•  Structure of matter
  

•   Quantum theory - introduction and principles
  
• History
• Why do we need quantum theory?
  
• Wave particle duality
• Quantum theory - weird and wonderful
  

•   The dynamics of microscopic systems
• The Schrödinger equation
• Wavefunctions and the Born interpretation
  

•   Quantum mechanical principles
  
• Operators and observables
• Superposition and expectation values
  

• Quantum theory -  techniques and applications
  

• Translational motion
• The particle in a box
• Tunnelling
  

• Vibartional motion
• Simple harmonic motion and harmonic oscillator
• Damped harmonic oscillator
• Forced harmonic oscillator
  
• Simple harmonic oscillator - wavefunctions and energy levels

• Rotational motion
• Rotation in two and three dimensions
• Stern Gerlach experiment and electron spin

•  Atomic structure and atomic spectra
  
• Hydrogenic atoms - structure and spectra
  
• Hydrogen atom wavefunctions
  
• Hydrogenic atoms
• Atomic orbitals and atomic energies
• Spectroscopic transitions and selection rules

• Many electron atoms
• Pauli exclusion principle
  
• The orbital approximation
• Self consistent field orbitals

• Spectra of complex atoms
• Singlet and triplet states
• Spin orbit coupling
• L-S and j-j coupling
  
• Term symbols
  
• Selection rules for electronic transitions
  
• The effect of magnetic fields

• Molecular structure

         

• Valence bond theory
• Hybrid orbitals
• Hydrogen molecule
• Homonuclear diatomic molecules
• Polyatomic molecules
  

• Molecular orbital theory
  
• Hydrogen molecule ion
• Structures of diatomic molecules
• Heteronuclear diatomic molecule
• Polyatomic molecules
  

• Molecular orbitals of complex systems
  
• Walsh diagrams
  
• The Hückel approximation  Department of Chemistry, Queen Mary, University of London 'An Introduction to Molecular Orbital Theory' has many topics in the form of pdf files.
  
• Band theory of solids

•   Molecular symmetry

                                          

• Symmetry elements of objects
  
• Operations & elements, point groups, character tables
  
• Consequences of symmetry
  

• Character tables
  
• Character tables and symmetry labels
  
• Vanishing integrals and orbital overlap, selection rules

• Top

•  Spectroscopy

•   The electromagnetic spectrum
  

•   Rotational & vibrational spectra
  

•   General features
  
• Experimental techniques
  
• Intensities of spectral lines
• Line widths
  

•   Pure rotational spectra
  
• Rotational energy levels, rotational transitions
  
• Rotational Raman spectra
  
• Molecular sturucture from rotational spectra
  

•   The vibrations of diatomic molecules
  
• Molecular vibrations
• Zero point energy
  
• Selection rules
  
• Anharmonicity
• Vibration-rotation spectra
• Vibartional Raman spectra of polyatomic molecules
  

•   Electronic transitions
  

•  Characteristics of electronic transitions
  
• The vibrational structure
  
• Specific types of transitions
  

•  Electronically excited states
  
• Fluorescence and phosphorescence
  
• Dissociations and predssociations
• Flash photolysis
  

• Lasers (a detailed discussions on  lasers)
  
• Population inversion
  

• Photoelectron spectroscopy
  
• The technique
• Orbital model of ionization
  
• UV photoelectron spectroscopy
  
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
  

• Magnetic resonance
  

•   Nuclear magnetic resonance
• The energies of nuclei in magnetic fields
  
• The chemical shift

•   Pulse techniques in NMR
  
• The magnetization vectors
  
• Linewidths and rate processes
• The nuclear Overhauser effect
• Two-dimensonal NMR
• Solid state NMR
  

• Electron spin resonance
  
• The g-value, hyperfine structure
• Hyperfine structure
  

• Top

• Statistical Thermodynamics

• Statistical Thermodynamics: The concepts

• The distribution of molecular states
• Statistical ensemble
  
• The molecular partition function
• Calculating the translational partition function
• Calculating the rotational partition function
• Calculating the vibrational partition function
• Calculating the electronic partition function

• The internal energy and the entropy
• The internal energy
• The statistical entropy

• The canonical pratition function
• The canonical ensemble
• The thermodynamic information in partition function
• Independent molecules
  

• Statistical thermodynamics: The machinery

• Fundamental relations
  
• Thermodynamic functions
  
• The molecular partition function
  

• The internal energy and the entropy
• Mean energies
  
• Heat capacities
• Equations of state
• Residual entropies
• Equilibrium constants

• Top

• Diffraction techniques

               

• Crystal structure
• Lattices and unit cells
• Lattice planes

• X-ray diffraction
  
• Bragg law
  
• Debye-Scherrer powder method
  
• Single crystal X-ray diffraction
  

• Information from X-ray analysis
  
• The packing of identical spheres - metal crystals
  
• Ionic crystals

• Neutron and electron diffraction
  
• Neutron diffraction
  
• Electron diffraction

• Top

• Electric and magnetic properties of molecules
  

• Electric properties
  
• Permenant and induced electric dipole moments
  
• Refractive index
  

• Intermolecular forces
  
• Interaction between dipoles
  
• Repulsive and total interactions
  
• Molecular interactions in beams
  

• Magnetic properties
• Magnetic moment
  
• Magnetic susceptibility
• Magnetic susceptibility studies
  
• Induced and permanent magentic moments

• Top

• Macromolecules

  
(Image source  http://www.usm.maine.edu/~newton/Chy251_253/Lectures/Polymers/PolymersI.html)

