Course Outline and Information

Chemistry 362 Ð Physical Chemistry                        Fall Semester 2004

 

Instructor:     Clifford Dykstra

                            office       LD 326 U                 e-mail       dykstra@chem.iupui.edu

                            phone     274-6892                  FAX        274-4701  (chemistry department)

                           

Schedule:         Lecture/recitations are 11:00amÐ12:50 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

                           

                            The final exam is on Tuesday, December  14, 1:00-3:00 pm.

                           

Course Overview:

                            This is part of a two-semester sequence on the physics of chemistry, which means the energetics and mechanics of molecular systems both at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Chem 362 is concerned with the most detailed level of physical chemistry. We will consider how individual molecules store energy, the nature of their mechanical behavior, the chemical bond and molecular structure, and how we extract molecular information via experiments using electromagnetic radiation (i.e., spectroscopy). 

 

Course Objectives:

                (i)        To develop a strong fundamental understanding of several types of molecular spectroscopy including microwave, infrared, UV-visible, and NMR. This means developing physical and mathematical insightÑthe theoryÑto analyze and interpret certain spectra and to understand the type of molecular information thereby obtained.

                (ii)       To develop proficiency in basic quantum mechanical problems and techniques where they provide the theoretical basis for certain atomic and molecular phenomena.

                (iii)      To develop an understanding of key ideas and concepts in atomic electronic structure, molecular bonding, and energeticsÑa detailed molecular-level picture of chemistry.

Topical Outline:

                            Introduction and itemization of essential mathematics

                            The Fundamentals:  The first section of the course is concerned with understanding the strange behavior of particles in the quantum world. After first considering classical mechanics of  vibrating particle systems, we will develop the physical laws that govern quantum behavior and contrast classical and quantum behavior.

                            Quantum Effects in Chemistry:  In this section of the course, we will analyze certain model problems to illustrate the mathematics involved with applying  quantum mechanical laws. We will consider specific problems of atoms and molecules, especially how they rotate and vibrate.

                            Molecular Spectroscopy: We will explore the most detailed understanding of how molecules and atoms can gain or give up energy via electromagnetic radiation. From that, the basic elements of molecular spectroscopy will be presented, and we will then explore what can be learned from infrared and microwave spectra of isolated molecules.

                            Electronic Structure:  This section takes an intimate view of atoms and molecules. We will seek to understand not only rotations and vibrations, but also how electrons orbit nuclei. This will provide a glimpse of our most basic information on the nature of the chemical bond, and from that we will consider what happens to electronic structure in the course of chemical reactions (i.e., bond breaking and formation).

                            Magnetic Resonance:  The last section of the course is the most specialized. Our goal is to understand the quantum fundamentals of a very powerful type of molecular spectroscopy, that of magnetic resonance. We will build on earlier work on quantum fundamentals; we will briefly consider response to a magnetic field; and, we develop means for analyzing multi-nuclear NMR.

 

 Exams, Homework and Grading

       Homework    Assigned homework will consist of usually 5±3 problems to work during about a one-week period. During the first part of the course, there will be several take-home worksheets as well.

             Exams    There will be 3 mid-term exams, 3 quizzes, and a comprehensive final exam. Exams  and quizzes will consist of problems to work out (60 to 100% or so of an exam) and questions involving short answers, explanations, or definitions (0 to 40%). Many of the problems will be quite challenging, designed to test both conceptual understanding and your facility to work with the knowledge you have acquired.

           Portfolio    Students in the course will be provided with a notebook to be used to maintain a portfolio of their work. Near the end of the semester, there will be a special writing assignment related to technical material in the course and its applications.

 

Semester Schedule

 

Midterm exams:                            Thursday, September 30, 2004

                                           Thursday, October 28, 2004

                                           Tuesday, November 23, 2004

 

Portfolio/notebooks due:           Tuesday, September 21, 2004

                                           Thursday, December 2, 2004

 

Special assignment due:               Tuesday, November 30, 2004                                    

 

Final Exam:                                    Tuesday, December 14, 2004