AP Seminar Student Looking For A Topic

In summary, an 11th grader is interested in doing a research project on astrophysics and has some background knowledge in calculus and physics. She has watched a documentary and is interested in doing more research on the basics of interferometry.
  • #1
hb2004
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TL;DR Summary
Hellooooooo I am a rising 11th grader that is participating in my school's AP Seminar program.
Hellooooooo I am a rising 11th grader that is participating in my school's AP Seminar program. As an aspiring astrophysicist, I wanted to do a research project on some sort of topic in this area. Any ideas? Just to give a background of my knowledge/ the level I am at, I am going into AP calculus next year, and I am learning physics for my high school's science bowl! Thanks a bunch in advance!
 
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  • #2
What are your interests?
 
  • #3
hb2004 said:
Summary:: Hellooooooo I am a rising 11th grader that is participating in my school's AP Seminar program.

Hellooooooo I am a rising 11th grader that is participating in my school's AP Seminar program. As an aspiring astrophysicist, I wanted to do a research project on some sort of topic in this area. Any ideas? Just to give a background of my knowledge/ the level I am at, I am going into AP calculus next year, and I am learning physics for my high school's science bowl! Thanks a bunch in advance!
You could do a survey of the news about black holes, gravitational waves, dark matter, or similar subjects. You could also look through some of the articles at Science News magazine for ideas of recent work in astrophysics:

https://www.sciencenews.org/
 
  • #4
I recently watched "Black Holes: The edge of everything we know" on Netflix: Netflix trailer. It's the story of how a group used the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) to image a black hole. What's fascinating for me is how the EHT works. It's actually 8 telescopes around the globe that synchronize (all begin swiveling at the same time) focusing on the black hole in M87:

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/black-hole-files/how-does-very-long-baseline-interferometry-work/
To create this image, an international team combined observations from radio telescopes spread across the globe, from Hawai‘i to Spain and Arizona to Chile. The dishes observed simultaneously, effectively acting as a virtual, planet-size dish, giving them a resolving power equivalent to being able to see a hydrogen atom at arm’s length.

If you find this interesting, try to watch the documentary. Maybe do some research on the basic principles of interferometry. Maybe do a (simple) demonstration of how this works:

The basic principle of interferometry is this: take two telescopes, separated by some distance, and observe an object simultaneously with both telescopes. Light comes from the object as a wavefront, like ripples in a pond created by splashing ducks. The two telescopes will catch a slightly different part of each wavefront. Account for that delay, then carefully add the data together, and you can measure the object's structure with the resolution you’d have from a telescope that is the size of the distance between the two dishes.

Suggest the thread be move to Astronomy forum.
 
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  • #5
BillTre said:
What are your interests?
Thanks for your response! I was looking at something related to any aspect of physics, and if you had any recommendations, I would look them up on my free time and decide. Hope you are doing well!
 
  • #6
berkeman said:
You could do a survey of the news about black holes, gravitational waves, dark matter, or similar subjects. You could also look through some of the articles at Science News magazine for ideas of recent work in astrophysics:

https://www.sciencenews.org/
Thanks a Bunch!
 
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  • #7
aheight said:
I recently watched "Black Holes: The edge of everything we know" on Netflix: Netflix trailer. It's the story of how a group used the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) to image a black hole. What's fascinating for me is how the EHT works. It's actually 8 telescopes around the globe that synchronize (all begin swiveling at the same time) focusing on the black hole in M87:

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/black-hole-files/how-does-very-long-baseline-interferometry-work/If you find this interesting, try to watch the documentary. Maybe do some research on the basic principles of interferometry. Maybe do a (simple) demonstration of how this works:
Suggest the thread be move to Astronomy forum.
ooooooo, sounds super cool. Ill look into it! Thanks a bunch!
 
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FAQ: AP Seminar Student Looking For A Topic

What is AP Seminar?

AP Seminar is a course offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement program. It is designed to develop students' critical thinking, research, and communication skills through the exploration of real-world issues.

What is the purpose of the AP Seminar course?

The purpose of the AP Seminar course is to prepare students for college-level research and writing. It also aims to develop students' ability to analyze and evaluate complex issues, synthesize information from multiple sources, and effectively communicate their findings.

What types of topics can be explored in AP Seminar?

AP Seminar allows students to choose their own topics for research, as long as they are relevant to real-world issues and can be explored from multiple perspectives. Some examples of topics include environmental sustainability, social justice, and technological advancements.

How can I find a suitable topic for AP Seminar?

To find a suitable topic for AP Seminar, you can start by brainstorming issues that you are passionate about or interested in. You can also research current events, read articles and books, and talk to your peers and teachers for inspiration. It is important to choose a topic that you can explore from different angles and that has enough credible sources for research.

How can I ensure that my topic is appropriate for AP Seminar?

Your topic for AP Seminar should be relevant to real-world issues and should have multiple perspectives that can be explored. It should also have enough credible sources for research and should align with the course objectives. It is recommended to discuss your topic with your teacher to ensure it meets all the criteria for the course.

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