Focus 7

Elements of Physical Chemistry

Atkins & dePaula

Prof. Raghu Nath Behera

Office: B311 (Tuesday@5pm)
[email protected]
 Quantum Theory

Quantum theory is the latest theory for

description of
the structure & properties of atoms and
molecules
(“the very currency of chemistry”)

Quantum chemistry applies quantum theory

to solve problems in chemistry.
 Quantum Chemistry

To predict molecular properties, such as

geometry, conformation, dipole moments, spectra…

To study chemical reactions, predict properties

of transition states and intermediates, to
investigate the mechanisms
To understand intermolecular forces and the
behavior of molecules in solutions, solids,
biomolecules
To calculate thermodynamic properties (e.g.,
entropy, heat capacity)
 The Emergence of Quantum Theory

• Classical mechanics is very successful for

describing laws of motion of macroscopic objects

• Laws of motion formulated by Galileo, Newton,

Lagrange, Hamilton, Maxwell which preceded
quantum theory are referred to as Classical
Mechanics

• Early 20th century, it was found that classical

mechanics does not correctly describe behavior
of objects of very small mass (microscopic
objects)
 Classical Mechanics
The essence of classical mechanics is given in Newton’s laws

2 F: force acting on the particle,

d x
F  ma  m 2
m: its mass, t: the time,
acceleration: a = dv/dt = d2x/dt2,
dt v: the velocity.
Solution: x  g (t , c1 , c2 ) , c1 and c2 are constants

Addn. conditions:

Knowing the position x0 and velocity v0 at present time

t0, we can predict the future position of the particle.
 Example… d 2x 2
d x
F  mg  m 2  2  g
dt dt
If at t = t0 the particle had v = v0, then

If at t = t0, position x = x0, then

Given the position (x0)

and the velocity (v0) at
vertical motion

present time (t0), future

position x(t) is known
What about properties??
PE = V = mgx
KE = mv2/2 = p2/2m=(Ft)2/2m
 Classical Mechanics

For a given force, if the initial position and

DETERMINISTIC
the velocity of the particle is known, all
physical quantities such as position,
momentum, angular momentum, energy etc.
at all subsequent times can be calculated.

A super-being able to know the state of the

universe at any instant could, in principle,
calculate all future motions
…Laplace (1749-1827)
 Classical mechanics (Summary)
A particle travels in a trajectory (a path with
a precise position and momentum) at each
instant.

Any type of motion can be excited to a state

of arbitrary energy.

Waves and particles are distinct concepts.

These conclusions agree with everyday

experience.
However, everyday experience does not extend to
individual atoms & subatomic particles.

Position-momentum uncertainty relation:

p x x   / 2
An uncertainty of 10-8 m
in position of an electron
means an uncertainty of
104 m/s in its velocity.

Classical mechanics fails when

• Applied to individual atoms and subatomic particles
• The transfer of energy is very small
 Experimental results that overthrew the
concepts of classical physics….
• Energy can be transferred between systems
only in discrete amounts.

• Light behaved like a stream of particles.

• Electrons behaved like waves.

Black-body radiation
Examples: Heat capacities
Photoelectric effect
Compton effect
 Properties of Light
In classical physics, light is described as an
electromagnetic radiation travelling at a speed of c =
2.997 924 58 x108 m s-1, characterized by wavelength
() and frequency (ν): ν = c

Wavenumber = 1/
 The electromagnetic spectrum

1 μm (micron) = 10-6 m; 1 nm (nano) = 10-9 m; 1 pm (pico) = 10-12 m

 Evidence for discrete energy transfer
A spectrum is a display of the frequencies (or wavelengths) of
electromagnetic radiation that are absorbed / emitted / scattered
by an atom or molecule.
atomic emission molecular absorption

Radiation is emitted or absorbed at a series of discrete

wavelengths / frequencies.
 Atomic and molecular spectra
Conclusion: the energy of the atoms/molecules
is quantized, i.e. confined to discrete values.

Energy can be
discarded or
absorbed only in
discrete amounts

h = ∆E = |EU – EL|
Bohr frequency condition
 Quantization of Energy
The limitation of energies to discrete values is
called the quantization of energy.

The permitted energies of an electromagnetic

wave of frequency  are integer multiples of
h.

E = nh, n = 1, 2,…
Planck constant, h = 6.626 x 10-34J s

These particles of electromagnetic radiation

are called quanta / photons.
The recognition that energy changes
in discrete quanta at the atomic level
marked the beginning of Quantum
Theory…

Max Planck
(1858-1947)
Nobel Prize in Physics 1918
 Evidence for radiation as particles
Under the right circumstances light can be
used to push electrons, freeing them from
the surface of a solid.

H. Hertz
(1887 )

This process is called the photoelectric effect

(or photoelectric emission or photoemission)
 Features of Photoelectric Effect
Classically •No electrons are ejected,
unless the frequency
EEMW  A exceeds a threshold value
2

•Even at low light

intensities, electrons are
ejected immediately if the
frequency is above the
threshold value

•The kinetic energy of the

ejected electrons varies
linearly with the frequency
of the incident radiation
 Features of Photoelectric Effect

EK =

Kinetic energy, EK = eVS

VS: Stopping potential
work function,  = h0

Photoelectric effect
confirmed that radiation
can be interpreted as a
stream of particles.
 Evidence for particles as waves

The scattering of an
electron beam from a
nickel crystal shows a
variation of intensity
characteristic of a
diffraction experiment.

C. Davisson, L. Germer (1952)

Diffraction: waves
interfere constructively
(left) and destructively
(right) in different
directions.
 Evidence for particles as waves
Diffraction is a typical characteristic of wave.

The Davisson–Germer experiment has been

repeated with other particles (including
molecular hydrogen and C60), shows clearly
that particles have wave-like properties.

In fact, the diffraction of neutrons is

now a well-established technique for
investigating the structures and dynamics
of condensed phases.
 Wave-Particle duality

Particles have wave-like properties and

waves have particle-like properties when
examined on an atomic scale.

(i.e. the concepts of particle and wave melt

together)

This joint wave-particle character of matter and

radiation is called wave-particle duality.
 Wave-Particle Duality
Can be explained in Can be explained in
Phenomenon
terms of waves. terms of particles.

Reflection
Refraction
Interference
Diffraction
Polarization
Photoelectric effect
Compton scattering

How to describe wave-particle duality?

 de Broglie relation
Wavelength of a travelling
particle is inversely related to
its linear momentum

h

p

Classical mechanics Quantum mechanics

 Governed by Newton’s law  Governed by Schrodinger
equation
Deterministic Probabilistic
Continuous energy Discrete energy
Wave & particle are different Wave-particle duality
concepts