HL Physics 2014 Astro Review

Astrophysics Option E
Resources
For a copy of the syllabus so you have an outline of the unit:
http://ibchem.com/root_pdf/IBPhysics2009.pdf
I know teachers shouldnt be recommending anything on an open source site, but we all
use it (and you gotta love the concept intellectual freedom):
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/IB_Physics

Part A: The HST and Dark Energy

The scientists at CERN (and our Atomic and Quantum Physics unit) deals with the very
very very small. This unit on Astrophysics deals with the very very very very BIG!
Just to wet your inquisitive juices you must first go to the homepage for the Hubble
Space Telescope:
http://hubblesite.org/
Check out the Gallery and grab a new wallpaper for your desktop. Then make yourself
comfortable, nuke some popcorn and watch some video clips on the Movie Theatre
Find out about the mysterious force that forces galaxies apart, stretches space-time and
could tear apart the universe Dark Energy.
Answer the following questions:
What is it? How does it explain the completely unpredicted observation that the
expansion of the universe is speeding up? How do we know the expansion is
accelerating? Check out Discoveries and summarize how the HUBBLE SPACE
TELESCOPE confirmed the observation and put the disbelief to rest.
Finally, why is the HST a time machine.

Part B: Astrophysics Unit Summary

The following assignment is meant to be a guide for you to summarize the qualitative and
softer parts of this unit. Feel free to use your Hamper text (it isnt too bad in this
section) or any other resources where appropriate. The following web links are taken
from the European Space Agency and they very closely parallel the IB.
Please do not just download the Teachers Notes which (surprise!) you will find on the
right of each page. That would be no way to learn. There is more information than you
need, and the only way for you to learn is to produce your own unit summary.
When we return in September, I will assume that by the second week you know this
material (you will be tested that week) and you will be required to hand-in your summary
for evaluation. I do not expect you to give me something that is a cut and pasted then
rearranged-so-he-wont-notice that I really did not learn anything! These syllabus topics
will not be taught in class so it is your responsibility to learn them.
Assignment details: Using the IB Physics Syllabus and the following links revise the
content and produce a summary for the Astro unit summer review test (week of Sept
8th)
For: E1 Introduction to the universe
Go to: http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?
fobjectid=35696&fbodylongid=1681
The solar system and beyond
E1.1
E1.2
E1.3
E1.5

Solar System, Sun; Planets and Moon; Solar System

Asteroids and Comets
Bodies of the Universe
Stellar Clusters and Constellations
Relative distance to objects Light year
Stellar Motion, Annual parallax
Diurnal effect view over 24 h
Annual effect view over 1 year

For: E3 Stellar distances

Go to: http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=35616
Parallax Method
E3.1
E3.2

Introduction
The parsec
Stellar parallax
Distance using parallax

Absolute and apparent magnitude

E3.5, 3.6 Apparent and absolute magnitude

Spectroscopic parallax
E3.9/10 Luminosity from Stellar Spectra

For: E4 Cosmology
Go to: http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=35775\
Oblers paradox
E4.1,4.2 Newton and Oblers Paradox

The Big Bang model

E4.4
E4.6

Big Bang
Cosmic Background Radiation

The development of the universe

E4.8
Open, Flat or Closed?
E4.9, 4.10 Critical Density
E4.11 Dark Matter
E4.13, 4.14 See earlier ATLAS and HST link or go to CERN webpage
http://public.web.cern.ch/public/

For: E6 Galaxies and the expanding universe

Go to: http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?
fobjectid=36827&fbodylongid=1727
Galactic motion
E6.1

Structure of the Milky Way

Types of Galaxies
Local Group
Distant Galactic Clusters

Want more info?Use the concept map on Hyperphysics and go to Astrophysics

(and while you are at it why not use the site to review some of our earlier material)
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html