Syllabus (updated 1/7/2004)  Physics 010-B, Winter 2003         
Cosmos and the String Theory (The Theory of Everything)

Lectures: TuTh 3:10-4:30pm, 55 Roessler
    Discussion group B01 (CRN 53095): Tu 5:10-6:00pm, 130 Phys/Geo
    Discussion group B02 (CRN 53096): Tu 6:10-7:00pm, 130 Phys/Geo
    Discussion group B03 (CRN 53097): W 5:10-6:00pm, 140 Phys/Geo
    Discussion group B04 (CRN 53098): W 6:10-7:00pm, 158 Roessler

Teacher: Professor Ling-Lie Chau
Office: 431 Phys/Geo; phone: 752-2715; e-mail: chau@physics.ucdavis.edu
Office hours:  431 Phys/Geo; TuTh 4:30-5pm-extendable; or by appointment.

[For info about the teacher, go to either of the following two web sites and click the link “About the teacher Ling-Lie Chau.” These are the two websites of Davis Honors Challenge taught by Professor Chau. You might find other interesting info in these two websites, for example, “Dr. Chau’s Three Principles for Enhancing Performances and Living.”
http://honors.ucdavis.edu/faculty/chau/chau01/index.html
http://honors.ucdavis.edu/faculty/chau/chau02/index.html]

Teaching Assistant: Mr. Steve Tappel
Office: 410 Phy/Geo; phone: 530-750-2144; e-mail: tappel@physics.ucdavis.edu
Office hours:  158 Roessler; W 7-7:30pm-extendable; or by appointment.

Grades:
Participation                                                    10%
Homework                                                      30%
Quiz 1 (3:10-3:50pm, Thursday, 1/29/04)        10%
Quiz 2 (3:10-3:50pm, Thursday, 2/19/04)        10%
Quiz 3 (3:10-3:50pm, Thursday, 3/ 4/04)         10%
Final    (1:30-3:30pm, Thursday, 3/18/04)        30%

Prerequisites: Interest in the subject and high school math.

Textbooks:
* J. Bennett, M. Donahue, N. Schneider, and M. Voit,
“The Cosmic Perspective,” 3RD ed., 2004.
* B. Greene,
“The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory,” 1999, with the 2003 Preface.

References: The web and libraries will be important sources beyond the textbooks. Students are encouraged to make best use of them.

Goals of the course:
* Learning, as non-scientists, up-to-date information and current understanding of our universe.
* Cultivating logical and creative thinking.
* Developing the ability to do “back-of-the-envelope” numerical estimates (two significant figures).
* Promoting self-discipline and participation skills and spirit.


Course outline:
·  Powers of 10, Significant Figures, and Units.
·  Our Place in the Universe
·  The Science of Astronomy
·  A Universe of Matter and Energy
·  Light: The Cosmic Messenger
·  Space and Time
·  Spacetime and Gravity
·  Building Blocks of the University
·  The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard
·  Dark Matter, Dark Energy and the Fate of the Universe
·  The Beginning of Time

* Lectures will be mainly based upon the two textbooks, although not completely limited to them. Valuable and interesting supportive materials from other sources (e.g., the web and libraries) will be made use of. Students are encouraged to do so too.

* Exams are related to the materials covered in lectures and homework. (Homework and exams are closely related to lectures. Full concentration in listening to lectures and taking lecture notes will save students’ time in doing homework and in preparing for exams.) Therefore, it is essential that students attend the lectures and take good notes, then review and restructure their own derivation, outline and conclusion.

* Participation will take into consideration attendance and various kinds of participation (which are open for students’ creative implementation). Bonus points are offered for outstanding active participation (in class and discussion sessions, or through e-mail, or in any creative form) and interesting research results that benefit the class. Bonus points will be counted two ways: being added to the total score of homework and being listed separately as an honor and distinction and counted toward Participation. The quantitative weight of bonus points will be fairly small, however their importance is in their distinction. All bonus points and other participation records will be used toward deciding A+ and grade up-lifting.

* Attendance and participation will be recorded for each class. The attendance sheet will be passed around to be signed in the beginning of each class. Any students who will need to leave early should mark on it the time they will leave. Students who come to class 10 minutes after the class starting time can sign the attendance sheet after the class and indicate arrival time. At the end of each class those who made contributions during the lecture please come to Professor Chau for the assigning and recording bonus points.

* If a student has to miss a class, which should by all means be avoided, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with other students to obtain the lecture notes. However, one should remember to return favors. Collaboration works only when there is give and take. Students are encouraged to help other fellow students. (One of the best ways to learn is to teach and help others.)

