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WHAT'S NEW

• [12.2.11]   New Mathematica notebook:

  • PT for QM PIB with sloping bottom..

• [12.1.11]   A practice final exam (with/without key) is now available on Blackboard.

• [11.28.11]   Problem set 11 is now available. A "grade it yourself" problem set. Solutions will be posted at the end of the week.
  

• [11.25.11]   Lecture notes for Wednesday, November 23. This lecture covered some important material: wavefunctions for systems of identical particles. (See also the Mathematica notebook posted below.)
  

• [11.23.11]   Study guide for Final Exam now available.
  

• [11.1.11]   Course information sheet. Updated to give location of Final Exam: Rockefeller Hall 201 Schwartz Aud.

• [8.25.11]   TA office hours: Siddarth = Tuesday; Dan = Wednesday; Mallory = Thursday (all 3:30 - 5:30 pm, G29 Baker).

COURSE INFORMATION

• Instructor: Professor Gregory Ezra

• Prerequisites: MATH 2130 or 2310 or 2210-2220; PHYS 2208; CHEM 2080 or 2160 or permission of instructor.

• Chem 3890 will provide an introduction to Quantum Mechanics as a foundation for Physical Chemistry. In addition to the basic theory, applications to atomic and molecular structure, chemical bonding and spectroscopy will be discussed.

• A list of topics to be covered is given in the course syllabus.

• For further details on course organization, see the course information sheet.

• We will cover material from two textbooks:

  • Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 2nd edition, by D. J. Griffiths.
    A very readable introductory text on Quantum Mechanics.

  • Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach, by D.A. McQuarrie and J.D. Simon (University Science Books).
    You will also use this textbook in Chem 3900.

• For further information, please contact Professor Ezra.
  

• We will use the computer program Mathematica extensively for both analytical and numerical computations. Students can:

  • License a copy for one academic year through the Cornell licensing program, or directly from Wolfram research.

  • Purchase the software outright, either through the Campus Store or directly from Wolfram research.

LECTURE DOCUMENTS

• 2-slit experiment

MATHEMATICA NOTEBOOKS

• Mathematica basics.

• Professor Kelly's Mathematica tutorials: Essential Mathematica for Students of Science.

• Color phasor plots for complex functions.

• Visualizing complex wavefunctions.

• Complex conjugation of wavefunctions.

• Solving the Schrodinger equation using NDSolve.

• QM particle-in-a-box.

• QM of a potential step.

• QM of a potential barrier.

• QM Harmonic oscillator wavefunctions and probability densities.

• Visualizing spherical harmonics.

• H atom radial wavefunctions and probability densities.

• QM wavefunctions for identical particles.

• PT for QM PIB with sloping bottom..

EXAM REVIEW SHEET

• List of review topics for Final Exam
  

PROBLEM SETS

• Problem set 11.   (Grade it yourself)
  

POETRY CORNER

• Schrodinger's Cat Preaches to the Mice by Gwen Harwood