Quantum Mechanics in Chemical Physics: An Exploration

By Ray M. Golding and W. C. Tennant.

Published by Science in Society

Format Price
Book: Print $US120.00

The thrust of this book is to explore, with the reader, aspects of quantum mechanics in chemical physics in a way that the reader may gain the ability to use quantum mechanics themselves to interpret a wide range of observations. The approach is based on years of experience of developing the skills of potential researchers, not only to understand what is known but also to extend our knowledge in quantum mechanics. Furthermore, we explore often more than one approach in handling a problem as this style of teaching greatly assists in grasping complex problems, as each reader will achieve their understanding in a way that cannot be defined or specified. Another advantage of this approach in multi-solutions is that it serves as a check on the mathematical outcomes.

The book is aimed at several levels. First, and foremost, it takes the approach of showing what quantum mechanics can achieve in understanding, by detailed worked examples, from a range of observations such as magnetic susceptibility, emission, optical, infrared, Raman, NMR, EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The emphasis throughout is on mathematical rigor, an essential component of the book. Without this rigor quantum mechanics becomes superficial and, if presented as such, does not lead to an ability to be used in any meaningful way.

The approach is based on oral tradition involving a one to one interaction where each step is clarified in a way that is fully understood prior to extending the processes gradually to more advanced levels. In our book each chapter is presented with the key components highlighted for those wishing to gain on overview without the depth such as usually presented at an advanced under-graduated level. For those wishing for greater depth, detail is presented in handling non-trivial examples often presented in tables appended to each chapter. These tables may be used as reference material or may be used by a reader or lecturer as a means of grasping or presenting the necessary skills to handle quantum mechanics by example.

Furthermore, we reinforce the scientific approach that is based on developing a postulated model involving the key interactions taking place and then exploring, with the aid of mathematics, the observations from such a model, with the aim of matching specific observations. This is the cornerstone of science. First, we focus on the mathematics fundamental in handling quantum mechanics. Secondly, we then explore specific interactions in a way that may lead to our ability to predict, through quantum mechanics, an observation. To illustrate this effectively we draw upon a wide range of observations previously published in the literature. It is important to acknowledge that the problems chosen are non-trivial and flag that in reality a detailed analysis of an observation may be very complex involving many interactions. Moreover, we emphasise that we re-assess all the published interpretations, of the experimental data used, in ways that in many cases yield a different approach or outcomes. The differences have not been discussed nor published.

The style, and approach, is similar to that of Applied Wave Mechanics, Golding (1969), but the content overlap is small. The new book focuses rather on more advanced techniques in handling the range from simple to complex problems such as, for example, from 3j, 6j and 9j coupling coefficients in atomic systems to the corresponding coefficients in group theoretical irreducible representations for double groups. Furthermore, in handling molecular systems we have presented a very different approach in understanding multi-centre systems in a more exact way. Likewise, the choice of the spin Hamiltonian, the way the parameters are obtained from appropriate experiments and the evaluation of the parameters from first principles is discussed at a level that would enable a reader to replicate our examples and to use the approach in their own work.

We are not aware of any other book that presents quantum mechanics in this way or covers such a range of topics. Most books published recently in the area cannot, in our view, be used to tackle real problems in any significant way. Such a teaching approach should be seriously questioned. In our present day society we are rapidly loosing the will to teach effectively and positively. As this continues knowledge will be lost to future generations.


TWO VOLUME SET
Volume 1: ISBN 9 78186335 6053, pages 1-498
Volume 2: ISBN 9 78186335 6114, pages 499-924

Keywords: Quantum Mechanics, Chemical Physics

Book: Print (Hardback). Published by Science in Society.

