CEM 991: Quantum Chemistry and Statistical Thermodynamics I, Fall 2020

 

In the Fall 2020 Semester, CEM 991 will be offered online. Online instruction requires interaction between the students enrolled in the course and the course instructor at scheduled meeting times. Being a synchronous class, CEM 991 has required lecture attendance and includes deadlines for completion of homework assignments. It also includes testing in the form of midterm and final exams, as posted on the course website and communicated to the students via email.

 

Lectures, via Zoom:

Mondays, 7:00 – 9:00 pm Eastern Time
Thursdays, 8:00 – 10:00 am Eastern Time
Lectures begin on Thursday, September 3, 2020, and end on Thursday, December 10, 2020.

 

Optional recitation and review sessions, via Zoom (as the need arises):

Wednesdays, 8:00 – 9:00 am Eastern Time

 

Instructor:

Professor Piotr Piecuch, Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, Chemistry Bldg., Room 17 (inside Theory Suite, Room 19).

Office telephone: 517-353-1151 (when calling use the mobile phone number provided to students enrolled in the course by email).

Email: piecuch at chemistry dot msu dot edu.

Websites: https://www.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty-research/faculty-members/piotr-piecuch/ (department) and https://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/faculty/piecuch/ (group)

 

Course web site:

https://www2.chemistry.msu.edu/courses/cem991/FS20/syllabus-CEM991-FS20.htm (this page).

 

Course contents:

The contents of the course, with references to the relevant chapters in the principal textbook (a PDF file), can be downloaded from here.

 

Office hours, via Zoom:

Wednesdays, 9:00 – 10:00 am Eastern time. For additional appointments by Zoom, contact the instructor by email. For questions about the course that do not require scheduled meetings, contact the instructor by email or telephone.

 

Principal textbook (recommended, but not required), lecture notes, and handouts:

Eugen Merzbacher, Quantum Mechanics, 3rd edition (Wiley, New York, 1998).  This book (particularly, Chapters 1-6, 8-12, and 14-19) provides a general framework for the course. Other books and sources of information will be used to discuss specific topics (see, for example, books on reserve).

All lectures, homework assignments, and midterm and final exams will be based on the lecture notes and handouts provided to the students by the instructor. Zoom lectures will be recorded and deposited on the course website in the homework section (see the Homework Assignments section for further information). Attendance at the scheduled Zoom lectures is required and taking notes during the lectures is recommended to facilitate learning. For the students who must miss a class due to illness or other similarly serious circumstances, appropriate accommodations will be provided by the instructor.

 

Related books:

A number of related books on quantum and classical mechanics, quantum chemistry, mathematical methods of physics and chemistry, and physical chemistry that may be used for various aspects of the course material have been placed on reserve in the Main Library. Please use the link https://lib.msu.edu/resources/reserves/?ref=ql and search for CEM991 or the instructor’s name (last, first) for further information.

 

Homework assignments:

There will be eight assignments, which will be successively added to the course web site during the semester as PDF files. They will contain information about the relevant due dates. Students, who have registered for CEM 991, will be able to access them by clicking here and using their MSU NetID information. It is expected that students email their homework assignments as PDF files by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on the respective due dates. Late homeworks will not be accepted. Homework assignment solutions will be made available as PDF files and posted after the successive due dates. All homework assignments can contribute up to 200 points (20 %) to the final grade (assuming 25 points per assignment).

 

Some useful items from lectures and other information:

The course web site provides some useful items from lectures and additional information related to the material taught in the course. Please click here to access this additional information.

 

Midterm exams:

There will be two midterm exams, each contributing up to 250 points (25 %) to the final grade. Students will receive exam booklets from the instructor by email. The dates and hours of the midterm exams will be announced later.

 

Final exam:

The final exam will take place during the final examination session scheduled by the university, Monday, December 14 through Friday, December 18, 2020. The specific date(s) and hours of the final exam will be announced in due time. The final exam will contribute up to 300 points (30 %) to the final grade.

 

Grading scheme:

 

Assignments

  200 points

  20 % of the final grade

Midterm exam I

  250 points

  25 % of the final grade

Midterm exam II

  250 points

  25 % of the final grade

Final exam

  300 points

  30 % of the final grade

Total

1000 points

100 %

 

Final grades will be assigned according to the following table:              

85.0 – 100.0 %  (850 – 1000 points)

4.0

75.0 –   84.9 %  (750 –  849 points)

3.5

65.0 –   74.9 %  (650 –  749 points)

3.0

60.0 –   64.9 %  (600 –  649 points)

2.5

55.0 –   59.9 %  (550 –  599 points)

2.0

50.0 –   54.9 %  (500 –  549 points)

1.5

45.0 –   49.9 %  (450 –  499 points)

1.0

  0.0 –   44.9 %      (0 –  449 points)

0.0

 

Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities:

Michigan State University is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services, and activities.  Requests for accommodations by persons with disabilities may be made by contacting the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at 517-884-7273 or on the web at https://www.rcpd.msu.edu/. Once your eligibility for an accommodation has been determined, you will be issued a Verified Individual Services Accommodation (“VISA”) form. Please present this form to the instructor at the start of the semester and/or at least two weeks prior to the accommodation date (test, final exam, homework, etc.). Requests received after this date will be honored whenever possible.