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THE UNIVERSITY
OF BIRMINGHAM
1. Classical Mechanics
1.1 Features of classical mechanics.
1.2 Some relevant equations in classical mechanics.
1.3 Example The 1-Dimensional Harmonic Oscillator
1.4 Experimental evidence for the breakdown of classical mechanics.
1.5 The Bohr model of the atom.
2. Wave-Particle Duality
2.1 Waves behaving as particles.
2.2 Particles behaving as waves.
2.3 The De Broglie Relationship.
3. Wavefunctions
3.1 Definitions.
3.2 Interpretation of the wavefunction..
3.3 Normalization of the wavefunction.
3.4 Quantization of the wavefunction
3.5 Heisenbergs Uncertainty Principle.
4. Wave Mechanics
4.1 Operators and observables.
4.2 The Schrdinger equation.
4.3 Particle in a 1-dimensional box.
4.4 Further examples.
Learning Objectives
To use the Aufbau Principle, the Pauli Principle and Hunds Rule to
predict the lowest energy electron configuration for many-electron
atoms.
To appreciate how the Born-Oppenheimer approximation can be used
to separate electronic and nuclear motion in molecules.
To understand how molecular orbitals (MOs) can be generated as linear
combinations of atomic orbitals and the difference between bonding
and antibonding orbitals.
To be able to sketch MOs and their corresponding electron densities.
To construct MO diagrams for homonuclear and heteronuclear diatomic
molecules.
To predict the electron configurations for diatomic molecules, calculate
bond orders and relate these to bond lengths, strengths and vibrational
frequencies.
References
Fundamentals
P. W. Atkins, J. de Paula, Atkins' Physical Chemistry (7th edn.),
OUP, Oxford, 2001.
D. O. Hayward, Quantum Mechanics for Chemists (RSC Tutorial
Chemistry Texts 14) Royal Society of Chemistry, 2002.
W. G. Richards and P. R. Scott, Energy Levels in Atoms and
Molecules (Oxford Chemistry Primers 26) OUP, Oxford, 1994.
More Advanced
P. W. Atkins and R. S. Friedman, Molecular Quantum Mechanics
(3rd edn.) OUP, Oxford, 1997.
P. A. Cox, Introduction to Quantum Theory and Atomic Structure
(Oxford Chemistry Primers 37) OUP, Oxford, 1996.
1. Classical Mechanics
Do the electrons in atoms and molecules obey Newtons
classical laws of motion?
We shall see that the answer to this question is No.
This has led to the development of Quantum Mechanics we
will contrast classical and quantum mechanics.
The exact position (r)and velocity (v) (and hence the momentum p
= mv) of a particle (mass = m) can be known simultaneously at
each point in time.
Note: position (r),velocity (v) and momentum (p) are vectors, having
magnitude and direction v = (vx,vy,vz).
Particles
Waves
Property
Behaviour
mass
position
velocity
momentum
collisions
wavelength
frequency
diffraction
interference
T - depends on v
E = mv2 + V
V - depends on r
V depends on the system
e.g. positional, electrostatic PE
E = p2/2m + V (p = mv)
Note: strictly E, T, V (and r, v, p) are all defined at a particular time (t) E(t)
etc..
F
m
NB assuming no friction or
other forces act on the particle
(except F).
Hookes Law F = kx
k is the stiffness of the spring (or stretching force constant of the bond
if considering molecular vibrations)
m(d2x/dt2) = kx
equation
Solution:
position
of particle
1
= /2 =
2
frequency
(of oscillation)
Note:
x(t) = Asin(t)
k
m
k
m
time period = 1/
+A
t
A
Energy
Radiated
Classical Mechanics
(Rayleigh-Jeans)
2000 K
1750 K
1250 K
0
2000
4000
6000
/nm
(n = 1, 2, 3, )
h ~ 6.6261034 Js
Classical physics
It was found that atoms and molecules absorb and emit light only at
specific discrete frequencies
spectral lines (not
continuously!).
n1 = 1 Lyman
n1 = 2 Balmer
n1 = 3 Paschen
n1 = 4 Brackett
n1 = 5 Pfund
1
1
RH 2 2
n
c
n
2
1
Rydberg constant
A Amplitude
wavelength
- frequency
c = x or = c /
wavenumber = c= 1 /
c (velocity of light in vacuum) = 2.9979 x 108 m s-1.
The model only works for hydrogen (and other one electron
ions) ignores e-e repulsion.
