Donald T. Jacobs

Emeritus Faculty

Dr. Donald T. Jacobs

Recipient of the 2000 APS Prize to a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate Institution 

Fellow of the American Physical Society, Division of Chemical Physics, 2003

Teaching

Fall 2011
Electronics for Scientists
Junior Independent Study
Senior Independent Study

Spring 2011
General Physics 102
Thermal Physics 302
Senior Independent Study

Fall 2010
General Physics 101
Modern Physics 205
Senior Independent Study

Fall 2009
Electronics for Scientists (220)
Senior Independent Study

Spring 2009
General Physics (102)
Math Methods (208)
Senior Independent Study

Fall 2008
General Physics (101)
First Year Seminar: Patterns in Nature: Chaos, Complexity and Networks
Senior Independent Study

Spring 2008
General Physics (102)
Math Methods (208)
Senior Independent Study

Fall 2007
General Physics (101)
Mechanics (301)
Senior Independent Study

Fall 2006
General Physics (101)
Electronics for Scientists (220)
Senior Independent Study

Spring 2006
General Physics 102 and one lab section
Junior Independent Study
Sample lab reports from previous years are available.
Senior Independent Study

Fall 2005
General Physics (101) and 2 lab sections 
Mechanics (301)
Senior Independent Study

Fall 2004
First Year Seminar: Patterns in Nature: Chaos, Complexity and Networks

Research

Research Activities

Dr. Jacobs’ research interests include phase transitions of binary fluid mixtures, polymer-solvent systems, living polymers, and biological proteins including measurements of turbidity, heat capacity, viscosity, density, and the coexistence curve on these systems. He has also developed experiments in the emerging area of granular materials and self-organized criticality.

Publications: (*indicates undergraduate student)

Granular Materials

  • Donald T. Jacobs, Resource Letter: Self-Organizing Physics” American Journal of Physics 83, 680-687 (2015).
  • S. Y. Lehman, Elizabeth Baker*, Howard A. Henry*, Andrew J. Kindschuh*, Larry C. Markley*, Megan B. Browning*, Mary E. Mills*, R. Michael Winters IV*, D. T. Jacobs, “Avalanches on a conical bead pile: scaling with tuning parameters”Granular Matter 14, 5 pp 553-561 (2012).
  • Rachel M. Costello*, K.L. Cruz*, Christie Egnatuk*, D.T. Jacobs, Matthew C. Krivos*, Tim Sir Louis*, Rebecca J. Urban*, and Hanna Wagner*, “Self-organized criticality in a bead pile” Phys. Rev. E 67, 041304 (2003).
  • S.K. Grumbacher*, K.M. McEwen*, D.A. Halverson*, D.T. Jacobs and J. Lindner, “Self-organized criticality: an experiment with sandpiles”Am. J. Phys. 61, 3 (1993).

