Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Contact Information
Upon successful completion of this course…
1. The student will be able to discuss, on a theoretical basis, a variety of chemical behaviors.
2. The student will be able to explain the theory of quantum mechanics and energy.
3. The student will be able to, in a laboratory, produce chemical behaviors and explain how those behaviors
relate to quantum mechanics.
Textbook
Name: Physical Chemistry
Edition: 2nd
ISBN: 978-1-133-95843-7
Author: David W Ball
Publisher: Cengage
Please have a scientific calculator. You may not use your phone's calculator.
The lab procedures will be provided to you. They, and the Ch. problems, will be in the Blackboard class.
Catalog Course Description: A continuation of CH430 with an emphasis on quantum mechanics, bonding theory
Overview: Physical Chemistry II is a two part course: lecture and lab. The course is a chemistry major course designed to provide an overview of the theoretical basis of a variety of chemical behaviors, with an emphasis on quantum mechanics and energy. The course is required for the chemistry major, and fulfills gen. ed. for Q.
Dept. goals for major include:
1) "Provide students with a knowledge of chemistry to allow them to successfully function as chemists and scientists." Course teaches content, especially quantum theory.
2) "Foster written and oral skills." Ten percent of the class grade is a paper, which is purely a writing assignment. Twenty-four percent of the grade is lab write-ups/reports. (Oral is not part of this class.)
3) "Foster computer skills." Labs require extensive use of spreadsheet for calculations, and word-processing for write-ups, as well as use of instrumentation, all of which is computer-driven. Creating and interpreting graphs and spectra of various kinds are a substantial part of some labs.
4) "Foster basic synthetic and instrumental skills." Students must do chemical analysis and preparation of materials for labs. Analysis and data collection requires use of various instruments.
5) "Encourage good working relationships with others in the class/laboratory." Students are encouraged to interact with each other in lab, and since partners are not assigned, such relationships require civility and good behavior on the part of all those involved.
6) "Encourage independence of thought and reasoning ability." Class has open lab, and experiments may be restarted and/or repeated as required and as troubleshooting indicates is needed.
7) "Provide students with experiences of the chemistry profession outside fo the WC campus." Not explicitly part of this class, although open lab is an attempt to mimic a "real" outside lab environment.
Tentative Schedule
The text is the same as for CH 430, Physical Chemistry by Ball. I expect at this point to cover the chaps. dealing with quantum mechanics and spectroscopy, more or less in order. I will also do the chap. which deals with symmetry, and some kinetics. I may or may not do gas kinetics or touch on statistical thermodynamics, as/if time allows.
The order would then be:
Pre-Quantum Mechanics – Why?
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Model Systems and the Hydrogen Atom
Atoms and Molecules
Symmetry in Quantum Mechanics
Rotational and Vibrational Spectroscopy
Electronic Spectroscopy and Structure
Magnetic Spectroscopy (less than is covered in the text)
Reaction kinetics, gas kinetics
Statistical Thermodynamics (possibly, briefly)
Subject to change during the semester. Adequate notice of changes will be given.
The grading will consist of the following:
Labs 280 pts. 8 at 35 pts. each. Two are due on Feb. 13, 3 on March 20, and 3 on April 17.
Tests 480 pts. 6 at 80 pts. each. These will be at various times throughout the semester to accord with the lecture and ends of chapters.
Paper 110 pts. due April 10.
Final exam 130 pts. Wed. May 6, at 8:00 A.M.
The grading scale will be as follows:
I will not use plus/minus grading in this class. The grade cutoffs will be as follows:
A 85% and above
B 75 to 84%
C 60 to 74%
D 50 to 59 %
F below 50%
If, for some reason, it becomes necessary to modify the list of assignments, the percentages and grade cut-offs will still be used.
The paper is topic of your choice, with my approval. I expect perfect grammar, correct source citation, and 8-10 pages. Do not use ChatGPT or any other variant of AI. Do not recycle a paper from some other class.
