2017-18 Academic Catalog

The full power of spectroscopy extends well beyond the absorption or emission of a single photon. Details of energy flow through electronic, vibrational, and rotational excited states of molecules can be queried using the specific colors and timescales of one or more pulsed lasers. In addition to developing a working knowledge of lasers and forms of spectroscopy, this discussion-based class also has students presenting on evidence from literature in areas such as chemical reactivity, the atmosphere, and biology. Prerequisite: 6 credits of physics drawn from courses 131 to 165 and one 6-credit 300-level chemistry class