Welcome to Physical Chemistry II

The breakdown of classical physics at the microscopic level confounded scientists for decades. However, gradual change in the fundamental power of physics opened enough new models of thought that quantum mechanics was born. Quantum mechanics, imagined by two different men using two very different points of view, could be used to generate answers to the questions. How and why quantum mechanics is successful is a question still being pursued to this day.

Our goal this semester is to explore what led scientists on the quest for a new theory, the basic idea of the theory, and some applications. The applications will begin with the solvable problems that lead to the hydrogen atom, then on to molecules and the difficulties there, and ending in spectroscopy, where quantum mechanics is used in all its glory.

Course Mechanics

CHEM 3722 is patially lecture and partially guided inquiry. On occasion, the guided inquiry will be a self contained learning unit. However, it is more likely that the guided inquiry will extend or repeat information from lecture.

Your Equipment

You'll need "Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy" by Engel, as well as the guided inquiry workbook by Moog, Farrell and Spencer. The text comes with the Physical Chemistry version of the Spartan software, which, along with Guassian 98, we will use to explore the properties of molecules. In addition, many of our lab experiences will be compuational in nature, where we use MathCAD to explore the exquisite mathematical functions in the solutions to our quantum systems.