CHEM 120 : Chemistry and Physics of Colors

What is color? Is color an intrinsic property of an object? Why is that your black screen turns colorful when it is on? In this course, we will investigate intriguing questions about colors through the lens of chemistry and physics. Using project-based and inquiry-based approaches, different mechanisms of having a color will be introduced, discussed, and analyzed, such as absorption, reflection, and emission. The mechanisms can then be used to explain and predict a wide range of color phenomena, such as green leaves, blue skies, red paints, orange carrots, and all the colors of the screen you are looking at. At the end of the semester, students will participate in collaborative projects to learn the science of color by doing it.