MA3511 Mathematics of Chemistry (Fall 2005)


Mon. and Wed. 2:00-3:50 pm; PL 211

Lynn S. Bennethum's Office:  CU 638, Phone  (303) 556-4810


Office hours: Mon. and Wed. 1:00- 2:00 pm in SCI 130/132 (MERC LAB), Tues. To Be Announced in CU 638 or by appointment, or any time you can find me in my office.


e-mail: Lynn.Bennethum@cudenver.edu
web page: http://www-math.cudenver.edu/~bennethm
fax: (303) 556-8550
home phone: (303) 683-6983 (Please call after 9am and before 9:30pm - I generally work at home on Fridays).

Textbooks:
           The Chemistry Maths Book,  by Erich Steiner, 2001, Oxford University Press
           Molecular Symmetry and Group Theory, by Robert L. Carter,  1998, John Wiley and Sons
           Calculus, Concepts and Contexts, 2nd edition by James Stewart, 2001, Brooks/Cole, ISBN 0-534-37718-1.

Prerequisite: Calculus II and 1 year of General Chemistry
 

Course Description:   This is a 4-credit hour course designed specifically for chemistry majors composed of 5 units:  (1)  partial derivatives and total differentials - includes optimization and Lagrange multipliers, (2) ODE and kinetics of chemical reactions with some emphasis on modeling, (3) multivariable integration in cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates;  mean and variance, probability using the wave function as an application;  (4) Linear algebra:  solving systems of linear equations, determinant, linear transformations; and (5) group theory applied to molecular symmetry.   We will spend approximately 5 lectures (1 hr and 50 min each) on each unit.  It is assumed that students are mature enough that topics such as vectors and complex numbers need to be reviewed only briefly.  Because it is a 4-credit hour course, be prepared to spend 8-12 hours a week outside of class time working on this course.

Grading:
 
 

 

Homework:

200pts

Exams (3 exams at 100 pts each)

300 pts

Final:

150 pts

Total:

650 pts

The maximum amount of homework points you get in class will not be 200 points, so your homework score used for calculating the final grade will be scaled so that the maximum amount of points which can be earned on homework will be 200 points. Each test and the final exam will be curved. For example, suppose on test 1 you receive 84 points out of a possible 120 and the curve is such that 75-90 is a C. Then your test grade will be recorded as
                                      x = (84-75)*(80-70)/(90-75) + 70 = 76.

Your final grade will be determined on a straight scale (divide your total number of points by 650 and multiply by 100):
 

 

90-91.5%     A-

91.6-98%     A

98.1-100%      A+

80-81.5%     B-

81.6-88%     B

88.1-89.9%     B+

 

70.0-78%     C

78.1-79.9%     C+

 

60.0-69.9%     D

 

The homework score will not be curved.

Homework:
     Homework will be assigned weekly, and will be due at the beginning of class the following week. I believe doing homework is vital to learning the material in this class.  You should expect to spend between 5 and 12 hours/ week on the homework.  However you should spend your time wisely.  If you find yourself working on one problem for more than 10 minutes without progressing, then move on to another problem - often doing other problems will clarify something which you needed to do for the original problem.   If you are getting stuck on all the problems, then it is time to talk with a classmate (working together is encouraged!) or to come see me. Even though you may (should) work together, it is important that you turn in your own work - i.e. I do not want duplicate solutions, I want to see how you, as an individual, are thinking through the problems.  You will be encouraged to use technology (graphics calculator, computer), however basic skills will be tested on exams where technology will not be allowed.
      Each homework will be worth 30 points. I will accept late homework, but with a penalty. For every class period it is late 10 pts will be deducted, e.g. if it is turned in any time from directly after that class has started through the following class period, 10 points will be deducted from the total score; if it is turned in 2 class periods late, 20 points will be deducted, etc. If you think I have made a mistake in grading a problem (not unheard of!), then you need to tell me within a week after the homework is returned. The lowest two homework grades will be dropped.

Tests and Final:  There will be 3 in-class exams and a final.   The final exam will be scheduled during the week of  Dec. 13-17 and will be cumulative.  For each exam, a written cheat sheet will be allowed.  The size of this sheet will be determined prior to each exam.  Technology (calculator, computer) will not be allowed.

Technology: Homework problems which require technology will be assigned.  You will need to either be able to use a graphics calculator (e.g. TI-89) or computer software (DERIVE, Matlab, Mathematica, etc) which will allow you to do symbolic manipulation (integrate, differentiate), graph 2-dimensional plots (more than one on one graph), and manipulate matrices.

