Chemistry describes how and why things happen from a molecular perspective. Chemistry underpins all aspects of the natural and physical world, and provides the basis for new technologies and advances in the life, medical and physical sciences, engineering, and industrial processes. This unit of study will equip you with the fundamental knowledge and skills in chemistry for broad application. You will learn about atomic theory, structure and bonding, equilibrium, processes occurring in solutions, and the functional groups of molecules. You will develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry through experiments that ask and answer questions about the chemical nature and processes occurring around you. Through inquiry, observation and measurement, you will better understand natural and physical world and will be able to apply this understanding to real-world problems and solutions. This unit of study is directed toward students whose chemical background is weak (or non-existent). Compared to the mainstream Chemistry 1A, the theory component of this unit begins with more fundamental concepts, and does not cover, or goes into less detail about some topics. Progression to intermediate chemistry from this unit and Fundamentals of Chemistry 1B requires completion of an online supplementary course.

Chemistry transforms the way we live. It provides the basis for understanding biological, geological and atmospheric processes, how medicines work, the properties of materials and substances, how beer is brewed, and for obtaining forensic evidence. This unit of study builds upon your prior knowledge of chemistry to further develop your knowledge and skills in chemistry for broad application. You will learn about organic chemistry reactions, structural determination, nitrogen chemistry, industrial processes, kinetics, electrochemistry, thermochemistry, phase behaviour, solubility equilibrium and chemistry of metals. You will further develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry through experiments that ask and answer questions about the chemical nature and processes occurring around you. Through enquiry, observation and measurement, you will better understand natural and physical world and will be able to apply this understanding to real-world problems and solutions. Fundamentals of Chemistry 1B is built on a satisfactory prior knowledge of Fundamentals of Chemistry 1A. Compared to the mainstream Chemistry 1B, the theory component of this unit begins with more fundamental concepts, and does not cover, or goes into less detail about some topics. Progression to intermediate chemistry from this unit requires completion of an online supplementary course.

Chemistry describes how and why things happen from a molecular perspective. Chemistry underpins all aspects of the natural and physical world, and provides the basis for new technologies and advances in the life, medical and physical sciences, engineering, and industrial processes. This unit of study will further develop your knowledge and skills in chemistry for application to life and medical sciences, engineering, and further study in chemistry. You will learn about nuclear and radiation chemistry, wave theory, atomic orbitals, spectroscopy, bonding, enthalpy and entropy, equilibrium, processes occurring in solutions, and the functional groups in carbon chemistry. You will develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry through experiments that ask and answer questions like how do dyes work, how do we desalinate water, how do we measure the acid content in foods, how do we get the blue in a blueprint, and how do we extract natural products from plants? Through inquiry, observation and measurement, you will understand the 'why' and the 'how' of the natural and physical world and will be able to apply this understanding to real-world problems and solutions. This unit of study is directed toward students with a satisfactory prior knowledge of the HSC chemistry course.

Chemistry transforms the way we live. It provides the basis for understanding biological, geological and atmospheric processes, how medicines work, the properties of materials and substances, how beer is brewed, and for obtaining forensic evidence. This unit of study builds upon your prior knowledge of chemistry to further develop your knowledge and skills in chemistry for application to life and medical sciences, engineering, industrial processing, and further study in chemistry. You will learn about organic chemistry reactions, structural determination, nitrogen chemistry, industrial processes, kinetics, electrochemistry, thermochemistry, phase behaviours, solubility equilibrium and chemistry of metals. You will further develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry through experiments that ask and answer questions like how do we develop lotions that don't burn us, how do we measure UV absorption by sunscreens, how can we measure and alter soil pH, how are sticky things made, and how do we determine the concentration of vitamin C in juice? Through enquiry, observation and measurement, you will understand the 'why' and the 'how' of the natural and physical world and will be able to apply this understanding to real-world problems and solutions. Chemistry 1B is built on a satisfactory prior knowledge of Chemistry 1A.

