To participate fully in society, citizens require knowledge of scientific issues and an understanding of how those issues relate to their lives. People who are broadly educated and who also have special expertise in the sciences are vital to the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants. The science program is focused around four major goals.

In fulfilling the science requirement, Phillips Academy students should demonstrate:

1. They can do science. A student should pose testable questions and formulate hypotheses; design and conduct experiments; organize, analyze, and interpret results and information; conceptualize and reason through problems, both qualitatively and quantitatively; and articulate and present clearly and accurately ideas, results, and analysis in an appropriately selected format.

2. They are scientifically literate. A student should think clearly and critically about major issues relating to science; gain appreciation of and experience with the natural world; perceive the relevance of science to everyday life, including global environmental issues; and recognize the connections and interdependence among the traditional branches of science and between science and other fields.

3. They participate comfortably and fully in an inclusive community of learners. Students and teachers should work effectively with persons of varied backgrounds, interests, and abilities in scientific collaboration, perceive the needs of the individual, team, or community, and work to meet those needs.

4. They accept responsibility for the process of personal education. A student should play an active role in discussions, experiments, and decisions; ask questions, question answers, and maintain an independence of thought while engaged in learning; recognize that school is a piece of the continuum of lifelong learning, for science is a rapidly evolving field; and, hence, acquire skills that will allow one to learn beyond the halls of academia.

The diploma requirement in science is two yearlong science courses. A strong program will include some experience in biology, chemistry, and physics. Most four-year students take biology in ninth grade, followed by chemistry in 10th grade; however, individual interests, backgrounds, and abilities may indicate other appropriate sequences.Ninth-graders interested in taking chemistry or physics should consult with a department chair or division head in science.

The division of natural sciences offers a variety of introductory and advanced courses, yearlong and term-contained in biology, chemistry, physics, and interdisciplinary fields. Staffing of yearlong courses is the first priority and students who wish to take a full year of science can be so guaranteed only by taking a yearlong course. Enrollment in term-contained courses is limited and determined by seniority.

BIOLOGY

Most Juniors will take Biology 100 as their introductory science course. Uppers and Seniors are placed in Biology 540 or 560, 570, and 580 by the department chair. In general, students who have had a year of biology and honors in chemistry, or have had AP Chemistry and AP Physics, will be in the 560, 570, 580 sequence.

Lowers may take biology only by special permission from the department chair.

BIOL-100/0 Introduction to Biology
(a yearlong commitment)
Biology 100 is a five-hour course that includes significant time in the laboratory. This course is for Juniors. Biology 100 is theme-based and focused on major biological topics. Studying a core text will be supplemented with other readings, writing assignments, and data analysis and interpretation. Students will learn a variety of study skills and will have an introduction to library research tools. Laboratory experiments and fieldwork are designed to acquaint students with fundamental biological principles and to build skills in the methods and techniques used to elucidate those principles.

BIOL-410 Global Ecological Issues
(F)
Biology 410 is a five-hour course with time each week spent either in the laboratory or in the field. Open to Uppers and Seniors who have completed a yearlong science course. Not open to students who have taken Environmental Science 500 or a 500-level biology course.

The recently published United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment analyzed the consequences of ecosystem change for conservation and human well-being, and states that humans have changed global ecosystems more rapidly and extensively than at any comparable period of time in human history. Biology 410 will explore the challenge that our society has of reversing the degradation of ecosystems while meeting demands for their services. Students in this course will undertake laboratory studies involving the quality of air, fresh water, soils, energy consumption and productivity, wastewater treatment, and biodiversity.The major goal of the course is to stimulate and reinforce student environmental interest and responsibility.

BIOL-420 Animal Behavior
(F)
Biology 420 is a five-hour course including time each week either in the laboratory or in the field. Open to Uppers and Seniors who have had one year of laboratory science, the course is designed to familiarize the student with the basic principles of animal social behavior. The topics that receive the greatest emphasis are territoriality, aggression, mating strategies, courtship, parental behavior, migration, dominance, and the evolution of behavior patterns. Throughout the course, an effort ismade to relate the behavior of animals to the behavior of humans. A project or a research paper will be required.