Make Up Tests: I do not plan to give any make-up tests. If you must miss a test, please contact me BEFOREHAND, as I will tend to be more lenient. However, if I am approached after the fact, I will expect some ``hard'' evidence (i.e. doctor's excuse, death certificate...) Whatever the circumstance, please get in touch with me.

Cheating: Cheating of any kind results in a course grade of F and possible expulsion from the university. It isn't worth it, so don't do it.  Examples of cheating include (but are not limited to):  Using unauthorized references (e.g. another individual, notes, texts...) during an exam, turning in duplicate homework assignments, and plagiarism.

Incomplete Grades:   Incomplete grades (IW or IF) are not granted for low academic performance.  To be eligible for an Incomplete grade, students must (1) successfully complete 75 percent of the course, (2) have special circumstances (verification may be required) that preclude the student from attending class and completing graded assignments, and (3) make arrangements to complete missing assignments with the original instructor using a CLAS Course Completion agreement.
 

Important Dates:
25 August:  Last day to be added to the wait-list for a closed course.  Students should check wait-list status daily.

29 August - 7 September:   Students are responsible for verifying an accurate Fall 2005 registration via SMART.

1 September (midnight):  Last day to add courses via the web SMART system.  After this day students need their instructor’s signature and Dean’s approval to add a course.

5 September:  Labor Day, no classes.

7 September:  Last day to drop a course with tuition adjustment.  After this date, dropping a course requires instructor’s signature.

16 September (5:00 pm):  Last day for CLAS students to add a 16-week structured courses.  Treated as an absolute deadline.  The 7 Sept. add deadline does not apply to independent study, internships, and late-starting modular courses.

31 October: After this date, no WITHDRAWLS unless very special circumstances are involved. Student needs instructor's signature, then needs to petition the dean of his/her college.   

12 November:    Last day to drop a Fall 2004 course for CLAS students.  Treated as an absolute deadline.

21-27 November :  Full week of Fall break, no classes.

12-17 December:   Final Exam week.
 

 

CLAS students must always have an accurate mailing and e-mail address:  http:/www.cudenver.edu/registrar.

 

Students are responsible for completing financial arrangements with financial aid, family, scholarships.

Very Tentative Schedule:
 
 

 

Week of:

Topics:

Aug. 22

Functions of Several Variables and Partial Derivatives
Review of single-variable differentiation 
Functions of several variables:  domain, level curves, contour plots. 
Partial derivatives:  how to calculate, what it means graphically, second partials, when do mixed partials commute? 
Start of total differentials.

Aug. 29

Total Differentials:  Approximating error using total differentials. 
Chain rule:  Going from 2 independent variables to 1 independent variables (e.g. changing from rectangular to polar coordinates) and going from 2 independent variables to 2 independent variables. 
Implicit differentiation.

Applications:  energy potentials

Gradients:  How to calculate gradient, what it means graphically, what it means on a contour plot, directional derivatives

Sept. 5

Labor Day 
Extrema:  How to find relative max and min, how to use the second partial test to classify critical points. 
Lagrange multipliers:  How to use to find critical points.

Sept. 12

Statistics and Multi-Variable Integration
Cylindrical and spherical coordinates
Start iterated integrals

Sept. 19

Test 1 
Iterated integrals - changing order, meaning related to area
and volume of a region.
Integrating in polar coordinates.

Sept. 26

Triple integrals - rectangular, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates.
Finish triple integrals.
Probability.
Application:  Wave function.

Oct. 3

Ordinary Differential Equations
How to classify ODE.  Modeling (growth and decay, mixing kinetics). 
Separation of Variables 
Application:  Simple reactions and kinetics

 Oct. 10

 Integrating factor
Application:  Sequential simple reactions and kinetics
Second-order ODE's

Oct. 17

Second-order ODE's
Test 2.

Oct. 24

Catch up and Linear Algebra

Oct. 31

Linear Algebra
Matrices:  sums and products. 
Systems of Linear equations 
The inverse of a matrix 
Determinants

Nov. 7

Vector spaces and subspaces 
basis and dimension 
linear transformation

Nov. 14

Eigenvalues and eigenvectors 
Diagonalization 
Symmetry and Group Theory

Nov. 21

FALL BREAK and THANKSGIVING,  No Classes 

Nov. 28

Symmetry and Group Theory

Dec. 5

Catch up and Review

Dec. 13-17

FINAL EXAM WEEK