Small Molecule Liquid-Liquid Systems

  • L.V. Dumancas*, D.E. Simpson*, and D.T. Jacobs, “Heat capacity anomaly in a self-aggregating system: Triblock copolymer 17R4 in water” J. Chem Phys 142, 174902 (2015).
  • Nathan J. Utt*, S.Y. Lehman, and D.T. Jacobs, “Heat Capacity of the liquid-liquid mixture nitrobenzene and dodecane near the critical point” Chem Phys 127, 14505 (2007).
  • Amy Lytle* and D.T. Jacobs,Turbidity determination of the critical exponent η” J. Chem Phys 120, (12) p. 5709 (2004).
  • Clinton I. Braganza* and D.T. Jacobs, “Turbidity of the liquid-liquid mixture perfluoroheptane and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane near the critical point”Int. J. Chem. Phys. 117(21), p. 9876 (2002).
  • E.R. Oby* and D.T. Jacobs, “Heat capacity of the liquid-liquid mixture perfluoroheptane and 2,2,4-trimethylpentane near the critical point” J. Chem. Phys. 114(11), p. 4918 (2001)
  • A.W. Nowicki*, Madhujit Ghosh*, S.M. McClellan* and D.T. Jacobs, “Heat capacity and turbidity near the critical point of succinonitrile-water” J. Chem. Phys. 114(10), p. 4625 (2001)
  • D.T. Jacobs S.M.Y. Lau*, A. Mukherjee* and C.A. Williams*, “Measuring Turbidity in a Near-Critical, Liquid-Liquid System: A Precise, Automated Experiment” Int. J. of Thermophysics 20(3) p. 877 (1999).
  • Paul F. Rebillot* and D.T. Jacobs, “Heat capacity anomaly near the critical point of aniline-cyclohexane” J. Chem. Phys. 109(10), p. 4009 (1998)
  • Anne C. Flewelling*, Rohan J. DeFonseka*, Nikfar Khaleeli*, J. Partee* and D.T. Jacobs, “Heat capacity anomaly near the lower critical consolute point of triethylamine-water” J. Chem. Phys. 104(20), p. 8048 (1996)
  • Donald T. Jacobs,  “Turbidity of a Binary Fluid Mixture: Determining η” NASA Conference Publication (1996).
  • D.T. Jacobs, D.E. Kuhl* and C.E. Selby*, “Coexistence curve of perfluoromethylcyclohexane-isopropyl alcohol” J. Chem. Phys. 105(2), p. 588 (1996)
  • D.T. Jacobs and S.C. Greer, “Amplitude of the anomaly in the mass density near a liquid-liquid critical point” Phys. Rev. E 54(5), p. 5358 (1996)
  • Lori W. DaMore* and D.T. Jacobs, “Turbidity of deuterated isobutyric acid and heavy water in the one-phase region near the critical solution point” J. Chem. Phys. 97(1), p. 464 (1992)
  • D.T. Jacobs “Critical point shifts in binary fluid mixtures” J. Chem. Phys. 91(1), p. 560 (1989)
  • W.V. Andrew*, T.B.K. Khoo* and D.T. Jacobs, “Testing the Lorentz-Lorenz relation in the near-critical binary fluid mixture isobutyric acid and water” J. Chem. Phys. 85(7), p. 3985 (1986)
  • A.C. Ploplis*, P.S. Wardwell* and D.T. Jacobs, “Coexistence Curve of Methanol-Isooctane” J. Phys. Chem. 90(19), p. 4676 (1986)
  • D.T. Jacobs, “Turbidity in the binary fluid methanol-cyclohexane” Phys. Rev. A 33(4), p. 2605 (1986)
  • R.H. Cohn* and D.T. Jacobs, “Acetone impurity effects on the binary fluid mixture methanol-cyclohexane” J. Chem Phys 80, (2) p. 856 (1984)
  • J.L. Tveekrem and D.T. Jacobs, “Impurity Effects in a near-critical binary-fluid mixture” Phys. Rev. A 277(5), p. 2273 (1983)
  • D. T. Jacobs,  “Coexistence Curve of a Nonpolar Binary Fluid Mixture. Perfluoroheptane-Carbon Tetrachloride” J. Phys. Chem. 86, pp 1895-1898 (1982)
  • D.T. Jacobs and S.C. Greer, Capacitance cell for liquids”Rev. Sci. Instrum. 51(7), p. 994 (1980)
  • B.A. SCHEIBNER, C.M. SORENSEN, D.T. JACOBS, R.C. MOCKLER and W.J. O’SULLIVAN, “Thermal Expansion of Methanol + Cyclohexane Near the Critical Solution Point” Chemical Physics 31, pp 209-216 (1978)
  • D.T. JACOBS, D. J. ANTHONY, R.C. MOCKLER and W.J. O’SULLIVAN, “Coexistence Curve of a Binary Mixture” Chem Phys 20, pp 219-216 (1977)
  • D.T. Jacobs, R.C. Mockler and W.J. O’Sullivan, “Critical-Temperature and Coexistence-Curve Measurements in Thick Films” Phys. Rev. Lett. 37(22), p. 1471 (1976)
  • C.L. Hartley, D.T. Jacobs, R.C. Mockler and W.J. O’Sullivan, “Observation of the Anomalous Refractive Index of a Critical Binary Fluid”Phys. Rev. Lett. 33(19), p. 1129 (1974)

