5/23/2016

Syllabus for Physical Chemistry

Course Syllabus
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Instructor
Phillip Geissler (geissler@berkeley.edu), aka PLG
207 Gilman Hall
Ofce hours: Mon 1:30-2:30 pm, Thurs 1:30-2:30 pm
GSIs:
Sumana Raj (sumana.raj@berkeley.edu)
Ofce hours: Wed 5-6 pm (Library Room E), Fri 9-10 am (425 Latimer)
Pratima Satish (pratimasatish@berkeley.edu)
Ofce hours: Tues 11am-noon (Library Room D), Wed 10-11 am (Bixby North)
Jon Weisberg (jonw@berkeley.edu)
Ofce hours: Mon 4-5 pm, Thurs 4-5pm (both in Library Room D)
Chenlu Xie (clxie92@berkeley.edu)
Ofce hours:Tuesday 12-1 pm (Library Room D),Friday 4-5pm (Library Room E)
Class meetings
PLG will give lectures in 120 Latimer on MWF 11am-noon.
GSIs will lead discussions in 100 Lewis onTuesdays from 6-8 pm (on Oct 20 discussion will either be moved or cut short due to a scheduled Midterm in
this location at 7 pm).

Exams
Midterm 1: Tues, Oct 6, 6-8 pm, Valley Life Sciences Building (VLSB), Room 2050
Midterm 2: Tues, Nov 17, 6-8 pm, Valley Life Sciences Building (VLSB), Room 2050
Final: December 14, 11:30am-2:30pm

Content and Logistics

The previous semester of physical chemistry (Chem 120A) focused on the microscopic nature of matter, and in particular how quantum mechanics
determines the structures and energies of atoms and molecules. This second semester concerns collections of many, many such particles, i.e., gases,
liquids, solids, and solutions. A statistical description is essential for these macroscopic systems. We will derive probability distributions of physical
quantities (such as molecular structures and energies) from a handful of basic postulates. The principles of thermodynamics will emerge as natural
consequences of these distributions. Our studies will therefore provide a quantitative connection between observable properties of chemical systems
(such as equilibrium constants and kinetic rate laws) and the microscopic features of atoms and molecules that comprise them.
Lectures are intended to be self-contained, so that a textbook is not necessary to follow the course. As sources for additional reading and exercises, we
suggestMcQuarrie and Simon'sPhysical Chemistry: A Molecular Approachand Dill and Bromberg'sMolecular Driving Forces: Statistical
Thermodynamics in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Nanoscience.
Homework will be assigned approximately weekly and will constitute 1/8 of your nal grade. Each problem set will be due roughly one week after it is
posted on the course website. Late homework will be accepted for 50% credit (ie 8/10 becomes 4/10) up until the solutions are posted, after which no
credit will be available. All homework is due in class on the due date. One midterm, worth 1/4 of your grade, will primarily cover material in sectionIof the
outline below. A second midterm, also worth 1/4 of your grade, will cover primarily sectionIIof the outline. A comprehensive nal exam will constitute the
remaining 3/8 of your nal grade.
Students who have not yet completed Chem 120A will be at a disadvantage in this course. A detailed knowledge of quantum mechanics is not necessary
to follow lectures or solve assigned problems, but we will extensively make use of the fact that physical systems have discrete sets of microscopic states
and energies. We will also perform calculations for the specic energy levels (translational, vibrational, and rotational) of small molecules. The study of
quantum mechanics further provides practice with concepts and tools of statistics, which will feature prominently in our studies.

https://bcourses.berkeley.edu/courses/1365444/assignments/syllabus

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5/23/2016

Syllabus for Physical Chemistry

Outline
I. Foundations of statistical thermodynamics
A. Equilibrium states of macroscopic systems
B. The Boltzmann distribution
C. Partition functions
D. Heat and work: The 1stlaw of thermodynamics
E. Entropy: The 2ndlaw of thermodynamics
F. Temperature, pressure, and chemical potential
G. Heat capacity and stability
H. Free energies and conjugate variables
II. Mass equilibrium
A. Probability, chemical potential, and reversible work
B. Chemical equilibrium
1. Law of mass action
2. Molecular partition functions
C. Phase equilibrium
D. Solutions
1. Ideal solutions
2. Dielectric solvation
3. Electrolyte solutions
III. Dynamics
A. Chemical kinetics
1. Phenomelogical laws
2. Transition state theory
B. Electron transfer
C. Viscosity and thermal conductivity

Honor Code
The student community at UC Berkeley has adopted the following Honor Code: As a member of the UC Berkeley community, I act with honesty,
integrity, and respect for others. The hope and expectation is that you will adhere to this code.
Collaboration and Independence: Reviewing lecture and reading materials, studying for exams, and developing approaches to solve homework problems
can be enjoyable and enriching things to do with fellow students. This is recommended. However, writtenassignments should be completed
independently. No credit will be given for submitted problem sets in which content has been copied from or by another student.
Cheating: A good lifetime strategy is always to act in such a way that no one would ever imagine that you would even consider cheating. Anyone caught
cheating on an exam in this course will receive a failing grade in the course and will also be reported to the University Center for Student Conduct. In
order to guarantee that you are not suspected of cheating, please keep your eyes on your own materials and do not converse with others during exams.
Plagiarism: To copy text or ideas from another source without appropriate reference is plagiarism and will result in a failing grade for your assignment and
usually further disciplinary action. For additional information on plagiarism and how to avoid it, see, for example:
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/instruct/guides/citations.html#Plagiarism
http://gsi.berkeley.edu/teachingguide/misconduct/prevent-plag.html
Academic Integrity and Ethics: Cheating on exams and plagiarism are two common examples of dishonest, unethical behavior. Honesty and integrity are
of great importance in all facets of life. They help to build a sense of self-condence, and are key to building trust within relationships, whether personal
or professional. There is no tolerance for dishonesty in the academic world, for it undermines what we are dedicated to doing furthering knowledge for
the benet of humanity.
Your experience as a student at UC Berkeley is hopefully fueled by passion for learning and replete with fullling activities. And we also appreciate that
being a student can be stressful. There may be times when there is temptation to engage in some kind of cheating in order to improve a grade or
otherwise advance your career. This could be as blatant as having someone else sit for you in an exam, or submitting a written assignment that has been
copied from another source. And it could be as subtle as glancing at a fellow students exam when you are unsure of an answer to a question and are
looking for some conrmation. One might do any of these things and potentially not get caught. However, if you cheat, no matter how much you may
have learned in this class, you have failed to learn perhaps the most important lesson of all.

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