Atomic and Molecular Physics is a course designed as a continuation of quantum mechanics. It covers the basics to understand the table of chemical elements and the physical properties
of the atoms. It covers hydrogen atom, Zeeman effect, Hybperfine structure and more on H atom. Then the atoms with more than one electron, say Li atoms and others are studied
where the approximation Models are utilised to solve the complicated Schrodinger equation, for which the potential energy is more complicated to describe. Then the emission and absorption
is studied, consequently X-rays are also studied. Then molecular physics follows where the diatomic molecules are covered and the applications to different techniques mainly spectroscopy:
Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and spectroscopy with synchrotron radiation and others such as electron spectroscopy.
Polymers and Composites is taught to third year students in materials science program.
Aims of the module
The module introduces fundamental concepts of polymeric and composite materials, their structure and properties, as well as the most important polymerization processes and composite reinforcements.
Learning outcomes
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in:
- The different classifications of polymeric materials
- The physical and chemical basis of polymers
- How polymers are made and manufactured
- Polymers processing and processing instrumentation
- The foundation of composite materials
- The classification of composite materials
- The particle-reinforced and fiber-reinforced composites.
Material for energy and environmental sustainability is taught to third year students in materials science program. It is an advance module that introduce energy material and material selection concepts and their applications for environmental sustainability.
Aims of the module
This module introduces the student to the concept of sustainability and its link to material and energy use with the emphasis on the related climate change and environmental issues.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the module, the student should be able to:
- Understand and apply the concept of sustainability to climate change mitigation
- Understand global energy landscape and energy security and associated material challenges
- Understand the concept of sustainable energy and materials
- Understand the energy and materials flows and their socioeconomic drivers
- Conduct material Life cycle assessment (LCA) and Eco-audit
- Understand and apply an eco-informed material selection for various applications
- Understand the effect of non-renewable energy use on the climate change, air pollution and environment and the way to mitigate them
- Understand the challenges related to nuclear waste disposal and the way to mitigate them
- Conduct material selection and design sustainable energy conversion systems
- Conduct material selection for energy sustainable efficiency buildings and transportation
- Understand and apply the concept of industrial energy efficiency and related material challenges
- Conduct material selection and design sustainable energy storage systems
- Understand nanotechnology concepts applied to material efficiency enhancement
- Apply nanotechnology concept to heat transfer enhancement
- Understand and apply material efficiency concept to various systems
The module is divided into 8 chapters, which are also divided onto various topics as indicated at the Beginning of the chapter.
Course description
This Atmospheric Physics course introduces the Earth's atmosphere then explains in details the weather and climate of the earth system, atmospheric thermodynamics, aerosol and cloud physics, radiative transfer and some simple principles for remote sensing. The course explains in details key processes in the atmosphere based on basic physical principles.
Content of the course
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Earth's Atmosphere
Chapter 2: Gravitational Effects
Chapter 3: Atmospheric Thermodynamics
Chapter 4: Aerosol and Cloud physics
Chapter 5: Radiative Transfer
Learning outcomes
After completing the course of Atmospheric Physics, students should have the following competence:
- Understand vertical and horizontal profile variability of several atmospheric parameters and forces leading to the atmospheric motions.
- Know the basic thermodynamic concepts for the Earth's atmosphere and be able to apply atmospheric thermodynamic diagrams to assess stability and cloud conditions and explain weather phenomena.
- Understand how aerosols and clouds affect solar radiation in the Earth's atmosphere.
- Be able to quantify how absorption and emission of short and long wave radiation cause heating or cooling in different vertical layers.
- Have a general understanding of how aerosols are crucial for the formation of cloud droplets and ice particles. Based on atmospheric thermodynamics understand how different processes can lead to precipitation.
References
- Atmospheric Science – An Introductory Survey by John M. Wallace and Peter V. Hobbs
- An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics by Robert G. Fleagle and Joost A. Businger.
- Fundamentals of Atmospheric Physics by Murry L. Salby.
- An Introduction to Atmospheric Physics, Second Edition (2010, Cambridge University Press) by David G. Andrews.
- The Earth's Atmosphere. Its Physics and Dynamics-Springer (2008) by Kshudiram Saha.
- Practical Meteorology - An Algebra-based Survey of Atmospheric Science by Roland Stull.
- Weather forecasting analysis using meteorological parameters: http://wxmaps.org/fcst.php and http://wxmaps.org/fcstkey.php
This course introduces students to the concept of atmospheric chemistry. Students learn different reaction mechanism in gas phase chemistry, processes affecting trace constituents of the atmosphere as they relate to production and emission, transformation and removal.
The course is subdivised into general introduction of concept of atmospheric structure and constituents, expressing amount of substances in the atmosphere and the concept of lifetime. the course treats monomolecular, bi-molecular and termolecular reactions as well as chemical families.
A substantial part is dedicated to stratospheric chemistry, tropospheric chemistry and aerosol processess
Brief description of aims and content
The course of Material Science is aimed to introduce the different classes of engineering materials, to describe the structure and properties of a range of engineering materials, to describe processing – microstructure – property relationships, to present the principles of engineering design including modelling and materials process and selection with reference to factors such as environmental impact and economics
Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed the module, students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding in:
- Kinds and properties of engineering materials
- Crystal Structure and defects in crystals
- Mechanical behaviour of materials
- Alloy theory and equilibrium diagrams
- Environmental effects on materials
Bibliography
All the teaching materials are based on the following references:
- Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction , 6th Edition, William D. Callister, Jr., John Wiley, 2010
- Introduction to Materials Science for Engineers, 6/E, James F. Shackelford, Prentice Hall, 2005
- The Science and Engineering of Materials 4th Edition ,Donald R. Askeland, Pradeep P. Phulay , Thomson-Brooks/Cole, 2003
- Foundations Of Materials Science And Engineering, Third Edition, William F. Smith, McGraw-Hill, 2004
- Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering: An Integrated Approach, 2nd Edition, William D. Callister, Jr., John Wiley, 2004
Lecturer: Innocent Nkurikiyimfura, PhD.
Physics Department
Office: P408 Muhabura block
Phone: 0786976954
Email: innkinno@gmail.com
inkurikiyimfura@ur.ac.rw