BIOL-421 Ornithology
(S)
Biology 421 is a five-hour course including time each week either in the laboratory or in the field. Open to Uppers and Seniors who have completed a yearlong science course.

No other group of chordates has captured the human imagination like birds. In the United States alone, approximately 30 million homes have installed birdfeeders, and the sale of feeders, seed, binoculars, and bird guides has become a multibillion-dollar business. The goal of this course is to provide an in-depth look into the world of birds by studying the anatomy, physiology, and natural history of these feathered vertebrates. The Andover area is rich in habitat diversity and corresponding bird species. A portion of the course will be dedicated to learning the identity (both visually and acoustically) of a segment of this local population. Labs will include field trips and the study of bird anatomy using dissections and models.

BIOL-440 Human Genetics
(W)
Four class periods. Open to Uppers and Seniors who have had one year of laboratory science. The entire human genome has been sequenced, and cloning of a human being is a distinct possibility. We now have the capability to modify the human genome in any number of ways. Explore the world of human genetics, from the DNA that makes up our chromosomes to the public policy and ethical issues that will impact how we live in the 21st century. Along the way we will examine the impact of genetics on human evolution, infectious and molecular disease, cancer, modern reproductive technology, transgenics, stem cell technology, and human cloning. Not open to students who have taken biology at the 500-level or above.

BIOL-450 Microbiology
(W)
Four class periods. Open to Uppers and Seniors who have had one year of laboratory science. This course will examine public health threats posed by selected microorganisms. We will study the biology and epidemiology of these microorganisms, learn how to keep ourselves healthy, and develop an awareness of personal and global public health issues. From AIDS and malaria to strep throat and the common cold, bacteria, parasites, and viruses affect our quality of life and are major obstacles to world development.

BIOL-540/0 Topics in Advanced Biology
(a yearlong commitment)
(formerly BIOL-550)
Biology 540 is a six-hour course. This rigorous, college-level course treats the topics covered in an introductory biology course in greater depth and places greater emphasis on biochemistry and molecular biology. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. Students will write research papers and/or conduct laboratory projects during the year, and discussions will include current global issues in biology.

The syllabus for this course is appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test and although the course is not specific preparation for the AP examin biology, students who do well in this course are well prepared for that exam. This course is open to Uppers and Seniors who wish to study biology in depth. Students who received a final grade of “5” or “6” in Chemistry 300 or a grade of “4” or higher in Chemistry 550 or 580 and have taken some biology should take Biology 560, 570, and 580 instead. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: One yearlong course in chemistry. Lowers and students who received a final grade of “3” or below in chemistry need permission of the department chair to enroll.

BIOL-560 Cellular Biology
(F)
Biology 560 is a six-hour course including time each week in the laboratory. Following a brief review of chemical principles, the course examines the major classes of biomolecules and how they are synthesized and degraded in the cell, with emphasis on reactions associated with energy conversion pathways such as respiration and photosynthesis. Enzyme function is considered both in terms of mechanisms of action and with regard to kinetics. The relationship between structure and function at the molecular level is emphasized in studies of molecular genetics and the control of genetic expression. Biotechnology is introduced through the laboratory. Not open to those who have had Biology 540 or 550. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: Honors in a yearlong course in chemistry.

BIOL-570 Human Anatomy and Physiology
(W)
This six-hour course includes an in-depth consideration of some of the major systems of the human body. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between structure and function at the cellular, tissue, organ, and organ system levels. Not open to those who have had Biology 540 or 550. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: Biology 560 or permission of the instructor and the department chair.

