Lecture Notes

The big picture.

Quantum mechanics

• Matrix mechanics and wave mechanics.
• What does the Schrödinger equation tell you?
• The Hamiltonian.
• The wave function.
• Normalization and phase factors.
• The bracket notation.

Atomic physics

• Spherical coordinates.
• The hydrogen atom.
• The radial distribution function.
• The independent-particle model in quantum chemistry.
• MO-diagrams and energy-level diagrams.
• The Aufbau principle and Hund's rules.

Simple bonding theories

Quantum chemistry

• The Born-Oppenheimer approximation.
• The energy of a molecule.
• The terms in the Hamiltonian of a molecule.
• The LCAO approximation.
• Qualitative MO theory.
• Orbital energies and nodal planes.
• How to interpret orbital energies.
• Explaining energetics and bonds with Slater determinants.
• Transforming the molecular orbitals.
• MO diagrams.
• Benzene.
• How quantum chemistry is done.

Confusing notations and terminology.

A list of errors in the textbooks.

If you want to print the lecture notes, you should download all the above as one PDF file.

You can also download zipped files with the PowerPoint material that was used during the lectures. There are zipped files for the part on quantum mechanics, on atomic physics, on simple bonding theories, and on quantum chemistry (part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4).

The equations on these pages were made using TTH. With some browsers the result may look scrambled. In general it easy to correct this. If your browser has trouble with the equations have a look at the TTH website.

The lectures in the spring 2004 are currently put on video. Check the relevant info page and the list of available lectures.