University of Arkansas CHEM 3504 FALL 2012
Physical
Chemistry I
Objectives: (1)
To develop an understanding of the theoretical principles and experimental
methods governing the atomic and molecular structure of chemical systems and
the use of quantum mechanics and spectroscopy to understand such systems.
(2) To qualitatively and quantitatively apply these
priciples to solve problems relating to real world scientific observations
Instructor: Professor Colin D. Heyes, office: CHEM 219,
phone: 575-5607; e-mail: cheyes@uark.edu
Office
hours: Mon, 10:30-11:30. Tues. 2:00-3:00. Wed, 2:00-3:00, other times by appointment
Lectures: MTWF at 9:30 in SCEN 0613.
Prerequisites: MATH 2564, CHEM 1123 and CHEM 1121L or (CHEM
1123H and CHEM 1121M or CHEM 1223 and CHEM 1221L) and PHYS 2074.
Text: Physical
Chemistry, by Thomas Engle and Philip Reid, 3rd Edition. Optional, supporting text on reserve at the chemistry library,
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY, 9th Edition, by Peter Atkins and Julio De Paula.
Homework:
Homework
sets will be posted on learn.uark.edu. The guidelines for required homework
sets are that students are permitted and even encouraged to work
together, for the purpose of enhancing learning and understanding; so long as
each person writes, understands and is able to explain
her/his own answers, when asked (whether in class, lab, or another setting). Each homework set will be graded out of 20 pts. The sum of
all homework grades be scaled to be out of 250 points
(25% of the final grade, see below).
PLEASE
NOTE: Getting high points on the homework sets will not
help your final grade much if you do not use them for their intended purpose of
enhancing your learning and understanding of the material enough to obtain high
points on the exams. In other words: Don’t just copy someone else’s homework.
Late
Homework: Homework is to be turned in during class on the due
date. Students with a valid excuse will be allowed to turn in ONE AND ONLY ONE
homework problem set in the following class period. A late certificate is needed
to be signed by me before or during class on the original due date. ONLY ONE
LATE CERTIFICATE WILL BE ALLOWED PER SEMESTER. Any subsequent late homework set
will be given zero points. Depending on the date of the homework, the graded
late homework may not be available before the exam,
therefore it is in your best interests to hand in the homework sets on time.
Exams: You should bring a calculator for each exam.
The calculator cannot be a smartphone. The use of smartphones or any other
device connected to the internet is STRICTLY forbidden, and such use will
constitute academic dishonesty. Academic honesty is expected and required;
cheating will result in a grade of zero. Actual Exam dates will be scheduled as
we finish sections. The exams will be held from 6-8 pm in CHEM 144 on the date
to be arranged in class at least 1 week ahead of time. There will be 3 evening
midterms and 1 final. Each evening midterm
exam is worth 150 points. Your 2 highest grades will count for 200 points each,
and the lowest grade will count for 50 points, and will be rescaled accordingly
at the end of the semester. The reasoning behind this is that if you don’t
manage to learn a particular concept well enough for the midterm, but do learn
it well enough for the final exam, you will be penalized less.
A single 8 ˝ x 11 sheet, written on one side with
formulae only and with your name on it, can be used during tests and the final.
These Formulae sheets must be turned in with your exam, and will be returned
with the graded exam. Exams may include bonus questions, so it may be possible
to get over 100% on a given exam.
The
final exam will be comprehensive and will cover all course material. It is
worth 200 points. The 3 formulae sheets that were used in the midterms can be
used in the final exam (or you can make 3 new ones, but they must still only be
1 sheet each for a total of 3 sheets).
Missed exams:
A single exam missed for documented health reasons or an
official university function (official documentation is required) will be either made up or
replaced with the average of the other tests, at the instructor’s discretion.
Otherwise, they count as zero.
In-Class Pop
Quizzes: There will be random pop quizzes in class. The sum
of all these pop quizzes will be scaled to be worth 100 points of the final
grade (10%, see below). They will usually be short
(15-20 mins) and consulting notes, the textbook and
discussing with your class mates is
allowed. Attendance is required in
class for pop quizzes and make ups will not be allowed (except for documented
health reasons or an official university function).
Grading
Information:
Evening midterm exams:
450 pts total: your 2 highest grades will count for
200 points each, and the lowest grade will count for 50 points.
Homework sets: scaled
to 250 pts total
In Class Pop Quizzes: scaled
to 100 pts total
Final Exam: 200 pts
Total
points = 1000 pts
Preliminary grading
scale:
>82 % = A
81-69 % = B
68-57 % = C
56-45 % = D
< 45 % = F
Academic
Honesty is expected and required on all exams. Deviations will be dealt with harshly and
addressed according to established university policy.
