Physical chemistry is generally taught during an undergraduate student’s final year. As such, the physical chemistry course should summarize and extend a student’s knowledge using mathematical principles. Moreover, the ideal physical chemistry course should stimulate and motivate undergraduate students toward research. Years of instruction, however, have demonstrated the challenges associated with these ideals. Often physical chemistry instruction is centered around the simplest of models where exact solutions are possible. This instructional method has merit in that it provides the mathematical under-pinning for understanding natural phenomena, but the failure to extend such treatments into real or complex systems deprives the student his ability to extend knowledge in meaningful ways. Without this, physical chemistry concepts are only loosely connected to phenomena as opposed to being the foundational framework by which to describe observation.

We have developed educational programs in an effort to assist physical chemistry instruction and combat this challenge. Two classes of programs have been developed- theoretical chemistry and kinetics. The theoretical chemistry module extends the ideals of quantum mechanics past the hydrogen atom and demonstrates approximate solutions to a molecular system. The kinetics module goes beyond simple reactions and determines the temporal response of reactants, intermediates, and products in complex reaction mechanisms. These instructional programs can be used to supplement undergraduate or graduate level courses and are provided freely. Moreover, instructional videos have been produced to assist in your instruction and in the use of these modules. If you are an instructor, I hope that these programs assist in your instruction. If you are a student, I hope that these programs assist in your learning and stimulate your thinking. Please contact me should you need further assistance or if you would like to make recommendations or requests for more instructional modules. My email is Darrin_Bellert@baylor.edu.

Please continue onto my Google drive account to access these modules. You should download and view the video files first as these demonstrate how to access and use each module. Google drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1x9ivYuyESbT4wI9Tkb0RQz6z5dI9kMX3?usp=sharing