FRS 003 — Sec. 003 — (1 unit) — CRN 26038 — T 1:10-2:00pm — 172 Chemistry
Nature and Photochemistry

Instructor: Ting Guo, Department of Chemistry, College of Letters and Science

Description: In this class Professor Guo will introduce the concept of photochemistry. Nature provides the best examples in this subject area, so 50% of this one-unit seminar will be taught outdoors. We will observe the (changing) colors of plants, reflection of light off different surfaces and air (morning versus sunset time), and how animal use color to function. In the classroom, Professor Guo will discuss the origin of color, algorithms of colors, and the invention and applications of lasers, including visits to several chemistry labs which use laser to conduct research. The goal of this seminar series is to give students a comprehensive although cursory knowledge about the intimate connections between light and chemistry. Normally this part of chemistry is only briefly taught in freshman chemistry and the scope of knowledge is very limited and difficult to digest because of the abstractness of quantum theory. This seminar will help students to relate the knowledge to nature, thus lowering the learning barrier.

Format: The seminar will meet for one hour each week for eight weeks. The odd weeks will be taught in the classroom, and the even ones outdoors. Students will make oral presentations to expand on the topics discussed in the class. A final short presentation (5 min) on approved topics will be given by every student. Grading: Students will be given a pass/no pass grade based on the quality of their participation -- their ability to understand the subject matter (self grading, 1/3), the quality of their oral presentations (1/3), and overall performance (attendance, frequency of asking questions, deductive abilities, etc. 1/3).

About the Instructor: Professor Guo is a member of the faculty in the Department of Chemistry. His research interests include developing nanoscale materials, catalysis by nanomaterials, biological applications of nanomaterials, and studying photochemistry and photophysics of metal complexes. His group also produces femtosecond x-ray pulses and uses them to investigate electron transfer and atomic motion during chemical reactions in solution. Both processes are the most fundamental steps in every chemical reaction.