Overview

Molecular symmetry operations provide an easily applied tool for understanding and predicting molecular properties, including certain reaction dynamics and quantum mechanical descriptions of molecules. Traditionally the molecular approach has been taught through point group and rotational symmetries (Schonflies notation and group theory) to undergraduates and graduates in chemistry, physics and material science and then these are applied to understanding various molecular properties. In this book the authors take a deeper and more rigorous approach to molecular symmetry, which leads to a greater insight into the application of symmetry in predicting and explaining the observational spectroscopic results and quantum mechanical applications, but also yields the simpler idealised symmetry operations for 'simple' molecules. This more in depth approach is needed by chemical physicists and physical chemists for detailed spectroscopic analysis of molecular materials (and has applications from characterising new compounds, understanding electronic structure and reaction dynamics to exploring the composition of interstellar gas) and quantum mechanical applications. This text provides a through grounding in molecular symmetry and group theory suitable for undergraduates and more detailed applications needed by graduate students and researchers in molecular physics, chemical physics, physical chemistry and solid state physics.

Full Product Details

9780750309417

Table of Contents

Reviews

This book provides a welcome slant on molecular symmetry, for those who worry that rigid ball and stick point group arguments to ignore the geometrical distortions accompanying molecular vibrations. In summary, this book is welcome, first as an illuminating graduate text and also as an addition to the shelves of anyone who is responsible for teaching molecular symmetry at whatever level. -- Mark Child; Chemistry World, March 2005 This book is of primary importance in training new scientists in the field of molecular spectroscopy and quantum chemistry, i.e. in branches of modern science which attract increasing interest nowadays. It is particularly important that reading this book helps readers to form their correct general scientific philosophy. -- Dr. Yurii N. Panchenko; Lab. of Mol. Spectroscopy, Moscow State University Winner of a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book Award for 2005! For more than 25 years, Molecular Symmetry and Spectroscopyand the subsequent second editionhave been this reviewer's most trusted authority and treasured references on the role of symmetry in molecular spectroscopyThe book starts with a beautifully concise yet complete review of spectroscopy and quantum mechanicsA fine balance is struck in the level of detail providedSumming up: highly recommended. - CHOICE Reviews online

Winner of a 2005 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Book Award! For more than 25 years, Molecular Symmetry and Spectroscopy ... and the subsequent second edition ... have been this reviewer's most trusted authority and treasured references on the role of symmetry in molecular spectroscopy ... . The book starts with a beautifully concise yet complete review of spectroscopy and quantum mechanics ... . A fine balance is struck in the level of detail provided. ... Summing up: highly recommended. - CHOICE Reviews online This book provides a welcome slant on molecular symmetry, for those who worry that rigid ball and stick point group arguments to ignore the geometrical distortions accompanying molecular vibrations. In summary, this book is welcome, first as an illuminating graduate text and also as an addition to the shelves of anyone who is responsible for teaching molecular symmetry at whatever level. - Mark Child, Chemistry World, March 2005 This book is of primary importance in training new scientists in the field of molecular spectroscopy and quantum chemistry, i.e., in branches of modern science that attract increasing interest nowadays. It is particularly important that reading this book helps readers to form their correct general scientific philosophy. - Dr. Yurii N. Panchenko, Moscow State University, Russia As a resource for a starting out research students and other workers in electronic structure and bonding and high resolution spectroscopy it would serve as a very useful introduction to the more advanced aspects of symmetry. It would be a welcome presence on the research lab bookshelves, and would hopefully show signs of much use. - Nigel A. Young, Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, in Physical Sciences Educational Review, Vol. 6, No. 1 Fundamentals of Molecular Symmetry is an excellent book. ...The title thus belies the true content of the book; it covers so much more than most other books on molecular symmetry. As such it should be an essential text for any graduate student or established researcher working in the area of high-resolution spectroscopy. ...Fundamentals of Molecular Symmetry is exceptionally well written and up to the very high standards set by the authors in their previous texts. It is clearly written and the figures and diagrams are beautifully produced. There are numerous figures of orbital shapes, energy-level diagrams and molecular spectra. Readers will also particularly appreciate the way each concept is illustrated by examples of application to real molecular systems. Fundamentals of Molecular Symmetry has my unqualified recommendation. -Dr. D. Smith, Contemporary Physics

Author Information

P.R. Bunker, P. Jensen

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available