Chemistry describes how and why things happen from a molecular perspective. Chemistry underpins all aspects of the natural and physical world, and provides the basis for new technologies and advances in sciences, engineering, and industrial processes. This unit of study will further develop your knowledge and skills in chemistry for broad application, including further study in chemistry. You will learn about nuclear and radiation chemistry, wave theory, atomic orbitals, spectroscopy, bonding, enthalpy and entropy, equilibrium, processes occurring in solutions, and the functional groups of molecules. You will develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry through experiments that ask and answer questions about the chemical nature and processes occurring around you. Through inquiry, observation and measurement, you will better understand natural and physical world and will be able to apply this understanding to real-world problems and solutions. This unit of study is directed toward students with a good secondary performance both overall and in chemistry or science. Students in this category are expected to do this unit rather than Chemistry 1A. Compared to the mainstream Chemistry 1A, the theory component of this unit provides a higher level of academic rigour and makes broader connections between topics.

Chemistry transforms the way we live. It provides the basis for understanding biological, geological and atmospheric processes, how medicines work, the properties of materials and substances, how beer is brewed, and for obtaining forensic evidence. This unit of study builds upon your prior knowledge of chemistry to further develop your knowledge and skills in chemistry for broad application, including further study in chemistry. You will learn about organic chemistry reactions, structural determination, nitrogen chemistry, industrial processes, kinetics, electrochemistry, thermochemistry, phase behaviour, solubility equilibrium and chemistry of metals. You will further develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry through experiments that ask and answer questions about the chemical nature and processes occurring around you. Through enquiry, observation and measurement, you will better understand natural and physical world and will be able to apply this understanding to real-world problems and solutions. Chemistry 1B (Advanced) is built on a satisfactory prior knowledge of Chemistry 1A (Advanced). Compared to the mainstream Chemistry 1B, the theory component of this unit provides a higher level of academic rigour and makes broader connections between topics.

Chemistry describes how and why things happen from a molecular perspective. Chemistry underpins all aspects of the natural and physical world, and provides the basis for new technologies and advances in the life, medical and physical sciences, engineering, and industrial processes. This unit of study will further develop your knowledge and skills in chemistry for application to life and medical sciences, engineering, and further study in chemistry. You will learn about nuclear and radiation chemistry, wave theory, atomic orbitals, spectroscopy, bonding, enthalpy and entropy, equilibrium, processes occurring in solutions, and the functional groups in carbon chemistry. You will develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry in small group projects. The laboratory program is designed to extend students who already have chemistry laboratory experience, and particularly caters for students who already show a passion and enthusiasm for research chemistry, as well as aptitude as demonstrated by high school chemistry results. Entry to Chemistry 1A (Special Studies Program) is restricted to a small number of students with an excellent school record in Chemistry, and applications must be made to the School of Chemistry. The practical work syllabus for Chemistry 1A (Special Studies Program) is very different from that for Chemistry 1A and Chemistry 1A (Advanced) and consists of special project-based laboratory exercises. All other unit of study details are the same as those for Chemistry 1A (Advanced).

Chemistry transforms the way we live. It provides the basis for understanding biological, geological and atmospheric processes, how food and medicines work, the properties of materials and substances. This unit of study builds upon your prior knowledge of chemistry to further develop your knowledge and skills in chemistry for application to life and medical sciences, engineering, industrial processing, and further study in chemistry. You will learn about organic chemistry reactions, structural determination, nitrogen chemistry, industrial processes, kinetics, electrochemistry, thermochemistry, phase behaviour, solubility equilibrium and chemistry of metals. You will develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry in small group projects. The laboratory program is designed to extend students, and particularly caters for students who already show a passion and enthusiasm for research chemistry, as well as a demonstrated aptitude. Chemistry 1B (Special Studies Program) is restricted to students who have gained a Distinction in Chemistry 1A (Special Studies Program) or by invitation. The practical work syllabus for Chemistry 1B (Special Studies Program) is very different from that for Chemistry 1B and Chemistry 1B (Advanced) and consists of special project-based laboratory exercises. All other unit of study details are the same as those for Chemistry 1B (Advanced).

This is one of the two core units of study for students considering majoring in chemistry, and for students of other disciplines who wish to acquire a good general background in chemistry. The unit considers fundamental questions of molecular structure, chemical reactivity, and molecular spectroscopy: What are chemical reactions and what makes them happen? How can we follow and understand them? How can we exploit them to make useful molecules? This course includes the organic and medicinal chemistry of aromatic and carbonyl compounds, organic reaction mechanisms, molecular spectroscopy, quantum chemistry, and molecular orbital theory.