2. Wave-Particle Duality
Intensity
s
i
Momentum of photon
p = h/
Energy of photon
E = h = hc/
s i
h
1 cos
m e c
p=h/s
e
p=mev
h
h
p mv
3. Wavefunctions
3.1 Definitions
(e.g. atoms)
The Importance of
1-D System
If the wavefunction at point x is (x), the probability of finding
the particle in the infinitesimally small region (dx) between x and
x+dx is:
P(x) (x)2 dx
probability density
(NB i 1 )
3-D System
If the wavefunction at r = (x,y,z) is (r), the probability of finding
the particle in the infinitesimal volume element d (= dxdydz) is:
P(r) (r)2 d
If (r) is the wavefunction describing
the spatial distribution of an electron
in an atom or molecule, then:
(r)2 = (r) the electron density at point r
1-D
P(r) = (r)2 d
3-D
Ptotal 1D
Ptotal 3D
x dx 1
r d x, y, z dxdydz 1
r d A 1
such that:
Norm r d 1
pxx h / 4
x
px
Heisenberg (1927)
uncertainty in position
uncertainty in momentum (in the x-direction)
If we know the position (x) exactly, we know nothing about momentum (px).
If we know the momentum (px) exactly, we know nothing about position (x).
pzx = 0
E.
(a) This leads to lifetime broadening of spectral lines:
Short-lived excited states ( well defined, small ) possess
large uncertainty in the energy (large E) of the state.
Broad peaks in the spectrum.
(b) Shorter laser pulses (e.g. femtosecond, attosecond lasers) have
broader energy (therefore wavelength) band widths.
(1 fs = 1015 s, 1 as = 1018 s)
4. Wave Mechanics
Q
Q
where
Q
operator corresponding to observable Q.
Q
Q
operator Q acting on
function
(eigenfunction)
function multiplied
by a number Q
(eigenvalue)
x x
2. Operator for linear momentum in the x-direction:
x px
p
px
i dx
x
p
i dx
Examples
1. Kinetic Energy Operator in 1-D
CM
px2
Tx
QM
2m
2. KE Operator in 3-D
CM
2m
2
2
2
d
x
x
2m
2m dx 2
del-squared
QM
px 2 py2 pz2
2m
T
x
2
2
2
2
2
2 2
2
2m
2m x
y
z
partial derivatives
operate on (x,y,z)
(a function of position)
3. Potential Energy Operator V
PE operator corresponds to multiplication by V(x), V(x,y,z) etc.
2m
Schrdinger Equation
where
T
V
E
H
Hamiltonian Operator
E Total Energy
and
E = T + V.
Examples
1. Particle Moving in 1-D
T
V
E
H
(x)
2 2
V x E
2
2m x
(x,y,z)
2 2 2 2
2 2 V x, y, z E
2
2m x
y
z
2 2
V x, y, z E
2m
2 Eqn.
1-D Schrdinger
2
E
2
2m x
PE (V)
(V = 0 inside box).
2 2
E
2
2m x
This is a second order differential equation with general
solutions of the form:
= A sin kx + B cos kx
2
x 2
SE
k 2 A sin kx B cos kx k 2
2 2 2
2
k
E
2
2m x 2m
k 2 2
E
2m
Restrictions on
In principle Schrdinger Eqn. has an infinite number of solutions.
So far we have general solutions:
any value of {A, B, k} any value of {,E}.
BUT due to the Born interpretation of , only certain values of
are physically acceptable:
outside box (x<0, x>L) V =
2 = 0 = 0 outside box.
Boundary Conditions
= 0 at x = 0
= 0 at x = L.
= A sin kx + B cos kx = B
1. x = 0
=0 B=0
= A sin kx
for all x
= A sin kL = 0
2. x = L
A=0 ?
(or = 0 for all x)
sin kL = 0
kL = n
sin kL = 0 ?
n = 1, 2, 3,
(n 0, or = 0 for all x)
Allowed wavefunctions:
Normalization:
Allowed energies:
n = A sin(nx/L)
A = (2/L)
k 2 2 n 2 2 2
En
2m
2mL2
En
k = n/L
n 2h2
8mL2
nx
2
sin
Quantum Numbers
nx
2
sin
The first 5 normalized wavefunctions for the particle in the 1-D box:
1 0; 2 1; 3 2
In QM
KE
2
2n
n
E n Tn
2
x 2
L
x 2
.....
Energies
En
En n2/L2
n 2h2
8mL2
En as n (more nodes in n)
En as L (shorter box)
curvature of n
n (or L)
KE En
E
2
node
L
1
L1
L2
E n n2
n
3
2
1
E2
E1
9h 2
8mL2
4h 2
8mL2
h2
2
8mL
8mL2
ZPE E min E 1
ZPE
h2
h2
8mL2
CM Emin = 0
QM E = 0 corresponds to = 0 everywhere (forbidden).
V0
V=0
En
n 2h2
2
8mL
E2=E2+V
E2
E1
E1=E1+V
Pn x
2
L
(n is real)
nx
sin
dx
L
2