Courses:

Course Info

• Course Number / Code:
• 5.61 (Fall 2007) 
• Course Title:
• Physical Chemistry 
• Course Level:
• Undergraduate 
• Offered by :
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  Massachusetts, United States  
• Department:
• Chemistry 
• Course Instructor(s):
• Prof. Robert Guy Griffin
  Prof. Troy Van Voorhis 
• Course Introduction:
•  
• 
  
  5.61 Physical Chemistry
  
  
  
  

  Fall 2007

  
  
  

  
  
  

  Course Highlights

  
  
  

  
  
  5.61 Physical Chemistry
  
  
  
  

  Fall 2007

  
  
  

  

  Wavefunctions and probability distributions for the first four energy levels of the quantum harmonic oscillator. (Illustration courtesy of OCW.)

  
  
  

  Course Description

  
  
  

  This course presents an introduction to quantum mechanics. It begins with an examination of the historical development of quantum theory, properties of particles and waves, wave mechanics and applications to simple systems — the particle in a box, the harmonic oscillator, the rigid rotor and the hydrogen atom. The lectures continue with a discussion of atomic structure and the Periodic Table. The final lectures cover applications to chemical bonding including valence bond and molecular orbital theory, molecular structure, spectroscopy.
  
  

  Acknowledgements

  
  
  

  The material for 5.61 has evolved over a period of many years, and, accordingly, several faculty members have contributed to the development of the course contents. The original version of the lecture notes that are available on OCW was prepared in the early 1990's by Prof. Sylvia T. Ceyer. These were revised and transcribed to electronic form primarily by Prof. Keith A. Nelson. The current version includes additional contributions by Professors Moungi G. Bawendi, Robert W. Field, Robert G. Griffin, Robert J. Silbey and John S. Waugh, all of whom have taught the course in the recent past.