The syllabus for this unit is the same as that of CHEM2401 together with special Advanced material presented in the practical program. The lectures cover fundamental consideration of molecular electronic structure and its role in molecular reactivity and spectroscopy and include applications of spectroscopy, the organic chemistry of aromatic systems, molecular orbital theory and quantum chemistry. For more details of the lecture syllabus, please read the entry for CHEM2401.

The lectures for this unit comprise the lectures for CHEM2401 and the Advanced practical program together with additional SSP seminars.

This is the second core unit of study for students considering majoring in chemistry, and for students seeking a good general background in chemistry. The unit continues the consideration of molecular structure and chemical reactivity. Topics include the structure and bonding of inorganic compounds, the properties of metal complexes, materials chemistry and nanotechnology, thermodynamics and kinetics.

The syllabus for this unit is the same as that of CHEM2402 together with special Advanced material presented in the practical program. The lectures include the properties of inorganic compounds and complexes, statistical thermodynamics, the chemistry of carbonyls, nucleophilic organometallic reagents, and synthetic methods. For more details of the lecture syllabus, please read the entry for CHEM2402.

The lectures for this unit comprise the lectures for CHEM2402 and the Advanced practical program together with additional SSP seminars comprising three seminar series on state of the art topics in chemistry.

The identification of chemical species and quantitative determination of how much of each species is present are the essential first steps in solving all chemical puzzles. In this course students learn analytical techniques and chemical problem solving in the context of forensic and environmental chemistry. The lectures on environmental chemistry cover atmospheric chemistry (including air pollution, global warming and ozone depletion), and water/soil chemistry (including bio-geochemical cycling, chemical speciation, catalysis and green chemistry). The forensic component of the course examines the gathering and analysis of evidence, using a variety of chemical techniques, and the development of specialised forensic techniques in the analysis of trace evidence. Students will also study forensic analyses of inorganic, organic and biological materials (dust, soil, inks, paints, documents, etc) in police, customs and insurance investigations and learn how a wide range of techniques are used to examine forensic evidence.

Life is chemistry, and this unit of study examines the key chemical processes that underlie all living systems. Lectures cover the chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids and DNA, the mechanisms of organic and biochemical reactions that occur in biological systems, chemical analysis of biological systems, the inorganic chemistry of metalloproteins, biomineralisation, biopolymers and biocolloids, and the application of spectroscopic techniques to biological systems. The practical course includes the chemical characterisation of biopolymers, experimental investigations of iron binding proteins, organic and inorganic chemical analysis, and the characterisation of anti-inflammatory drugs.

DNA, proteins and carbohydrates represent three classes of essential biomolecules present in all biological systems. This unit will cover the structure, reactivity and properties of biomolecules and the building blocks from which these molecules are assembled. Interactions between biomolecules and metalions, small molecules and other biomolecules will be covered and the chemical tools for studying biomolecules highlighted. The design and synthesis of small molecules which mimic the functions of biomolecules will also be illustrated.

DNA, proteins and carbohydrates represent three classes of essential biomolecules present in all biological systems. This unit will cover the structure, reactivity and properties of biomolecules and the building blocks from which these molecules are assembled. Interactions between biomolecules and metal ions, small molecules and other biomolecules will be covered and the chemical tools for studying biomolecules highlighted. The design and synthesis of small molecules which mimic the functions of biomolecules will also be illustrated. CHEM3910 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3110 students but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.

The structure and shape of organic molecules determines their physical properties, their reaction chemistry as well as their biological/medicinal activity. The determination of this structure and understanding its chemical consequences is of fundamental importance in chemistry, biochemistry, medicinal and materials chemistry. This course examines the methods and techniques used to establish the structure of organic molecules as well as the chemistry which dictates the shapes that they adopt. The first part of the course examines the use of modern spectroscopic methods (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy) which are used routinely to identify organic compounds. The second part of the course examines the chemical consequences of molecular shapes in more depth and looks at the inter-relationship between molecular shape and the processes by which bonds are made and broken (the reaction mechanism). An understanding of these processes allows the outcome of reactions to be predicted, which is an essential tool enabling the construction of complex molecules from simple starting materials.