Inclement weather policy: General UofA policy will be followed.
Generally, unless the university officially closes, classes will take place as
scheduled.
Study Advice:
1) Physical
Chemistry is not easy, but it’s not impossibly hard either, if correct study
habits are used. One misunderstanding is that the student thinks “Wow, that’s a
lot of equations, I’d better memorize them”. Actually, there are not that many
independent equations. Lots of the equations are made by combining two or more
simpler concepts. Therefore, if you learn the concepts that an equation relates to, the equations come naturally.
You need to understand the concepts in order to understand how and when you can
apply the equations.
2) When
you come to class, make sure you have read ahead in the book (and the class notes),
so that the material that I present is not coming at you for the first time.
Make notes during class. Write down questions that you want to look up later,
or ask during office hours. Learn to differentiate between what is a basic
concept, what is an approximation and what is an illustrative detail.
3) Make
your own summaries at the end of each section of the important points. I will
provide some summary information, but if you do your own as well, it will make
it more meaningful to YOU.
4) Since
physical chemistry is a subject that allows you to solve problems, it is
essential that you practice applying the concepts to solving as many problems
as possible. First, work through worked examples in the textbook, then test
yourself with relevant problems that you have the answer to. Finally, work
through assigned problems from the class and homework.
5) Don’t
leave homeworks to the last minute, work through them
steadily. Cramming doesn’t work, since concepts need to be understood, not rote
memorized, to be applied.
6) You
will probably need to devote more time to studying Physical Chemistry that you
have to many other classes due to the fact that it is not possible to memorize
the material. Understanding takes more time than memorization. You don’t need
to be a born genius to learn this material. As Einstein said himself “Genius is
1% inspiration and 99% perspiration” (99% is enough to get an A in this class)
Other advice:
Prepare for the exam.
Don’t be misled to think that you can get all the info from the formula sheet
during the exam. People have tried this in the past and IT DOESN’T WORK. Trust me!
Review
your result in the light of common sense. Can it
really be 1082 m/s or
-100 K (degrees Kelvin)? Minor computational errors (e.g. typing in 23.2
instead of 32.3) will be treated leniently but results which are orders of
magnitude off and are obviously nonsensical will be not. Try to find your error,
or at least include a comment that the results are obviously too big or too
small.
Check
your math. Make sure you
don’t violate math laws (e.g. dividing by 0, incorrect expanding or combining
of variables), that you use the correct method (e.g. integrating vs differentiating, partial derivatives) and that the math
is consistent with the problem (should you integrate between 0 and ∞,
between -∞ and +∞ or something else?)
KEEP
THE UNITS THROUGHOUT in intermediate calculations. Compare
the units of your results with the units you should get. This is the most
efficient way of checking your calculations. Always include the unit when
giving a result. Results stated without a unit (unless the result is a pure
number) are meaningless and, in general, will not count.
PHYSICAL
CHEMISTRY I – CHEM 3504
|
TOPIC |
CHAPTER(S)
IN TEXTBOOK |
|
REVIEW OF MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS AND CLASSICAL
PHYSICS |
Class Notes (Appendix
A (Page 1007-1028, Engel and Reid, 3rd Ed AND/OR Atkins 9th
ed. pages 42-43, 91-93, 286-287, 322-232, 368-370, 414-416) |
|
DEVELOPMENT OF QUANTUM THEORY, SCHRODINGER
EQUATION, POSULATES OF QUANTUM MECHANICS |
12,13, 14 |
|
FREE PARTICLE, PARTICLE-IN-A-BOX, TUNNELING |
15, 16 |
|
COMMUTATING OPERATORS AND HEISENBERG UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE,
SUPERPOSITION AND ENTAGLEMENT OF STATES. |
17 |
|
FIRST
MIDTERM EXAM |
|
|
VIBRATION AND ROTATION MOTION |
18 |
|
INFRARED, RAMAN AND MICROWAVE SPECTROSCOPY |
19 |
|
ATOMIC STRUCTURE AND SPECTRA |
20, 21, 22 |
|
SECOND
MIDTERM EXAM |
|
|
MOLECULAR BONDING AND MOLECULAR STRUCTURE |
23, 24 |
|
ELECTRONIC SPECTROSCOPY |
25 |
|
MOLECULAR SYMMETRY |
27 |
|
THIRD
MIDTERM EXAM |
|