Review Sheet for First Exam
ASTR 1020 SECTION 001

This sheet is to help you prepare for the first exam. It is not a ``sample'' of the exam. Instead it is designed to help you focus on the most important aspects of a large body of material.
The exam is "closed book", but useful formulae and constants will be provided. (See Sample Exam).

1. Be able to evaluate complicated expressions involving scientific notation. There will be calculations on the exam. Calculators are permitted.

2. Know a little about the scales of the universe. In particular, know the smallest and largest scales studied by humans.

3. Know Newton's 3 laws and the law of gravity.

4. Know the four forces of nature: their relative strengths and where they are important.

5. Be able to calculate orbital periods and escape velocities.

6. Know the temperature scales.

7. Understand wavelengths and frequencies. Know their units and be able to convert from one to the other. Know the six major parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.

8. What is spectroscopy? Be able to use the Wein Law and the Stefan-Boltzman Law.

9. Know the origin of the solar system. When, why and how. What were the stages the Sun passed through?

10. Understand the basic structure of the Sun. What holds it up. How old, how long etc.

11. Know fusion, fission, the composition of the Sun.

12. What is the solar activity cycle what causes it. What are sunspots, the corona?

13. Know the spectral types of the stars. Be able to list in order. Know what they represent and how they are determined.

14. Understand the H-R diagram.  Be able to draw one and label the axes. Know where the various kinds of stars appear on it.