Problems will be assigned but not graded. Solutions will be available on Blackboard.
Instructor Course Policies
Attendance will not be formally taken, but your physical presence is expected. consistent lateness or unexplained absence in clas can be expected to severely annoy the instructor, and to have a potentially negative effect on any border-line grade situations at the end of the semester. There will be a 10% per day lateness penalty on all assignments.
You will be expected to keep a lab notebook. Please find me (or Mike or Mark) to initial your notebook on those days when you have acquired substantial experimental data. This is not necessary on days when you have cleaned glassware, or done prep work. But on those days when you spend some hours actually acquiring the data that you will later use in your write-up, please make sure that one of us has verified your presence in the lab. I may be asking to see this at some point.
The paper is topic of your choice, with my approval. I expect perfect grammar, correct source citation, and 8-10 pages. Do not use ChatGPT or any other variant of AI. Do not recycle a paper from some other class.
See the current Student Handbook for the College's Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges. See the current Student Handbook for the College's Attendance policy, especially as it pertains to excused absneces.
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Additional Information
At this point, I intend to have 8 lab events. They will be due at three times during the semester. I do not require that the labs be done in any specific order. This will be an open lab, and as long as you do not work alone, or outside of normal hours, you may work whenever you wish. You WILL NOT EVER work in lab when you are the only one on this floor. All the safety rules learned in lower division classes apply. Open lab is a privilege. It indicates a respect for your abilities and a trust of your common sense. This privilege will not be abused.
As with all classes at Wilmington College, it is expected that an average student may expect to spend at least 2 hours working outside of class for each hour of lecture the class is worth. This class has 3 hours of lecture per week. This should be considered approximate only, due to the variation in students, and in class material from one week to another, but a substantial time commitment is expected in addition to time spent in class and lab.
In order to maintain your eligibility for financial aid, you must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0. You also must successfully complete 2/3 (67%) of the classes for which you are registered after the first week of school. Dropping a class could put you at risk of not meeting the 67% criteria. If you wish to drop a class, please see your instructor or advisor for help calculating your status.
My office is SA 208 ext. 258. I will have office hours M through F from 11 to 12 (meeting schedule permitting.) If I’m in my office and the door is open, come in. If I’m in my office and the door is closed, knock anyway. If I’m snowed under, I reserve the right to ask you to come by another time. I function on the if-you-find-me-it's-office-hours principle, and I am not usually hard to find. If I am not in my office and the door is open, I may be elsewhere on the floor. Please look for me. I am in the phone book, (937-728-9290) but I strongly, firmly, and emphatically suggest that this information be used only with the utmost care and restraint.
Finally, if you have any disability or medical condition which might affect your performance, comfort, or safety in class or lab, please speak with me as soon as possible.
ADA statement: Americans with Disabilities Act: If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, contact the Accessibility and Disability Services Director at 937-481-2444, Robinson Communication Center 111.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: SP25 Final Exam Schedule Graduate:
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. |
Class Attendance Policy |
Accessibility and Disability Services
Accessibility and Disability Services
Wilmington College provides accommodations and services for student with a variety of disabilities, including chronic illnesses, psychological, physical, medical, learning, and sensory disability amongst others. If you anticipate or experience barriers based on disability and feel you may need a reasonable accommodation to fulfill the essential functions of this course, you are encouraged to contact:
Spencer Izor, Associate Vice President of Compliance - Title IX/ADA Coordinator at spencer.izor@wilmington.edu or 937-481-2365 or Nathan Flack, Academic Resource Manager at 937-481-2208 to learn more about the process and procedures for requesting accommodations, or by visiting College Hall Room 306a or the Robinson Communication Center, Room 103.
Religious Accommodations
Wilmington College strives for an inclusive climate and welcomes students from all backgrounds, faiths, and experiences. If religious observance impedes your ability to participate fully in classroom activities or a principal holiday from your religious tradition occurs during the semester and conflicts with class meetings or activities, please make the professor aware of this immediately to determine if a reasonable accommodation is possible.