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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1999  > February  >
Information • Textbooks • Media • Resources
Mathcad in the Chemistry Curriculum
Fourier Transforms of Molecular Vibrations: FTMolVib.mcd, FTAnharm.mcd, and FTLifeTime.mcd
W. Tandy Grubbs
Department of Chemistry, Stetson University, DeLand, FL 32720

Cover
February 1999
Vol. 76 No. 2
p. 286

Abstract

This series of three Mathcad instructional documents permits students to explore the relationship between the time and frequency representations of vibrational motion in simple diatomic molecules. Molecular vibrations are described by a harmonic oscillator model in FTMolVib.mcd, an anharmonic "Morse" oscillator model in FTAnharm.mcd, and a damped harmonic oscillator model in FTLifeTime.mcd. In each case, a classical equation of motion is defined and is solved using the Runge-Kutta method, yielding the bond displacement as a function of time. A Fourier transform is subsequently performed to obtain the frequency spectra of these vibrations. Exercises included throughout and at the end of each document allow students to practice the numerical methods and further investigate how bond anharmonicity and vibrational damping affect the frequency spectrum. Upon completing these documents, students will recognize the link between bond anharmonicity and overtone spectra, and will be familiar with the concepts of anharmonic red shifts and lifetime broadening.

More Information
*  Citation
Grubbs, W. Tandy. J. Chem. Educ. 1999 76 286.
*  Keywords
Physical Chemistry; Quantum Chemistry; Fourier Transform Techniques; Computer Assisted Instruction
*  History
Created:
Last Updated:
June 15, 1999
June 22, 2005
  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 1999 > February > Page 286


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