BIOL-580 Evolution and Ecology
(S)
Biology 580 is a six-hour course with time each week spent in the field or laboratory. Sustainability and change are the central themes through which we will consider evolution and ecology. Evolution is a major unifying theme in biology, and the mechanism of natural selection serves as a foundation for examining ecosystems and relationships between populations, including humans. Lab and field work are based on a study of the sanctuary forest. A short library research paper will be required. Not open to those who have had Biology 540 or 550. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: Biology 560 and/or 570 or permission of the instructor and the department chair.

BIOL-600 Molecular Biology
(F-W) Laboratory Research
This is a course in laboratory research in molecular biology. Open to Uppers and Seniors. Permission of the instructor is required. Meets eight class periods (four double-periods) a week. Students in this course will learn laboratory techniques for working with DNA and bacteria. Experiments will center on the molecular genetics of microorganisms, including the isolation, cutting, and splicing of DNA by recombinant DNA biotechnologies, and the polymerase chain reaction. After learning a core of methodologies that are used in professional labs, students will apply them to short, focused research projects in biotechnology.

Uppers may use this course as a springboard for a science competition project, which would be accomplished at a professional lab during the following summer. Reading articles in scientific journals, as appropriate, is part of a student’s research. Students also will be asked to keep a lab journal and to write and present a scientific paper. This course, if failed, may not be made up by examination. Prerequisite: One year of biology and one year of chemistry with grades of “4” or above.

BIOL-610 Molecular Biology
(W-S) Independent Research
Students wishing to continue work from Biology 600 may apply directly to the instructor for permission to enroll in Biology 610. Enrollment is strictly limited and is at the discretion of the instructor and the chair of the Department of Biology. Laboratory schedules will be determined on a case-by-case basis; however, a student must be able to be in the lab for a minimum of eight hours per week at times when the instructor is available for supervision. This course is an advanced course that may require more than the standard nine hours of work per week. Requirements for successful completion of the term are similar to those for Biology 600. This course, if failed, cannot be made up by examination.

CHEMISTRY

The chemistry department offers two yearlong introductory courses in chemistry, each of which fulfills part of the diploma requirement for a laboratory science. Placement in Chemistry 250 and Chemistry 300 is generally based on concurrentmathematics placement. Students who wish to take the Chemistry AP exam may prepare for it by taking either Chemistry 550 (a yearlong course) or Chemistry 580 (an advanced, secondyear course).

CHEM-250/0 Introduction to Chemistry
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods per week. An introduction to the chemical view of the material world, including atomic theory, atomic structure, chemical reactions, the nature of solids, liquids, gases, and solutions, general equilibria, acid-base theories, electrochemistry, and aspects of nuclear chemistry. Emphasis is placed on developing problemsolving skills as well as on making connections between chemical principles and everyday life. A college-level text is used, but the pace of this course is adjusted to ensure that students have ample opportunity to ask questions. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. The syllabus is appropriate preparation for the College Board SubjectTest. High honors work adequately prepares a student for Chemistry 580. Co-requisite: Registration inMathematics 210 or above.

CHEM-300/0 College Chemistry
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods per week. This course is an introduction to the theoretical framework of modern chemistry, including atomic structure, chemical bonding, phase changes, solutions, chemical reactions, thermodynamics, kinetics, general equilibria, acid-base equilibria, electrochemistry, and aspects of inorganic and nuclear chemistry. Emphasis is placed on developing problem-solving skills and understanding the experimental basis of theories. A college-level text is used. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. The syllabus of this course is appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test. Co-requisite: Registration in at least Mathematics 310 or above. Prerequisite: Grade of “4” or above in the previous mathemcatics course.

CHEM-460 Chemistry of the Environment
(W)
Four class periods per week. Open to Uppers and Seniors only. This course is concerned with the effect of chemistry on the earth and the implications of human action on the environment. Current issues—such as global warming, ozone depletion, air and water pollution, chemical waste, and alternative sources of energy— are discussed. Chemical theories and principles are introduced as needed. Prerequisite:One year of biology, chemistry, or physics.

