Topic outline

  • Welcome to Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy!

    Quantum

    Source: https://www.azquotes.com/quote/905256, accessed 20.12.2019

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    • General information

      The Quantum Mechanics and Spectroscopy (QMS) -course tackles the fundamental principles of chemical bond forming and interaction between electromagnetic radiation and matter. The course thus serves as background for understanding chemical reactions and the principles of many analytical techniques. This 5 ECTS course is organized in the 3rd period.


      The course grade is determined by the course tasks in the following manner:

      Grade = Self-assessment (40 %) + Active participation in review sessions (10 %) + Perusall-reading activities (20 %) + Weekly problems (40 %) + Optional project work (15 %) + Optional exam (20 %)

      The course book is Atkins, De Paula, Keeler, Atkins' Physical Chemistry, 11th Ed, Oxford university press 2018. All students will be provided free access to the ebook through the Perusall-platform! Note that the activities sum up to more than 100 %, so you can choose baced on your preferences.

    • Learning outcomes:

      After completing the course, regarding

      I The fundamentals of quantum mechanics the student

      • deepens his/her understanding of the central quantum mechanical concepts and phenomena like the Schrödinger equation, the wave function, quantization, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, and spin. He will also be able to apply these concepts at both the quantitative and qualitative levels to problems in chemistry.

      II The structure of atoms and molecules the student can

      • utilize simple quantum mechanical models (i.e. particle-in-a-box, harmonic oscillator, quantum mechanical rigid rotor), to model the behavior of particles and can apply these models to treat spectroscopical phenomena.
      • describe how quantum mechanical principles manifest in atomic structure and the periodic table based on the simplest atomic model (the hydrogen atom).
      • explain how chemical bonds form in simple systems based on modern quantum mechanical theories of chemical bonding (the molecular orbital theory). The student can contrast this model with the previously learned descriptions of chemical bonding and is familiar with the inadequacies of those models.

      III Spectroscopy the student

      • knows the principles of rotational, vibrational and electronic spectroscopy and can apply the quantum mechanical picture of atoms and molecules to describe the interactions between matter and electromagnetic radiation. The student can categorize different types of spectroscopies based on the range of energies involved.
      • becomes familiar with some of the standard spectroscopic databases and can independently seek spectroscopic data. He/she knows how to combine the with quantum mechanical theory to determine properties like bond lengths and dissociation energies.

      IV Study skills the student

      • obtains better problem solving skills and becomes better equipped to systematically tackle open-ended problems.
      • habituates to studying the lecture material beforehand  and can focus their learning on the key parts of the text.