OVERVIEW

This teaching completes the basic preparation of Physical Chemistry, providing a description of the atomic and molecular structure, based on quantum mechanics, and related electronic properties.

"Einstein said that if quantum mechanics is correct, the universe is crazy. Well, Einstein was right. The universe is crazy." - Daniel Greenberger

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching, on the acquisition of knowledge related to the field physical-chemical, it aims at providing the basic tools of quantum mechanics and its applications in the chemical (e.g. in molecular spectroscopy).
 

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Will be provided the methodological tools and the basic language of quantum chemistry, that will put the student in a position to understand and reinterpret, in a formal way, the basic understanding of chemistry (chemical bonding, wave function, interaction radiation / matter, etc...). Furthermore the teaching aims to develop the student's abilities and skills, enabling him to draw connections between the concepts acquired with the basic knowledge in the chemical, and the ability to address problems using the formal tools of quantum mechanics.

PREREQUISITES

For a fruitful frequency it is recommended to have acquired the knowledge related to the teachings of Mathematics Institutions, General physics with laboratory and General and Inorganic Chemistry.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching corresponds to 48 hours of lectures, held in Italian (please note that there is also an individual and effective study commitment of 102 hours).

The lecture notes, as a rule, are available on the aulaweb page (dedicated to teaching) at the same time as the relative contents are held in the classroom.

In this context, at the discretion of the teacher, self-tests (open-ended, multiple-choice questions or numerical exercises) and/or iterative and non-interactive auxiliary materials are uploaded on the aulaweb page, in order to facilitate individual study of the students.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Introduction to quantum mechanics.
• The Schrödinger equation and postulates of quantum mechanics.
• Quantum mechanics applied  to simple systems.
• Approximate methods for solving Schrödinger equation.
• The atomic structure.
• The molecular structure.
• Applications of quantum mechanics in molecular spectroscopy.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

P. W. Atkins, J. De Paula, Chimica Fisica, Zanichelli, Bologna, 2004.

P. W. Atkins, R. Friedman, Molecular Quantum Mechanics, Oxford University Press, 2007.

Optional:

James R. Barrante, Applied Mathematics for Physical Chemistry

Donald A. McQuarrie, Mathematics for Physical Chemistry

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MASSIMO OTTONELLI (President)

MARINA ALLOISIO

MAURIZIO FERRETTI (President Substitute)

CRISTINA ARTINI (Substitute)

MARCELLA PANI (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

From 28 September 2020 (according to the timetable shown on http://www.chimica.unige.it/didattica/orari_CTC and / or https://corsi.unige.it/8757)

Class schedule

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY 3

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is oral, has a duration of at least 45 minutes and is conducted by two tenured professors.

Mind out there! In variation to the normal practice adopted in the CCS, for this course (for the purpose of better organizational management of the exam), enrollment must be made 5 working days before the exam date.

The oral test, normally, includes four questions to verify the acquisition of the concepts inherent to the topics covered in the course, synoptically:

a) General aspects of quantum mechanics and transition from classical to quantum physics (corresponding to the first four points of the program).

b) Hydrogenoic and/or polyelectronic atom (corresponding to the fifth point of the program).

c) Molecules (corresponding to the sixth point of the program).

d) Spectroscopy (corresponding to the seventh point of the program).

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam is aimed at verifying the achievement of an adequate level of knowledge of the topics developed/discussed during the lessons and the ability to use the correct terminology combined with the consistency of exposure of the concepts.

In particular, through the discussion of topics developed in the program and/or the resolution of exercises, the following will be evaluated: the depth and coherence of the knowledge acquired on quantum chemical methodologies; the ability to use this knowledge in the description of atomic and/or molecular systems; skills in using the knowledge and skills acquired in critically describing specific cases of chemical-physical systems.

The initial question of the exam is related to the choice of a postulate of quantum mechanics to be critically discussed (eventually also in connection with the transition from classical to quantum physics).

Exam schedule