CHEM-550/0 Advanced Placement Chemistry
(a yearlong commitment)
Six class periods per week, two of which are in the laboratory.This course is not open to Juniors or students who have taken Chemistry 300 or its equivalent. This is a rigorous course that treats the topics addressed in College Chemistry in greater depth and prepares students for the Advanced Placement examination in chemistry. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours per week of homework. The syllabus of this course is appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test. A short research paper or advanced laboratory work may be undertaken in lieu of a final exam at the end of the spring term. Prerequisite: Grade of “5” or above in Chemistry 250. Students who earn a “4” in Chemistry 250 may take Chemistry 550 after taking Physics 380 or Physics 550. Students with no previous chemistry who are in Mathematics 360 or above may enroll in this course. Students with no previous chemistry who are in Mathematics 350 or below may enroll in this course only with permission from the department chair.

CHEM-580/0 Advanced Chemistry
(a yearlong commitment)
Six class periods per week. Open to students who have a “6” in Chemistry 250 or a “5” or above in Chemistry 300. Students who earn a “4” in Chemistry 300 may take Chemistry 580 after taking Physics 380 or Physics 550. This is a rigorous second-year course that builds on the principles learned in the first year. It prepares students for the Advanced Placement examination and also includes topics beyond the AP syllabus. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours per week of homework. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. Students will have an opportunity to review current literature on selected topics or select a lab research topic in preparation for a class seminar they will present in lieu of a final exam at the end of the spring term.

CHEM-610 Organic Chemistry
(F)
Four class periods per week. This course introduces many of the basic reactions and concepts students will encounter in their future studies of chemistry, biology, or medicine. Rather than covering a large number of reactions, as might happen in a second-year (full year) college organic chemistry course, this course emphasizes an understanding of general principles of reactivity and mechanism. The classroom work is supplemented by demonstrations and laboratory investigations, through which students learn the fundamental tools of this highly empirical science. In addition, each student gains detailed knowledge of an area of active research related to organic chemistry. After selecting a topic of interest, each student prepares a paper and a class seminar, using current scientific literature. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours per week of homework. Prerequisite: Completion of either Chemistry 550 or 580.

CHEM-620 Introduction to Spectroscopy, Chromatography, and Advanced Laboratory Techniques
(W)
Five class periods per week. This course is designed for students who have completed satisfactorily either Chemistry 550 or 580. Students who have completed Chemistry 300 with an honors grade may enroll with permission from the department chair. The course will survey instrumental methods employed in the identification and characterization of organic and inorganic compounds, including ultraviolet, visible, infrared, nuclearmagnetic resonance,mass spectrometry, and atomic (absorption/emission) spectroscopy. As part of the course, students will learn about a variety of chromatographic methods used in the analysis and purification of substances, including thin layer, paper, and column chromatography. The course also will present techniques commonly used in a chemistry research laboratory, including (but not limited to) distillation, crystallization, extraction, and filtration, as well as the use of specialized glassware and heating equipment. In the laboratory component, students will apply many of the methods above to compounds that they have synthesized.

INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE

SCIE-430 Forensic Science
(S)
Five class periods per week. Open to Uppers and Seniors only.This course will introduce students to the science of forensics. Students will learn to observe a crime scene and analyze different types of evidence found there. Designed as an interdisciplinary course, aspects of biology (DNA), chemistry (toxicology and chemical analysis) and physics (ballistics) will be discussed. The course will have a significant lab component, which will include developing fingerprints, identification of physical evidence and unknown chemicals, and DNA analysis. Prerequisite: one year of chemistry and either one year of biology or a concurrent enrollment in a year-long biology course.

