A chance to influence the new Astrophysics Option

[MitchCampbell]

I'm an IB Physics teacher who has been teaching for 10 years, and now I'm working with the IB to help them develop a new Astrophysics Option. Rather than just design it based on what I think you want, I thought I'd actually ask you for your opinion!

Here's your chance to have a say about the new syllabus! I am including student opinion to help decide which topics are kept in, which are taken out, and also which topics you'd like added. There are two things I'd very much appreciate your help with:

A) First, if you could redesign the astrophysics option, which topics would you find most interesting? Please just write down which of the topics from the list below you think are most interesting (they're in the current IB Astrophysics Option). If you could rank them in order (first is most interesting, last is least interesting, it would really help!)

Your answer could for example look like this: 2,5,3,6,9,.... (that would mean you think apparent motion of the stars is super interesting)

1. Basic structure of the solar system (planets, comets, asteroids)

2. Apparent motion of the stars (why stars appear to rotate around in a night, why the night sky will appear different many years from now)

3. What goes on inside stars (fusion, hydrostatic equilibrium)

4. How temperature and color of stars are related (blackbody radiation)

5. Types of stars (single and binary stars, Cepheids, Red Giants, White Dwarfs)

6. What happens inside a star as it evolves (supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron star, black hole)

7. How we find the distance to stars (parallax method, Cepheid variable method, using apparent brightness and luminosity, apparent and absolute magnitudes)

8. Olber’s Paradox (why isn’t the night sky bright?)

9. Big Bang Model (evidence like redshift and cosmic background radiation)

10. Evolution of the Universe (open, flat, closed universe, critical density)

11. Hubble’s law (how to tell the age of the universe, what the graph looks like)

12. Expansion of the Universe (formation of atoms)

B) Finally, are there any astrophysics topics that you would like to see added to a syllabus? For example, telescopes, dark matter, dark energy, exoplanets (planets around other stars), gamma ray bursts, the search for life on other planets, ..... What would YOU like to see?

Your opinions would be much appreciated! This would help me to design an astrophysics syllabus based on what you want to see.

Cheers,

Mitch

[Aura]

I've studied some astrophysics on my own before taking the IB, so here's my order based on what I'm mostly interested:

9, 6, 12, 10, 3, 8, 11, 4, 5, 7, 1, 2

I'd also LOVE to study more about cosmology, and of course, search for life out there in space (exobiology? =P )

I'm particularly thrilled at the way that cosmology connects with nuclear and particle physics, it's really mind-blowing.

But that's my opinion. Thanks for the opportunity =D

Edited August 27, 2011 by Aura

[Drake Glau]

I won't be able to actually do the option but I think a brief knowledge of black holes and the gamma ray bursts associated with them would be good since as far as I know it is now believed they are the reason for many galaxies' births. Quasars are cool too

I'm not sure about dark matter/dark energy since it's still rather unknown and the worst part about learning physics is getting into a topic and then told there is no more information to actually learn. It leaves people with plenty of room to think on though which I guess is what IB is meant to do...I'll reply with more here soon, I have to get off now :<

[MR.AHM]

I don't really like this Topic, but we had to do it... I would rather do Particle Physics, waves or relativity

But here what I think is most interesting:

12,10,9,6,8,7,11,3,4,2,1,5

[MR.AHM]

I'm particularly thrilled at the way that cosmology connects with nuclear and particle physics, it's really mind-blowing.

Me too, I like the chain rule the most, and I concluded that they started to think about protons are not fundamental particles and made of quarks where how could protons make a neutron as they both made of quarks and other particles

Reallly Interesting... That is the only part I liked

[MitchCampbell]

Thank you all for your comments! This is very helpful.

Cheers,

Mitch

[Peanut Butter Jelly]

This is starting for exams in what year? I have doubts this will influence May 2012 exams.

[TurtleR]

I havent taken physics, but I still have an interest in astrophysics.

1 3 2 6 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 7

And I would love to see exoplanets added to the list, as well as not only the search for life on other planets, but the search for other stuff such as water and oxygen, or anything unique.

[Drake Glau]

Hmmm stuff about space-time would be cool too. This might tie into relativity really closely and might be too far outside of astrophysics but I still think it could fit in there. Just learning about how the masses of the object bend the fabric and that might be the reason for gravity along with the higgs field idea.

12 10 9 6 3 7 5 11 would be my numbers. I tend to enjoy the more theoretical side of astrophysics...

[Anmol929]

1,4,5,9

Btw... I'm doing this option, and IB is new at our school, I'm actually in the first class.

Our teacher insists that the options are supposed to be self studied, so if anyone has any material that would help, would you please send it to me?

Thank you soo much!!

[Sabs44]

Hmmm stuff about space-time would be cool too. This might tie into relativity really closely and might be too far outside of astrophysics but I still think it could fit in there. Just learning about how the masses of the object bend the fabric and that might be the reason for gravity along with the higgs field idea.

12 10 9 6 3 7 5 11 would be my numbers. I tend to enjoy the more theoretical side of astrophysics...

Completely agree, the bending of space-time is one of the most interesting aspects we could get into! Also, black holes and everything associated with them would be cool!

9, 12, 10, 5, 6, 3, 8, 7, 1, 11, 4, 2 is my order, and this is awesome that we get to have some say in the new option, thanks! Will this affect May 2013 exams?

[khet12]

1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 are all the ones I'm interested in. I personally think that there is enough for planetary physics to be an option of its own, and perhaps astro should be a core topic. The order I am interested in them in is:

9, 10, 11, 12, 5, 6, 3, 7, 8, 1, 2, 4. (Of course, #1 is a critical and fundamental aspect of astrophysics)

also, dark matter and energy, as well as gamma ray bursts would be interesting.

Naturally, the fewer calculations and formulae we have to know/use the better . Astrophysics would be so much more fun and interesting without them at this level.

[AndreaRuiz]

1. Basic structure of the solar system (planets, comets, asteroids) This is basic, so yeah it's a must

2. Apparent motion of the stars (why stars appear to rotate around in a night, why the night sky will appear different many years from now) This is interesting, it should be fun

3. What goes on inside stars (fusion, hydrostatic equilibrium)Basic once again!

4. How temperature and color of stars are related (blackbody radiation)Excellent, I'm actually using this for my EE

5. Types of stars (single and binary stars, Cepheids, Red Giants, White Dwarfs) Interesting

6. What happens inside a star as it evolves (supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron star, black hole) Basicccc

7. How we find the distance to stars (parallax method, Cepheid variable method, using apparent brightness and luminosity, apparent and absolute magnitudes) Interesting

8. Olber’s Paradox (why isn’t the night sky bright?) Excellent

9. Big Bang Model (evidence like redshift and cosmic background radiation) A must!

10. Evolution of the Universe (open, flat, closed universe, critical density) Must

11. Hubble’s law (how to tell the age of the universe, what the graph looks like) Great

12. Expansion of the Universe (formation of atoms)...Not getting the idea?