• Size and shape
• Mean molecular masses
• Colligative properties (document obtained from MSE 5473 course of  University of Utah)
• Sedimentation
• Viscosity
• Light scattering (document obtained from MSE 5473 course of  University of Utah)

• Conformation and configuration (document obtained from MSE 5473 course of  University of Utah)
  

• Top

• Matter in equilibrium
• The properties of gases           
  
                                                                                                    Compression and expansion
  

                                                                                                 of adiabatically isolated gas is          

                                                                                                       accompanied by its heating and

                                                                                                                cooling.

• Thermodynamics

• Work and heat
• The first law: basic concepts
• Thermochemistry
  
• The second law: the concepts
• Heat engines
• Changes of state

•  Physical transformations of pure substances

• The properties of simple mixtures

               

• The thermodynamic description
• Partial molar quantities
• The thermodynamics of mixing
• The chemical potential of liquids

• The properties of solutions
• Liquid mixtiures
• Colligative properties
• Osmosis
  

• Activities

• Phase diagrams
• Phase, components, degrees of freedom and phase rule 
• Two component systems
• Three component systems
  

• Chemical equilibrium
• Spontaneous chemical reactions
• The Gibbs energy minimum
• The compositions of reaction at equilibrium

• The response of equilibria to the conditions

• LeChâtelier principle, effect of temperature and pressure on equilibrium

• Effect of concentrations and catalyst on equilibrium

• Applications

• Equilibrium electrochemistry
• The thermodynamic properties of ions in solution
• Ion activities

• Electrochemical cells
• Half-reactions and electrodes
• Cells - varieties
• Redox reactions
• Nernst equation
  
• Standard potentials

• Applications of standard potentials
• The electrochemical series
• Solubility constants
• The measurement of pH and pK
• Potentiometric titrations
• Thermodynamic functions from cell potential measurements
  

• Top

                                                                                                               of a gravitational field

• Change           
  
• Molecules in motion            
  
• Molecular motion in gases                                   
  
• Collisions with walls
• Effussion
• Transport properties of perfect gas          
  

• The motion of molecules and ions in liquids
• Molecular motion in liquids
• The conductivity of electrolyte solutions
• The mobilities of ions
• Conductivities and ion-ion interactions

• Diffusion                                                        
  
• The thermodynamic view
• The diffusion equation
• Diffusion probabilities        
  
• The statistical view
  

• The rates of chemical reaction             
• Empirical chemical kinetics
  
• The experimental techniques
  
• The rate equations
  
• Integrated rate laws
• Reactions approaching equilibrium
• Reaction rates - temperature dependence

• Accounting for the rate laws
  
• Elementary reactions
  
• Consequtive elementary reactions
  
• Unimolecular reactions

• The kinetics of complex reactions
  
• Chain reactions
  
• Explosions
• Nuclear fission
• Nuclear fusion
  
• Photochemical reactions
  

• Polymerization kinetics
  
• Chain polymerization
  
• Stepwise polymerization
  

• Catalysis & oscillation
  
• Types of catalysis
  
• Autocatalysis
• Definition
• Example
  
• Oscillating reactions
• Chemical chaos

• Molecular reaction dynamics
  
• Reactive encounters
  
• Collision theory
  
• Diffusion controlled reactions
  
• The material balance equations
  

• Activated complex theory
  
• The reaction coordinate and the transition state
  
• The Eyring equation
• Thermodynamic aspects

• The dynamics of molecular collisions
  
• Reactive collisons
  
• Potential energy surfaces
  

• The properties of surfaces
  
• Properties of liquid surfaces
  
• Surface tensions
• Curved surfaces and contact angle
  
• Capillary action
  

• Surfactants
  
• The surface excess
  
• Experimental studies of surface films
  

• Colliodal systems
• Definition and classification
  
• Preperation and processing
  
• Surface, structure and stability
  

• The growth and structure of solid surfaces
  
• Surface growth
  
• Surface composition

• The extent of adsorption
  
• Physisorption and chemisorption
• Adsorption isotherms
  
• Rates of surface processes

• Catalytic activity at surfaces
  
• Adsorption and catalysis
  
• Catalysis - examples

• Dynamic electrochemistry
  
• Processes at electrodes
  
• Electrical Double layer
• Rate of charge transfer
  
• Polarization

• Electrochemical processes
  
• Electrolysis and electrolytic cells
  
• Fuel cell
• Secondary cells

•  Corrosion
• The kinetics
• Inhibition of corrosion
  

• Top
  
• Mainpage
  

Page last modified on 17.02.2004
Some animations on this page are taken from this website