Course Schedule, Exams, Reading and Homework
-The course website is at https://gruebele-group.chemistry.illinois.edu/courses/chem-440
-Dates: Check below for dates of all lectures, exams, reviews.
-Lecture: MWF at 11-11:50 AM in 1000 Lincoln Hall.
-Reading: No textbook to buy, full course notes are at the web site, covering O = overview, Q = quantum, S = stat mech & thermo, T = transport and kinetics. For example, “Q1 p1-3” = read Quantum notes Chapter 1, pages 1 through 3. Please read the assigned notes before lecture.
-OH: Gruebele office hours. Generally on Fridays at noon in-person in A220 CLSL.
-Homework: All homework is listed in the course notes. Solutions are posted already on the Chem 440 website. Do all homework, but only the green problems must be turned in for grading and credit. Assignments from the previous week are due on Mondays at 5 PM. (e.g. if two green problems are assigned on various days in week 1, both are due on Monday of week 2, but you should also do the remaining problem(s) from the assigned reading, they can be on the exams).
-Hour exam and final exam questions The questions are modified homework problems, in-class exercises, and thought experiments, listed in the course notes so keep up with them every week!
Date |
Lecture |
Reading |
OH |
Homework |
1/17 L1 |
The goals of pchem; averages, derivative models |
O1 p1-3
|
|
Do O1.1 |
1/19 L2 |
Randomness, Bayesian inference |
O1 p3-5
|
noon |
Do O1.2, O1.3 |
1/22 L3 |
Why logarithms, complex numbers |
O1 p 6-7 |
|
Do O1.4 |
1/24 L4 |
Why go ‘quantum’? Music and quantum mechanics |
Q1 p1-3 |
|
Do Q1.1 Play with MD demo |
1/26 L5 |
The Postulates of quantum mechanics |
Q1 p4-5 |
noon |
Do Q1.2
|
1/29 L6 |
Some consequences of the postulates |
Q1 p6-7 |
|
Do Q1.3 |
2/31 L7 |
Of molecules and springs |
Q2 p8-10 |
|
Do Q2.1, Q2.2 Play with QM demo |
2/2 L8 |
Weird properties of quantum springs |
Q2 p10-12 |
noon |
Do Q2.3, Q 2.4
|
2/5 L9 |
Other models interesting for chemistry: ‘The Box’ |
Q3 p13-15 |
|
Do Q3.1 |
2/7 L10 |
The simplest atom |
Q3 p16-17 |
|
Do Q3.2 |
2/9 (TA) L11 |
The simplest molecule |
Q4 p18-19
|
|
Do Q4.1 |
2/12 L12 |
The forbidden region and quantum interference: bonding and antibonding |
Q4 p19-20 |
|
Do Q4.2 |
2/14 L13 |
Multi-electron molecules |
Q4 p21-22 |
|
Do Q4.3 |
2/16 L14 |
Potential surfaces and absorbing/emitting light |
Q5 p23-24 |
noon |
Do Q5.1 |
2/19 L15 |
Can spectroscopy detect alien life? |
Q5 p25-26 |
|
Do Q5.2, Q5.3 |
2/21 L16 |
How do chemical reactions go over barriers |
Q5 p27-28 |
|
Do Q5.4 |
2/23 L17 |
From mechanics to statistical mechanics |
S1 p1-3 |
noon |
Do S1.1 |
2/26 L18 |
The Postulates of statistical mechanics |
S2 p4-5 |
|
Do S2.1 |
2/28 L19 |
The microcanonical partition function |
S2 p6-7 |
|
Do S2.2 |
3/1 L20 |
Entropy and deriving the ‘laws’ of thermodynamics |
S2 p8-9 |
noon |
Do S2.3 |
3/4 L21 |
What is temperature? |
S3 p10-12 |
noon |
Do S3.1, S3.2 |
3/6 Review |
TA review Session in class |
|
|
- |
3/8 Exam |
Hour Exam #1, covers L1-16, In-class, open annotated textbook and notes. Location: 1000 Lincoln Hall |
|||
3/18 L22 |
Thermodynamic potentials E, F, G and H |
S3 p12-14 |
|
Do S3.3, S3.4 |
3/20 L23 |
Heat flow, heat capacity and thermo calculations |
S3 p14-15 |
|
Do S3.5, S3.6, S3.7, S3.8 |
3/22 L24 |
Reactions at constant temperature |
S4 p16-18 |
noon |
Do S4.1 |
3/25 (TA) L25 |
Folding proteins with stat mech |
S4 p19-20 |
|
Do S4.2 |
3/27 L26 |
Solving problems with the partition function |
S4 p21-22 |
|
Do S4.3, S4.4 |
3/29 L27 |
Chemical equilibrium |
S5 p23-24 |
noon |
Do S5.1, S5.2, S5.3 |
4/1 L28 |
Mass action law |
S5 p25-26 |
|
Do S5.4 |
4/3 L29 |
Calculating Keq from first principles |
S5 p27-28 |
|
Do S5.5 |
4/5 Review |
TA review Session in class |
|
|
- |
4/8 |
Solar Eclipse in Illinois |
|
|
Honors Project only |
4/10 Exam |
Hour Exam #2, covers L17-26, In-class, open annotated textbook and notes. Location: 1000 Lincoln Hall |
|||
4/12 L30 |
Moving molecules: Brownian motion |
S6 p29-30 |
noon |
Do S6.1 |
4/15 L31 |
Moving molecules: drift and flux |
S6 p30-32 |
|
Do S6.2 |
4/17 L32 |
Transport postulates & Boltzmann factor |
T1 p1-2 |
|
Do T1.1, T1.2 |
4/19 L33 |
Deriving transport: Fick’s, Faraday’s and Ohm’s laws |
T2 5-6 |
noon |
Do T2.1, T2.2 |
4/22 L34 |
Nernst equation, Osmosis and the ‘Master Table’ |
T2 7-9 |
|
Do T2.3, T2.4, T2.5 |
4/24 L35 |
Integrated flux and Le Châtelier’s Principle |
T3 10-11 |
|
Do T3.1 |
4/26 |
No lecture on Friday! |
|
|
|
4/29 L36 |
Arrhenius and activated rate theory |
T3 12-14 |
|
Do T3.2, T3.3 |
5/1 |
In-class review with Gruebele |
- |
|
Turn in final homework set by May 1. |
Final Exam: 8:00-11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 9, covers all material Location: 1000 Lincoln Hall |