CHEM 33200
Spring 2021: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

    The goal of this course is to provide an introduction to quantum mechanics and its basic applications to chemical problems.

    PRE-REQUISITES
    CHEM 33000 (or ChE 22900 and ChE 33000); CHEM 25000 or MATH 213; PHYS 20800.

  1. CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity

    2. TOPICS
  2. Lecture 1 - Classical Theory of Blackbody Radiation
    Lecture 2 - The Boltzmann Distribution
    Lecture 3 - Planck's Theory of Blackbody Radiation
    Lecture 4 - Photoelectric Effect, Specific Heats of Solids and the Bohr Atom
    Lecture 5 - Wave Mechanics and the Schrodinger Equation
    Lecture 6 - Quantum Mechanical Operators
    Lecture 7 - Applications of the Schrodinger Equation - Particle in a Box
    Lecture 8 - Applications of the Schrodinger Equation - Barrier Problems
    Review 1
    First Exam
    Lecture 9 - The Harmonic Oscillator
    3. Lecture 10 - The Hydrogen Atom
    Lecture 11 - Angular Momentum
    Lecture 12 - The Variation Method
    Lecture 13 - The Perturbation Method
    Review 2
    Second Exam
    Lecture 14 - Many Electron Atoms
    Lecture 15 - The Chemical Bond
    Lecture 16 - Polyatomic Molecules
    Lecture 17 - Hybridization
    Lecture 18 - Hückel Theory
    Review 3
    Third Exam

    LECTURE NOTES
  3. Lecture 1
     Lecture 2
     Lecture 3
     Lecture 4
     Lecture 5
     Lecture 6
     Lecture 7
     Lecture 8
     Exam 1
    Exam 1 Solutions
     Lecture 9
     Lecture 10
     Lecture 11
     Lecture 12
     Lecture 13
     Exam 2
    Exam 2 Solutions
     Lecture 14
     Lecture 15
     Lecture 16
     Lecture 17
     Lecture 18
     Exam 3

    4. LECTURE RECORDINGS

CLASSES

Monday, Wednesday 9:00-10:50 AM.
Classes will be held online synchronously.
The last 40 minutes in each class will be for questions/discussion.

GRADING

Exam 1: 30%
Exam 2: 30%
Exam 3: 30%
Class participation: 10%

TEXTS

The following textbooks are suggested but not required:
(1) Physical Chemistry 7th Edition
Atkins and De Paula

(2) Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach
McQuarrie and Simon

ANNOUNCEMENTS

There will be a review session on 05/03/2021 covering lectures 14-18.
The second exam will be posted on this website after the class on 05/03/2021 and will be due by the end of the day on 05/10/2021.
There will be no class on 05/05/2021.A final class will be held on 05/10/2021 to assess the overall impressions of the course.