The structure and shape of organic molecules determines their physical properties, their reaction chemistry as well as their biological/medicinal activity. The determination of this structure and understanding its chemical consequences is of fundamental importance in chemistry, biochemistry, medicinal and materials chemistry. This course examines the methods and techniques used to establish the structure of organic molecules as well as the chemistry which dictates the shapes that they adopt. The first part of the course examines the use of modern spectroscopic methods (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy) which are used routinely to identify organic compounds. The second part of the course examines the chemical consequences of molecular shapes in more depth and looks at the inter-relationship between molecular shape and the processes by which bonds are made and broken (the reaction mechanism). An understanding of these processes allows the outcome of reactions to be predicted, which is an essential tool enabling the construction of complex molecules from simple starting materials. CHEM3911 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3111 students, but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.

This course concerns the inorganic chemistry of solid-state materials: compounds that possess 'infinite' bonding networks. The extended structure of solid materials gives rise to a wide range of important chemical, mechanical, electrical, magnetic and optical properties. Consequently such materials are of enormous technological significance as well as fundamental curiosity. In this course you will learn how chemistry can be used to design and synthesise novel materials with desirable properties. The course will start with familiar molecules such as C60 and examine their solid states to understand how the nature of chemical bonding changes in the solid state, leading to new properties such as electronic conduction. This will be the basis for a broader examination of how chemistry is related to structure, and how structure is related to properties such as catalytic activity, mechanical strength, magnetism, and superconductivity. The symmetry of solids will be used explain how their structures are classified, how they can transform between related structures when external conditions such as temperature, pressure and electric field are changed, and how this can be exploited in technological applications such as sensors and switches. Key techniques used to characterise solid-state materials will be covered, particularly X-ray diffraction, microscopy, and physical property measurements.

This course concerns the inorganic chemistry of solid-state materials: compounds that possess 'infinite' bonding networks. The extended structure of solid materials gives rise to a wide range of important chemical, mechanical, electrical, magnetic and optical properties. Consequently, such materials are of enormous technological significance as well as fundamental curiosity. In this course you will learn how chemistry can be used to design and synthesize novel materials with desirable properties. The course will start with familiar molecules such as C60 and examine their solid states to understand how the nature of chemical bonding changes in the solid state, leading to new properties such as electronic conduction. This will be the basis for a broader examination of how chemistry is related to structure, and how structure is related to properties such as catalytic activity, mechanical strength, magnetism, and superconductivity. The symmetry of solids will be used explain how their structures are classified, how they can transform between related structures when external conditions such as temperature, pressure and electric field are changed, and how this can be exploited in technological applications such as sensors and switches. Key techniques used to characterise solid-state materials will be covered, particularly X-ray diffraction, microscopy, and physical property measurements. CHEM3912 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3112 students, but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.

At present rates of consumption, the resources of 5 planets would be needed for everyone on earth to enjoy our standard of living. Since so much of our consumption and waste involves chemical processes in some way, more efficient chemical processes are needed in a sustainable tomorrow. Catalysis is and will increasingly be at the heart of these sustainable processes. This unit examines the fundamentals of catalysis and its use to design sustainable processes. The course will initially focus on the organometallic fundamentals in order to show how they can be used to understand and design homogeneous catalytic processes from a molecular perspective, which, in turn, leads on to biocatalytic conversions where the enzyme is treated like a large ligand with a special surface, pointing towards the surface chemistry involved in supported catalysts - the next topic. Within this general discussion, the special case of the three-dimensional surface found in zeotypes will be developed and the acid/base and redox catalysis (the mainstay of the majority of industrial processes) in such confined spaces of molecular dimensions will be examined. The course will continue with examining the production of polymers as an example of a major industrial process. An introduction on polymer chemistry and polymer properties will be given, followed by the examination of the various synthetic routes and processes that yield to the production of polymers. The recent advances in polymer synthesis and the design of new materials of improved properties and function will be reviewed. The last part of this section will explore the various approaches designed to improve the sustainability of polymer synthesis, in particular for the specific case of free radical polymerization, with an emphasis on the design of novel catalysts. The course will conclude by examining a variety of case studies. All the preceding topics find their way into the discussion of the key role of catalysts in the design of sustainable chemical processes, rationalizing the choices behind catalyst design.

