Course Contents

Electrochemistry Ions in solutions. Measurement of conductance and Kohlrausch’s Law. Debye Huckel Theory and activity coefficients. Applications of conductance measurement. Electrode potential. Electrochemical cell. Applications of electrode potential. Quantum Theory Limitations of classical mechanics. Wave and particle nature of matter, deBroglie equation, Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, Schrodinger wave equation and its solution for particle in one dimensional and three dimensional boxes. Concept of quantization of energy and an introduction to spectroscopy: spectra of hydrogen and hydrogen-like atoms. Chemistry of d-block Elements Electronic configuration. General characteristics of d-block elements. Werner’s concepts of co-ordination compounds, nomenclature, nature of coordinate covalent bond. Valence Bond, Molecular Orbital and Crystal Field theories to explain the structures of polymers coordination compounds. Introduction to chelates. Industrial applications of transition metals. Metallurgy of Iron. Introduction to Nuclear Chemistry Natural and Artificial Radioactivity; nuclear reactions, fission and fusion Uses of isotopes in various fields. Nuclear hazards and safety measures. Chromatography Classification and introduction to paper, column and thin layer chromatography. Practicals PRACTICALS:  Eight experiments in chromatography (TLC, column and paper) using cations, mixture of inks, inorganic and organic compounds,  Determination of pH of a solution.  Determination of specific and molar conductivities of strong and weak electrolytes.

Course Synopsis

The course consists of an overview of important topics in physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry including quantum mechanics, electrochemistry, transition metals and coordination compounds, nuclear chemistry and chromatography. A basic understanding of these various topics is desired at the end of this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course students should be able to understand the basic concepts of dual nature of particles, quantum mechanics, Schrodinger wave equation and the quantization of matter. They would have understood the basics of ionic conductance and the structures of electrochemical cells. A basic understanding of transition metals, structure of coordination compounds according to various theories and colour and magnetic properties of complexes would be clear to the students. Similarly students would be able to understand the structure of nucleus, radioactivity, uses of radioisotopes and nuclear reactions. A basic understanding of chromatography would have been achieved at the end of this course. After this, the students would be able to grasp the advanced level courses in these fields.