SCIE-460 Meteorology
(W-S) (formerly PHYS-360)
Four class periods. Meteorology is the study of the atmospheric environment, or weather. Topics may include the structure of the atmosphere, atmospheric energy transfers, optics and moisture, the formation of dew, fog, clouds and precipitation, pressure, forces and wind, storms, forecasting, and climate change. Prerequisite: Completion of one yearlong chemistry course in addition to either completion of Physics 320 (or the equivalent) or completion of Physics 250.

SCIE-470 Human Origins
(S)
Five class periods, including weekly field or laboratory work. Open to Uppers and Seniors. Take a look around. Regardless of where you are, the consequence of threemillion years of human evolution is evident. This interdisciplinary science course uses insights drawn from history, art, archaeology, and other disciplines to chart the human journey from hominid to the first civilizations that forecast the modern world. Hands-on laboratory exercises emphasize use of Peabody Museum of Archaeology collections and challenge students to apply ancient techniques to solve daily problems of survival.

SCIE-480/HIST-SS480
Disease and Medicine in the United States: Pox and Pestilence
(F)
Five class periods per week. Open to Uppers and Seniors. See also HIST-SS480. In recent years, historians have begun to understand the impact of disease on the human story and have incorporated it into the more traditional narratives. In common with other parts of the world, the history of the United States has been profoundly influenced by infectious disease. In this course we invite you to come along on a multi-disciplinary journey to explore the impact of disease on the American experience in the 19th and 20th centuries. After exploring the pre-contact situation in the Americas, we will focus on syphilis, smallpox, bacterial sepsis, cholera, yellow fever, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza, polio, HIV/AIDS, and bioterrorism agents such as anthrax. Students will research the role these diseases played in the social, military, and political history of the United States together with the science and medicine that developed in response to them. This is a research seminar and students will use a variety of sources to write a term paper. There is no final examination. A student in this course is elegible for credit in either history or science. A student who wishes to receive history credit should sign up for HISTSS480; a student who wishes to receive science credit should sign up for SCIE-480.

SCIE-490/PSYC-440
The Brain and You—A User’s Guide
(W)
Five class periods. Open to Uppers and Seniors. See also PSYC-440. The human brain is the most sophisticated biological organ ever evolved on Earth and is the source of all human cognitive functions. Have you ever wondered how yours works? How do you use it to enjoy music, for social relationships, or to experience strong emotions? Have you ever asked yourself whether there are differences between the male and female brains or if the capabilities of the human brain are really unique in the animal kingdom? Join us in this interdisciplinary course as we search for answers to these questions (and more) by examining the evolution and function of the brain and how this applies to understanding the role of the brain in complex human psychology, including the perception, creation, and performance of music, personality, memory, and other higher intellectual activities. A student in this course is elegible for credit in either science or psychology. A student who wishes to receive science credit should sign up for SCIE-490; a student who wishes to receive psychology credit should sign up for PSYC-440.

SCIE-500/0 Environmental Science
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods.The course begins with a study of the components of the biosphere and the fundamental principles that underlie the interdependence of the earth’s systems, including energy flow and the recycling of matter. Students will consider renewable and nonrenewable resources in the context of population dynamics. Discussions of pollution and environmental quality will lead to the study of global change, both natural and human-induced. As we develop our knowledge, we will critically examine environmental issues presented in the news media. This analysis will lead to discussions on the roles of economic forces, cultural and aesthetic considerations, ethics, and environmental regulations in shaping our biosphere. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: One yearlong course in biology and one yearlong course in chemistry. Not open to students who have taken Biology 410.

PHYSICS

PHYS-200/0 Introduction to Physics
(a yearlong commitment)
(formerly PHYS-250)
Five class periods. All students who wish to enroll in Physics 200 must secure written permission fromthe department chair. This course is open to Lowers, Uppers, and Seniors who do not yet have the mathematics skills to enroll in Physics 380. An introductory course in the basic concepts of physics that emphasizes student participation and labwork. Co-requisite: Registration in at least Mathematics 210.