At present rates of consumption, the resources of 5 planets would be needed for everyone on earth to enjoy our standard of living. Since so much of our consumption and waste involves chemical processes in some way, more efficient chemical processes are needed in a sustainable tomorrow. Catalysis is and will increasingly be at the heart of these sustainable processes. This unit examines the fundamentals of catalysis and its use to design sustainable processes. The course will initially focus on the organometallic fundamentals in order to show how they can be used to understand and design homogeneous catalytic processes from a molecular perspective, which, in turn, leads on to biocatalytic conversions where the enzyme is treated like a large ligand with a special surface, pointing towards the surface chemistry involved in supported catalysts - the next topic. Within this general discussion, the special case of the three-dimensional surface found in zeotypes will be developed and the acid/base and redox catalysis (the mainstay of the majority of industrial processes) in such confined spaces of molecular dimensions will be examined. The course will continue with examining the production of polymers as an example of a major industrial process. An introduction on polymer chemistry and polymer properties will be given, followed by the examination of the various synthetic routes and processes that yield to the production of polymers. The recent advances in polymer synthesis and the design of new materials of improved properties and function will be reviewed. The last part of this section will explore the various approaches designed to improve the sustainability of polymer synthesis, in particular for the specific case of free radical polymerization, with an emphasis on the design of novel catalysts. The course will conclude by examining a variety of case studies. All the preceding topics find their way into the discussion of the key role of catalysts in the design of sustainable chemical processes, rationalizing the choices behind catalyst design. CHEM3913 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3113 students, but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.

Coordination compounds, with bonds between a central metal atom and surrounding ligands, play critical roles in biology, biochemistry and medicine, controlling the structure and function of many enzymes and their metabolism. They play similarly vital roles in many industrial processes and in the development of new materials with specifically designed properties. Building on the foundation of crystal field theory, this course offers a comprehensive treatment of the structures and properties of coordination compounds, with a qualitative molecular orbital description of metal-ligand bonds, and their spectroscopic, magnetic and dynamic effects. The exploitation of these properties in medicine and materials will be emphasized. Medical topics include descriptions of the essential and toxic elements of the Periodic Table, metal complexes as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs, and their use as tumour imaging and radiotherapeutic agents. Materials topics include metal directed self assembly into unique structures, ligand design and control of the synthesis of nanoporous materials with new electronic and magnetic properties and applications in catalysis and molecular separations.

Coordination compounds, with bonds between a central metal atom and surrounding ligands, play critical roles in biology, biochemistry and medicine, controlling the structure and function of many enzymes and their metabolism. They play similarly vital roles in many industrial processes and in the development of new materials with specifically designed properties. Building on the foundation of crystal field theory, this course offers a comprehensive treatment of the structures and properties of coordination compounds, with a qualitative molecular orbital description of metal-ligand bonds, and their spectroscopic, magnetic and dynamic effects. The exploitation of these properties in medicine and materials will be emphasized. Medical topics include descriptions of the essential and toxic elements of the Periodic Table, metal complexes as anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs, and their use as tumour imaging and radiotherapeutic agents. Materials topics include metal directed self assembly into unique structures, ligand design and control of the synthesis of nanoporous materials with new electronic and magnetic properties and applications in catalysis and molecular separations. CHEM3914 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3114 students, but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.

The development of new pharmaceuticals fundamentally relies on the ability to design and synthesize new compounds. Synthesis is an enabling discipline for medicinal chemistry - without it, the development of new drugs cannot progress from design to implementation, and ultimately to a cure. This unit will tackle important factors in drug design, and will highlight the current arsenal of methods used in the discovery of new drugs, including rational drug design, high throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry. We will develop a logical approach to planning a synthesis of a particular target structure. The synthesis and chemistry of heterocycles, which comprise some 40% of all known organic compounds and are particularly common in pharmaceuticals, will be outlined. Examples will include important ring systems present in biological systems, such as pyrimidines and purines (DNA and RNA), imidazole and thiazole (amino acids and vitamins) and porphyrins (natural colouring substances and oxygen carrying component of blood). Throughout the course, the utility of synthesis in medicinal chemistry will be illustrated with case studies such as anti-influenza (Relenza), anaesthetic (benzocaine), anti-inflammatory (Vioxx), antihypertensive (pinacidil) and cholesterol-lowering (Lovastatin) drugs.

