Contact
Professor, Faculty of Science - Physics
- morsink@ualberta.ca
Overview
About
1991 BSc (Honours Physics) University of Waterloo
1997 PhD (Theoretical Physics) University of Alberta
1997 - 1999 Postdoc, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
1999 - 2005 Assistant Professor, University of Alberta
2005 - 2020 Associate Professor, University of Alberta
2020 - present Professor, University of Alberta
Research
Neutron stars; Relativistic astrophysics
Courses
ASTRO 430 - Physical Cosmology
Observational cosmology; geometry and matter content of the Universe; physical processes in the early stages of the Universe; inflation, Big Bang nucleosynthesis and the cosmic microwave background radiation; cosmological aspects of galaxy formation and the growth of large-scale structure. Prerequisites: PHYS 310, MA PH 251 or MATH 334. Pre- or corequisite: PHYS 458.
PHYS 181 - Relativity, Electricity and Magnetism
This calculus-based course starts with the breakdown of the Galilean concepts of space and time near the speed of light, and an introduction to Einstein's Special Relativity including: time dilation, length contraction, Lorentz transformations, relativistic energy and momentum, relativistic Doppler effect and basic 4-vectors. The second part of the course covers introductory electromagnetism including: electric forces and fields, electric potential, capacitance, DC circuits, magnetic forces and fields, magnetic fields from currents, and Faraday's Law of electromagnetic induction. Prerequisite: PHYS 124 (see Note following) or 144 or EN PH 131. Corequisite: One of MATH 118 or 146. Credit may be obtained for only one of PHYS 181 or 230 or 281. Note: To proceed to PHYS 181 after taking PHYS 124, it is strongly recommended that a minimum grade of B- be achieved in PHYS 124.