Emeritus Prof. Ray M. Golding

The University of New South Wales, Australia

Retired Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University of North Queensland;
Emeritus Professor: University of New South Wales
Emeritus Professor: James Cook University of North Queensland

Previous Posts:

  • Senior Research Scientist and Section Head of Theoretical Chemistry, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, 1963 - 1968;
  • Professor, Theoretical & Physical Chemistry, University of New South Wales, 1968- 86;
  • Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University of New South Wales 1978-86;
  • Vice-Chancellor of James Cook University of North Queensland, 1986 - 1996;


Education and Qualifications:

  • Auckland Grammar School New Zealand 1949-53;
  • University of Auckland 1954-57 (BSc 1957, MSc 1958);
  • University of Cambridge 1960-62 (PhD 1963);
  • Fellow, New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, FNZCI 1966;
  • Fellow, Institute of Physics (UK), FInstP 1969;
  • Fellow, Royal Australian Chemical Institute, FRACI 1974;
  • Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, FRSA 1977;
  • Fellow, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, FTSE 1995;
  • Fellow, PACON International 2002;
  • Fellow, Royal Astronomical Society (UK), FRAS 2004.


Honorary Degrees/Honorary Fellowships:

  • Easterfield Award, NZ Royal Institute of Chemistry 1967
  • Honorary Fellow, Korean Chemical Society 1985.
  • DSc, University of New South Wales 1986.
  • Awarded Officer of the Order of Australia General Division (AO) 1994
  • The Pacon lnternational Award, in Honolulu 1996.
  • Awarded Centenary Medal, Commonwealth of Australia 2003


Publications:

  • 'Applied Wave Mechanics' 1969;
  • 'Chemistry, Multistrand Senior Science for High School Students' 1975;
  • 'The Goldings of Oakington', 1992,
  • ‘Quantum Mechanics in Chemical Physics – An Exploration’ 2008.
  • Over 120 research papers since 1957.


Current research: Research into multi-interactions in chemical physics, the application of scientific techniques in medicine to gain an insight into the processes involved including quantification of drug control and human interactions and the impact on the globe.

W. C. Tennant

Australia

Craig Tennant was born in Westport, New Zealand and educated at the Westport Technical College and Canterbury University College of the University of New Zealand, where he graduated MSc (2nd Hons, Chemistry) in 1955. After a period secondary teaching he joined the Dominion Laboratory (later to become Chemistry Division) of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1962 as physical chemist, emission spectroscopy. In 1969 he took up a Teaching Fellowship at the University of New South Wales and there completed a PhD in chemical physics in 1971. Returning to Chemistry Division he became successively, Section Head Spectroscopy (1972), Group Leader, Spectroscopy, Solid State Chemistry, Computing and Statistics, and Instruments (1983) and Group Manager Research (1986). From 1990 until the disbandment of DSIR in 1992 he was Senior Research Fellow at Chemistry Division and, briefly, also at the newly formed Industrial Research Ltd Crown Institute. In 1993 he took early retirement and accepted an invitation to join the Department of Chemistry, University of Canterbury in Christchurch as an Adjunct Senior Fellow where he continues to carry out research in the theory and application of EPR and Mössbauer spectroscopy to structural studies of single crystals. In 1981 he spent 13 months on a DSIR Study Award as guest professor at the University of Saskatchewan and later (1989) spent 11 months as guest at the Institut für Anorganische Chemie und Analytische Chemie, Universität Mainz, Germany. He has since had further sabbaticals at Mainz (2002), Bayerisches Geoinstitut, Universität Bayreuth (1995, 1998, 2005) and Universität Marburg (1995).

Craig has published widely in subjects ranging through: applications of optical emission spectroscopy, solid-state photochemistry, NMR of paramagnetic complexes, single crystal EPR and Mössbauer studies and spin Hamiltonian development in such journals as J Physical Chemistry, Applied Spectroscopy, Geochim Cosmochim Acta, Molecular Physics, J Magnetic Resonance, American Mineralogist, J Chemical Physics, J Physics: Condensed Matter, Physics and Chemistry of Minerals, J Physics and Chemistry of Solids, Hyperfine Interactions and J Royal Soc NZ. He maintains a strong interest in chemical education having taught at various times at secondary, graduate and postgraduate levels these latter as honorary lecturer at Massey University, Palmerston North and Victoria University of Wellington and whilst on Sabbatical. He has supervised (or co-supervised) a number of students at Masters and PhD levels both at DSIR and at Canterbury.