Module 4: Radiation and the Electromagnetic Spectrum

A group of students sitting around a tableAuthentic Assessment iconNow that you have explored radiation and the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as the ways in which astronomers utilize these concepts to study celestial objects, you should be prepared to share this information with others. For this assignment, you will work with your peers to develop a presentation about the content that you studied in this module. The presentation will be developed collaboratively with a group assigned to you by your instructor.

Collaboration iconCollaboration occurs when two or more people work together towards a common goal. In this assignment, your team's goal is to create a ten to fifteen slide presentation on a topic of your team's choosing from this module. Suggested topics include:

    • The structure of atoms
    • Energy changes in atoms
    • The electromagnetic spectrum
    • The visible spectrum
    • Black body radiation
    • The Doppler effect
    • Another topic chosen by your team and approved by your instructor

Rather than dividing up the assignment between members of your group, plan on setting up several sessions to discuss the content on the slides, which should include an introduction slide and a conclusion slide. Your presentation should be engaging, original, and clearly-designed so that your coursemates could understand it if you presented it to them, as you may be asked by your instructor to do so. If you need assistance on creating effective presentations, please visit the Developmental Module.

Each time you meet as a group, it may be helpful to assign the following role types within your group. Depending on the size of your group, one person may assume more than one role, or more than one person may assume one role. Make sure to reassign roles each time you meet so that each member of the group gets an opportunity to assume different responsibilities throughout the project.

  • Coordinator - this role is responsible for setting the agenda of a meeting and coordinating any tasks
  • Recorder - this role is responsible for taking notes at a meeting
  • Technical Support - this role is responsible for addressing any technical concerns related to the assignment
  • Researcher - this role is responsible for undertaking any research concerns related to the assignment

Before you begin, access the Radiation and the Electromagnetic Spectrum Collaborative Presentation Rubric to make sure you have included all of the needed items required for full credit. You may need to use resources outside of this course to complete this assignment. If so, please submit a Works Cited document. If you need assistance, visit the Developmental Module for information on citing any resources that you use.

Assignment icon
Once your team has completed the presentation, please submit it to the dropbox.


Exam Icon
Once you have completed this module, please complete the module test.