* In the discussion sessions, Mr. Tappel will answer students’ questions on lectures and homework, and elaborate further materials covered in the lectures. Students ought to actively participate in them. (Mr. Tappel will keep records of participation in his sessions.) Students are allowed to attend more than one discussion sessions. Students are also encouraged to form study groups for reviewing lectures and discussing them. It is also all right to discuss homework among students. However, after discussions in Mr. Tappel’s sessions and in study groups, each student needs to think through and finalize the homework by his/her self. This is the only way to make sure that each student truly understands how to give the answers so that he/she can perform independently during exam. More importantly, it will strengthen the habit of being an independent thinker and contributor.

* Besides during class, discussion sessions, and office hours, students are most welcome to ask questions by e-mail. E-mail provides a very efficient form of communication. We should all make the best use of it. Professor Chau will respond as soon as possible. Those e-mail communications that are relevant and helpful to the whole class will be sent to the whole class. (Students should always specify if they want any of their communications to be kept confidential.) Check e-mail frequently, at least twice a day. When students send an e-mail to Professor Chau, please always put in the subject field: "10Bn; xxx," in which put your group number for "n", and write a few words about the content of your e-mail at "xxx". This will be important for her to respond to your e-mail (minimizing the chance of it being deleted with junk mails) and for her filing the e-mail.
 
* Grading will be decided both “absolutely” and “relatively”:  There is a certain absolute standard of the course, above which one passes and below which one fails. Also there is certain absolute standard, above which one gets an A+. Therefore, in principle all of you can get an A or A+. (This happened before, although they were smaller classes.) The grading will also make sure that the better performing students obtain better grades, so the grading is also “relative.” The grading curve is based upon the total scores of homework (with bonus points included), quizzes, and the final exam, totaling 90%.

Rules:
* Students are expected to put in about 12 hours/week for 104A, the minimal amount required by the "Carnegie unit" rule listed in the UCD Catalogue. Students are advised to spend the 12 hours/week as follows:
** Attending lectures: 3 hours (2x80mins class plus 2x10mins overhead time)
** Participating in discussion group: 1 hour.
** Studying and understanding the textbook and the lectures, and organizing notes:
     4 to 6 hours (2x2 hours).
** Studying and researching for completing homework: 4 to 6 hours.
If students do all of the above, it will be impossible to not obtain a good grade. Not only is it the most effective way, it is the most enjoyable way. The methodology will serve the students well no matter what they endeavor to do.

* Our textbook Cosmic Perspective has an excellent two-page section titled “How to Succeed in Your Astronomy Course”, p. xxvi-xxvii. Students are highly recommended to read it.

* Homework is due by 12:00pm, noontime, Thursdays, for all groups (010-B01, 010-B02, 010-B03, and 010-B04) in a box in front of the office of the TA, 410 Physics/Geology. Please mark clearly your group number and your names in print at the designated places of the front page of the HW.  (As always, start your homework early. After 8pm Wednesdays, no more questions on the homework due on the next day will be answered. Please do not do your homework in the corridor of the TA’s office, nor in room 430 Phy/Geo, which is the faculty/graduate-student lounge.)

* No late homework will be accepted, except for, only for, the student’s own dire health-related emergency. In that case, the student must obtain an official letter from a verifiable M.D. who certifies that the student’s health conditions (no specifics needed) are such that the student absolutely cannot do the homework before the due time. Whether a late homework is accepted will be determined on a case-by-case basis. A percentage of the late homework score may be deducted. The precise percentage of the deduction will also be decided on a case-by-case basis. Also understand that once the solution is out, no late homework can be considered, period. Students should start homework as early as possible. The human brain has the amazing capability of solving problems without the person’s conscious awareness (but one needs first to put in the problem clearly). So, input the homework problem early and take advantage of this capability of the brain.

* Graded homework will be given back to students at the end of the next Tuesday class.

* Exams are “closed book." Problems are multiple-choice or short-answer types. No calculator is allowed. (Therefore, students ought to do homework by hand calculations also, to practice the skill. Of course, for doing homework, calculators can be used to double check results.) Information or numerical tables will be provided if computations are needed beyond simple arithmetic. Paper will be provided and only that can be used. Therefore, for exams, all that students have to bring are their favorite writing utensils and a well-prepared, clear mind (for which sufficient sleep is absolutely essential). Only, and only, a student’s own dire health related emergency can allow the student to miss the exams. In that case, the student must obtain an official letter from a verifiable M.D. who certifies that the student’s health conditions (no specifics needed) are such that the student absolutely cannot come to take the exam. Whether a make-up exam is granted will be determined on a case-by-case basis. A percentage of the make-up exam score may be deducted. The precise percentage of the deduction will also be decided on a case-by-case basis.

* Any corrections or rebuttals to graded homework must be done by sending Professor Chau an e-mail and giving the full graded homework to her before the next Tuesday class. Then the rebuttal will be answered by e-mail (and with a copy of the full e-mail communications attached to the HW). The same procedure applies to graded exams, except that the deadlines for rebuttal will be specified at the exams.