The Physical Description of Chemical Systems: Spectroscopy / Statistical Thermodynamics

 

Instructor:      Geoffrey A. Blake
                         165A South Mudd (x 6296)
Office Hours: 11 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday (except Tuesday).
E-mail:            gab@gps.caltech.edu 

 

Teaching Assistants:

Evans Boney

Yao Sha

Chang Ho Sohn

Office: 148J Noyes (x 4884)
Lab:     N.A.

Office: 10 Noyes (x 2689)
Lab:     N.A.

Office: 36 Noyes (x 6543)
Lab:     25/37 Noyes

Office Hours: Th 7 p.m.

Office Hours: W 4-5 p.m., Th 4-5 p.m.

Office Hours: W/Th T.B.D.

boney@caltech.edu

shayao@caltech.edu

sohn@caltech.edu

 

Course Materials

Course Outline and Syllabus (PDF 44k)
Lecture Notes
Problem Sets

 

The two texts from which the class will follow are:

Molecular Quantum Mechanics, P.W. Atkins and Friedman
4th Edition (Ch21a text)

Statistical Thermodynamics, Andrew Maczek, Oxford
Chemistry Primers, Oxford, Oxford Science Publications, 1998

In addition, the text Symmetry and Spectroscopy, Daniel C. Harris and
Michael D. Bertolucci, New York, Dover Publications, 1978
will be a good supplementary source for group theory and vibrational spectroscopy.

For additional reading and background on quantum mechanics, a good text is

Quantum Chemistry, Donald A. McQuarrie
Sausalito, University Science Books, 1983

Reading assignments from Atkins/Friedman and from Maczek along with suggested reading from the other texts will be posted on the Lecture Notes page. I have requested that copies of the required and recommended reading texts be placed into the reserve section in Millikan. If necessary, I have personal copies of the books you are welcome to use in the interim.

  webmaster: gab@gps.caltech.edu