CHEM 260 – Atoms, Molecules, Spectroscopy
Lecture Topics (subject to change)

Week

LECTURE TOPICS

1

Introduction and Principles of Quantum Mechanics (260-1.pdf)
The Origins of Quantum Mechanics.
Quantization. Photoelectric Effect.
Wave particle duality. Wave Functions.

2

 The Schroedinger Equation. The Free Particle. (260-2.pdf)
Particle in 1-D Box.
Molecular energy levels. Introduction to Spectroscopy. Electromagnetic spectrum.

3

 Particle in 2-D Box. (260-3.pdf)
Operators.
Expectation values and observables. The Uncertainty Principle.

4-5

Applications of QM: Rotation of Molecules (260-4.pdf)
Rotational Motion: the Particle on a Ring;
Particle on a Sphere.
Rotational Transitions (Microwave Spectroscopy).

6-7

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (260-5.pdf)
Spin
Electron Spin Resonance
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (260-6.pdf)

8-9

Atomic Structure and Spectroscopy (260-7.pdf)
H Atom
Atomic Orbitals
Multi-electron Atoms, Aufbau Principle (260-8.pdf)
Spin, Pauli Principle
Term Symbols
Atomic Spectroscopy

9-10

Applications of QM: Vibration of Molecules (260-9.pdf)
Vibrational Motion: Energy Levels, Wavefunctions
Vibrational Spectroscopy (IR)
Vibration-rotation spectra
Symmetry, selection rules, Raman spectroscopy (260-10.pdf)

11-12

Molecular Structure (260-11.pdf)
Valence-bond Theory
The H2 Molecule
Hybrid Orbitals, Molecular Geometry
Molecular Orbital Theory (260-12.pdf)
Conjugated Systems
The Hückel Method (260-13.pdf)

13

Molecular Electronic Spectroscopy(260-14.pdf)
Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Franck-Condon Principle, PE curves
Fluorescence, Phosphorescence

Appendix
 Refresher on Complex Numbers (complex.pdf)