Our physical chemistry courses challenge students in the knowledge of thermodynamics, spectroscopy, quantum mechanics, and kinetics. All Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Chemistry-Computers majors must complete a physical chemistry course. Biochemistry majors must complete biophysical chemistry, focusing on the application of physical chemistry to biological systems.
An introduction to the application of physical chemical principles to biological problems. This involves aqueous solutions colloidal chemistry, thermodynamics, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, and nuclear chemistry.
A continuation of Biophysical Chemistry I involving a study of atomic and molecular structure, spectroscopy, photo-chemistry, and surface chemistry with applications to biological phenomena. Experiments involving applications of physical chemical techniques to biological problems.
This course studies the physics of chemistry a little more in depth than the biophysical chemical courses, mainly because the students are expected to have taken at least Analysis I-III and Analysis-based Physics prior to entering the course. This semester of the course studies primarily two aspects of physical chemistry: thermodynamics and structure-based quantum mechanics. Experiments in the laboratory demonstrate topics talked of in class as well as some basic skills needed to perform these tasks.
This second part of the course emphasizes spectroscopy, electrochemistry, kinetics, and dynamics of physical chemistry. Experiments in the laboratory demonstrate the topics talked of in class including instruction on use of the FTIR and UV-Vis spectrometers.
This elective concentrates on quantum mechanics and quantum chemistry, including classical problems, perturbational theory, variational theory and specific applications of molecular orbital theory to organic molecules and spectroscopic application.