Polymer-Solvent, Living and Biological Polymer Systems

  • Alison Huff*, Kelly Patton*, Hosanna Odhner*, Donald T. Jacobs, Bryna C. Clover and Sandra C. Greer, “Micellization and Phase Separation for Triblock Copolymer 17R4 in H2O and in D2O” Langmuir 27(5), pp. 1707-1712 (2011)
  • D. T. Jacobs, Clinton I. Braganza*, Andy P. Brinck*, Adam B. Cohen*, Mark A. Lightfoot*, Christopher J. Locke*, Sarah J. Suddendorf*, Henry R. Timmers*, Angela L. Triplett*, Nithya L. Venkataraman*, and Mark T. Wellons*, Universality in eight-arm star polystyrene and methylcyclohexane mixtures near the critical point” J. Chem. Phys. 127, 124905 (2007).
  • Jeremy N.A. Matthews, Peter B. Yim, Donald. T. Jacobs, Jeffrey G. Forbes, Necois D. Peters and Sandra C. Greer, “The polymerization of actin: Extent of polymerization under pressure, volume change of polymerization, and relaxation after temperature jumps” J. Chem. Phys. 123, 074904 (2005)
  • Krishna S. Pendyala, S.C. Greer and D.T. Jacobs “Poly (α-methylstyrene) in methylcyclohexane: Densities and viscosities near the liquid-liquid critical point” J. Chem. Phys. 115(21), p. 9995 (2001).
  • Krishna S. Pendyala, Xiangyun Gu, Kevin P. Andrews, Karen Gruner, D.T. Jacobs and S.C. Greer “Living poly(α-methylstyrene) near the polymerization line: VIII. Mass density, viscosity, and surface tension in tetrahydrofuranin” J. Chem. Phys. 114(9), p. 4312 (2001).
  • S.G. Stafford*, A.C. Ploplis* and D.T. Jacobs, “Turbidity of Polystyrene in Diethyl Malonate in the One-Phase Region near the Critical Solution Point” Macromolecules 23(2), pp. 470-475 1990.
  • D.T. Jacobs and S.C. Greer, “Dielectric-constant anomaly near the critical solutions point in polystyrene + cyclohexane” Phys. Rev. A24(4), p. 2075, (1981)
  • S.C. Greer and D.T. Jacobs “Thermal Expansion near the Upper Critical Solution Polnt for Polystyrene-Cyclohexane” J. Phys. Cehm. 84, pp. 2888-2890, (1980)

Liquid Crystal Mixtures

  • A. Christine Rauch*, Shila Garg and D.T. Jacobs, “Phase transitions in a nematic binary mixture” J. Chem. Phys. 116(5), p. 2213 (2002)

Particle Physics

  • H.R. Hicks, S.R. Deans, D.T. Jacobs, P.W. Lyons and D.L. Montgomery, “Isobar Analysis of γp –> ηp Phys. Rev. D 7(9), p. 2614 (1973).
  • S.R. Deans, D.T. Jacobs, P.W. Lyons and H.R. Hicks, “The Radiative Width of the S11(1550) from a Study of η Photoproduction” Particles and Nuclei 3(4), pp. 217-221 (1972).
  • S.R. Deans, D.T. Jacobs, P.W. Lyons and D.L. Montgomery, “Evidence for Stray Baryonic States from a Study of K+ λ PhotoproductionPhys. Rev. Lett. 28(26), p. 1739 (1972).
  • S.R. Deans, D.T. Jacobs, P.W. Lyons and D.L. Montgomery, “Resonance Contributions, Radiative Widths, and Stray Baryonic States in K+ λ Photoproduction Phys. Rev. D 6(7), p. 1906 (1972).
  • S.R. Deans and D.T. Jacobs, “Resonance Amplitudes in the Tail Region” Particles and Nuclei 1(7), pp. 446-449 (1971).

