graduate courses). I will find a way to place these "on reserve", either electronically at the CofC Library or internal to the department. Among these books, the one we will use most is Radiative Processes in Astrophysics by George Rybicki and Alan Lightman (1985). You will need this book if you are planning to study astrophysics in graduate school, so I highly recommend that you purchase a copy now.
Schedule: The course will consist of lecture/discussion during the regular class period and frequent homework. Students will be expected to come to class prepared, with their homework completed, and ready to participate in the discussion. Each student will present a (30-45 minute) "mini-lecture" on a topic chosen in advance by the instructor.
Grading: This course is still somewhat in the development phase. It is my intention to structure the course so that the following weights apply in determining your final grade:
2 Mid-Term exams ... 40% Final exam... 20% Homework... 25% Presentation & Participation 15%