PHYS-320 Classical Mechanics
(F)
This is a one-trimester fall-term course in classical mechanics for students who are either not prepared for or not interested in a yearlong introductory physics course. A student who does honors work in Physics 320, however, may enroll in Physics 380 for the winter and spring terms with permission of the department chair. Co-requisite: Registration in at least Mathematics 330.

PHYS-380/0 College Physics
(a yearlong commitment)
(formerly PHYS-300)
Five class periods. Not open to Juniors, except by permission of the department chair. A noncalculus physics course, including a study of classical mechanics, electricity, magnetism, wave motion, light, relativity, and atomic and nuclear physics. Laboratory work is an integral part of the course. The syllabus of this course is appropriate preparation for the College Board Subject Test in physics. Co-requisite: Registration in at least Mathematics 310 or 330 (or permission of the department chair if inMathematics 320 in the fall term).

PHYS-440 Cosmology
(F-W-S) (formerly PHYS-340)
Four class periods. Cosmology is the study of the structure and origin of the universe. Topics may include the birth and death of stars, stellar temperatures, magnitudes and distances, the structure and origin of galaxies, the Big Bang, the search for extraterrestrial life, and the possible fate of the universe. Class time will be replaced by one evening observation session in the observatory. (Check Master Calendar each term.) Prerequisite: Prior completion of or concurrent enrollment in one chemistry or physics course, and registration in at least Mathematics 340.

PHYS-450 Physical Geology
(S) (formerly PHYS-350)
Four class periods. A general introduction to physical geology, to include minerals, rocks, measurement of geologic time by radioactivity and fossils, volcanoes, seismology and earth structure, deformation of strata, faults, and plate tectonics. Some of the periods will be used for laboratory work. Prerequisite: Previous completion of one year of physics or chemistry, and registration in at least Mathematics 340.

PHYS-520 Electronics
(S) (formerly PHYS-420)
Four class periods. A course in modern solid state electronics that considers passive circuit elements and their combinations, diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits. There will be considerable laboratory work. Prerequisite: Previous completion of or concurrent enrollment in Physics 380, and completion of Mathematics 360.

Advanced Placement Courses

These courses prepare students for one or both parts of the C-level AP examination. This AP exam consists of two distinct parts that are graded separately: i) Mechanics, and ii) Electricity and Magnetism.

PHYS-550/0 Advanced Placement Physics: Mechanics,
Electricity and Magnetism
(a yearlong commitment)
Five class periods. Physics 550 prepares students for both i) Mechanics, and ii) Electricity and Magnetism of the C-level Advanced Placement examination, and is a rigorous course that may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Open to students who a) will be enrolled in Math 590 or who have completed Math 575, and b) either have never taken physics or have taken a physics course but do not quality for Physics 580, and c) have earned a “4” or higher in their two most recent terms of math. A student who does not meet these criteria should enroll in Physics 380.

PHYS-580/4 Advanced Placement Physics (T2)
(a two-term commitment)
Five class periods. This is a rigorous course in mechanics (fall term), and electricity and magnetism (winter term). Calculus will be used as required.This course prepares candidates for the C-level Advanced Placement examination in physics and entrance to honors level programs in physics at the university level. This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: A “6” for the year in Physics 380 or its equivalent, and enrollment in at leastMathematics 590 or its equivalent.

PHYS-600 Relativity and Quantum Mechanics
(S)
Four class periods. Relativity and quantum mechanics are two theories that completely revolutionized our thinking about the universe. The course is a survey of the basic ideas underlying these theories. Special mathematical techniques needed for a better understanding of the material are developed in the course.This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in Physics 550 or 580, and enrollment in at least Mathematics 590.

PHYS-650 Physics Seminar
(W)
Four class periods. The focus of this course is intermediate mechanics. Topics will vary according to the interests of the instructor and the students.This course may require more than the standard four to five hours of homework per week. Prerequisite: Completion of Mathematics 590 and of the fall trimester of Physics 550 or 580, or permission of the instructor.