Quantum Mechanics of Molecular Structures

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Knowing the geometrical structure of the molecules around us is one of the most important and fundamental issues in the field of chemistry. This course introduces the two primary methods used to determine the geometrical structure of molecules: molecular spectroscopy and gas electron diffraction.

In molecular spectroscopy, molecules are irradiated with light or electric waves to reveal rich information, including:

• Motions of electrons within a molecule (Week 1),
• Vibrational motions of the nuclei within a molecule (Week 2), and
• Rotational motions of a molecule (Week 3).

In the gas electron diffraction method, molecules are irradiated with an accelerated electron beam. As the beam is scattered by the nuclei within the molecule, the scattered waves interfere with each other to generate a diffraction pattern. In week 4, we study the fundamental mechanism of electron scattering and how the resulting diffraction images reveal the geometrical structure of molecules.

By the end of the course, you will be able to understand molecular vibration plays an important role in determining the geometrical structure of molecules and gain a fuller understanding of molecular structure from the information obtained by the two methodologies.

FAQ

Do I need to buy a textbook?

No, you can learn the contents without any textbooks. However, if you hope to learn more on the subjects treated in this course, you are recommended to read the textbook introduced below:

Kaoru Yamanouchi, "Quantum Mechanics of Molecular Structures," Springer-Verlag, 2012.

What you will learn

• Two major methods to determine the geometrical structure of molecules in the gas phase: molecular spectroscopy and gas electron diffraction
• How to quantize various motions of molecules, extract the quantized energy levels, and determine the geometrical structure of molecules from the spectrum
• The fundamental mechanism of electron scattering on the basis of quantum mechanics and how to determine the geometrical structure of molecules from gas electron diffraction images

Skills you learn

• Spectroscopy
• Electromagnetic Radiation
• Quantum Mechanics
• Vibrations
• Chemistry
• Cathode Ray (Electromagnetism)

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Explore the Quantum Mechanics of Molecular Structures with edX. This course delves into methods for determining molecular structures and properties, ideal for those seeking awareness in Science & Engineering. Available through both Professional and Starter subscriptions, it offers a comprehensive introduction to quantum mechanics.