Educational/Reference Data

  • Hosanna Odhner* and D.T. Jacobs, “Refractive Index of Liquid D2O for Visible Wavelengths” J. Chem. & Eng. Data 57, p. 166 (2012).
  • Francesca M.F. Mascarenhas*, C.M. Spillmann*, John Linder and D.T. Jacobs, “Hearing the shape of a rod by the sound of its collision”Am. J. Phys. 66(8), p. 692 (1998).
  • Sergio De Souza-Machado*, R.W. Rollins, D.T. Jacobs and J.L. Hartman, “Studying chaotic systems using microcomputer simulations and Lyapunov exponents” Am. J. Phys. 58(4), p. 321 (1990).
  • S.B. Ngubane* and D.T. Jacobs, “Undergraduate Ecperiment in critical phenomena. II. The coexistence curve of a binary fluid mixture”Am. J. Phys. 54(6), p. 542 (1986).
  • A.C. Mowery* and D.T. Jacobs, “Undergraduate Experiment in critical phenomena: light scattering in a binary fluid mixture” Am. J. Phys. 51(6), p. 542 (1983).
  • D.T. Jacobs, “A Precise Real Time Clock” Digital Design (March 1982).

Summer Research Students

  • 2011
    1. Tom Gilliss (Wooster ’13)
  • 2010
    1. Lorenzo Dumancas (Wooster ’13)
    2. Alyse Marquinez (Wooster ’13)
    3. Hosanna Odhner (Bryn Mawr ’13)
    4. Tyler Rhoades (Wooster ’13)
  • 2009
    1. Alison Huff (Wooster ’10)
    2. Larry Markley (Wooster ’12)
    3. Heather Moore (Wooster ’10)
    4. David Simpson (Wooster ’12)
  • 2008
    1. Kelly Patton (Wooster ’08)
    2. Mike Winters (Wooster ’10)
    3. Mark Zimmerman (Wooster ’09)
    4. Bryna Clover (graduate student, UMBC)
  • 2006
    1. Mary Elizabeth Mills (Agnes Scott ’09)
    2. Henry Timmers (Wooster ’09)
    3. Nathan Utt (Wooster ’07)
    4. Mike Zappitello (Wooster ’09)
  • 2005
    1. Megan Miller (Wells ’06)
    2. Ruth Shewmon (MIT ’08)
    3. Sarah Suddendorf (Wooster ’07)
    4. Mark Wellons (Wooster ’08)
  • 2004
    1. Mark Lightfoot (Wooster ’05)
    2. Tuan Nguyen (Univ of Oklahoma ’06)
    3. Angie Triplett (Wooster ’06)
  • 2003
    1. Elizabeth Baker (Bucknell ’06)
    2. Andy Brinck (Wooster ’05)
    3. Adam Cohen (Bucknell ’06)
  • 2002
    1. Austin Carter (Wooster ’05)
    2. Rebecca Urban (Wooster ’03)
    3. Nithya Venkataraman (Wooster ’04)
  • 2001
    1. Clinton Braganza (Wooster ’03)
    2. Ryan Hartschuh (Wooster ’03)
    3. Amy Lytle (Wooster ’01)
  • 2000
    1. Emily Oby (Denison ’02)
    2. Christie Egnatuk (Wooster ’03)
    3. Andrew Nowicki (Wooster ’00)
  • 1999
    1. Andrew Nowicki (Wooster ’00)
    2. Amy Lytle (Wooster ’01)
    3. Hanna Wagner (Ohio Northern ’01)
  • 1998
    1. Geoff Bonvallet (Wooster ’00)
    2. Shaun Burdette-McClellan (Mount Union ’99)
    3. Rachel Costello (Wooster ’01)
  • 1997
    1. Kelle Cruz (U of PA, ’00)
    2. Paul Rebillot (Wooster ’99)
    3. Carrie Williams (Wooster ’99)
  • 1996
    1. Carrie Williams (Wooster ’99)
    2. Stephanie Lau (U.C. Berkeley, ’98)
  • 1995
    1. Delaney DeMay (Wooster ’97)
    2. Noah Johnston (Wooster ’97)
    3. Ali Ozgenc (Wooster ’96)
    4. Salman Saeed (Wooster ’96)

Recent Grant Support

Research Corporation$45,000 7/08 – 6/11
National Science Foundation (MRI)$91,090 7/06 – 6/09
Petroleum Research Fund$50,000 7/03 – 8/07
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$199,500 1/98 – 1/04
Petroleum Research Fund$25,000 4/97 – 8/99 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration$200,000 1/93 -12/96
NASA Summer Grant$15,100 1992
Research Corporation summer grant$3,000 1992
National Science Foundation (RUI)$122,000 4/88-9/91
National Science Foundation (RUI)$100,930 5/84-11/87