The development of new pharmaceuticals fundamentally relies on the ability to design and synthesize new compounds. Synthesis is an enabling discipline for medicinal chemistry - without it, the development of new drugs cannot progress from design to implementation, and ultimately to a cure. This unit will tackle important factors in drug design, and will highlight the current arsenal of methods used in the discovery of new drugs, including rational drug design, high throughput screening and combinatorial chemistry. We will develop a logical approach to planning a synthesis of a particular target structure. The synthesis and chemistry of heterocycles, which comprise some 40% of all known organic compounds and are particularly common in pharmaceuticals, will be outlined. Examples will include important ring systems present in biological systems, such as pyrimidines and purines (DNA and RNA), imidazole and thiazole (amino acids and vitamins) and porphyrins (natural colouring substances and oxygen carrying component of blood). Throughout the course, the utility of synthesis in medicinal chemistry will be illustrated with case studies such as anti-influenza (Relenza), anaesthetic (benzocaine), anti-inflammatory (Vioxx), antihypertensive (pinacidil) and cholesterol-lowering (Lovastatin) drugs. CHEM3915 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3115 students, but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.

Away from the covalent and ionic interactions that hold molecules and solids together is the world of fragile objects - folded polymers, membranes, surface adsorption and stable molecular aggregates - held together by weak forces such as van der Waals and the hydrophobic effect. The use of molecules rather than atoms as building blocks means that there are an enormous number of possibilities for stable aggregates with interesting chemical, physical and biological properties, many of which still wait to be explored. In this course we will examine the molecular interactions that drive self assembly and the consequences of these interactions in supramolecular assembly, lipid membrane formations and properties, microemulsions, polymer conformation and dynamics and range of fundamental surface properties including adhesion, wetting and colloidal stability.

Away from the covalent and ionic interactions that hold molecules and solids together is the world of fragile objects - folded polymers, membranes, surface adsorption and stable molecular aggregates - held together by weak forces such as van der Waals and the hydrophobic effect. The use of molecules rather than atoms as building blocks means that there are an enormous number of possibilities for stable aggregates with interesting chemical, physical and biological properties, many of which still wait to be explored. In this course we examine the molecular interactions that drive self assembly and the consequences of these interactions in supramolecular assembly, lipid membrane formations and properties, microemulsions, polymer conformation and dynamics and range of fundamental surface properties including adhesion, wetting and colloidal stability. CHEM3916 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3916 students, but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.

This course will cover the fundamentals of molecular spectroscopy as a modern research tool and as a theoretical basis with which to understand everyday phenomena. This course is aimed at the student wishing a rigorous understanding of the fabric of nature -- electronic structure -- and the interaction between light and matter. The course teaches the quantum theory needed to understand spectroscopic phenomena (such as the absorption of light) at the empirical and deeper levels. A student completing this course will take with him/her an understanding of spectroscopy as both a phenomenon and a research tool. The course teaches application and theory, with descriptions of applied spectroscopic techniques. Alongside the coverage of modern spectroscopy, the course provides an accessible treatment of the science behind vision, flames, solar cells and photochemical smog.

This course will cover the fundamentals of molecular spectroscopy as a modern research tool and as a theoretical basis with which to understand everyday phenomena. This course is aimed at the student wishing a rigorous understanding of the fabric of nature -- electronic structure -- and the interaction between light and matter. The course teaches the quantum theory needed to understand spectroscopic phenomena (such as the absorption of light) at the empirical and deeper levels. A student completing this course will take with him/her an understanding of spectroscopy as both a phenomenon and a research tool. The course teaches application and theory, with descriptions of applied spectroscopic techniques. Alongside the coverage of modern spectroscopy, the course provides an accessible treatment of the science behind vision, flames, solar cells and photochemical smog. CHEM3917 students attend the same lectures as CHEM3117 students, but attend an additional advanced seminar series comprising one lecture a week for 12 weeks.