FSAD 4390

Introduction to Color Science: Physics and Chemistry of Color

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

Color science is key to many industries such as food, automotive, interior and fashion design, electronics, polymer materials, imaging science, medical devices, forensics, cosmetics, photography, architecture, and textiles. Color is often one of the main parameters defining the appeal and sale of many products. Through lectures, demonstrations, and class assignments this course is designed to provide an in-depth analysis of our current understanding of how colors is created and how humans perceive and control color, and it may prepare students for future involvement in color technology as a career as well as in everyday life.

Prerequisites one of the following courses or their equivalents: FSAD 1350 or PHYS 1101.

Distribution Requirements (OPHLS-AG), (PBS-HE)

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the principles of light, as a wave and as a particle, and its many interactions with objects including diffraction, reflection and absorption.
• Understand color vision/perception and associated phenomena as well as the physical and chemical origins of color.
• Select appropriate measurement techniques for visual assessment of color and current standards to quantify color.
• Examine numerical specification of color and apply numerical methods to determine color differences using several color models including XYZ, xyY, L*a*b*, metamerism, color inconstancy index, and color difference equations (e.g., DECMC and DE2000).
• Understand colorimetry and other techniques to measure color. Describe how spectrophotometers, colorimeters, displays and printers do interpret color.

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