Students will predict bond polarity using electron negativity values; indicate polarity with a polar arrow or partial charges; rank bonds in order of polarity; and predict molecular polarity using bond polarity and molecular shape.

Produce light by bombarding atoms with electrons. See how the characteristic spectra of different elements are produced, and configure your own element's energy states to produce light of different colors.

Chemistry lesson activities involving VSEPR and electron transitions.  This apply directly to quantum physics.

Students engage in an interactive "hot potato" demonstration to gain an appreciation for the flow of electrons through a circuit. Students role play the different parts of a simple circuit and send small items representing electrons (paper or candy pieces) through the circuit.

See how light knocks electrons off a metal target, and recreate the experiment that spawned the field of quantum mechanics.

See how light knocks electrons off a metal target, and recreate the experiment that spawned the field of quantum mechanics.

" This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts of the quantum theory of solids."

The development of "nanotechnology" has made it possible to engineer materials and devices on a length scale as small as several nanometers (atomic distances are ~ 0.1 nm). The properties of such "nanostructures" cannot be described in terms of macroscopic parameters like mobility and diffusion coefficient and a microscopic or atomistic viewpoint is called for. The purpose of this course is to convey the conceptual framework that underlies this microscopic theory of matter which developed in course of the 20th century following the advent of quantum mechanics. However, this requires us to discuss a lot more than just quantum mechanics - it requires an appreciation of some of the most advanced concepts of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. Traditionally these topics are spread out over many physics/ chemistry courses that take many semesters to cover. Our aim is to condense the essential concepts into a one semester course using electrical engineering related examples. The only background we assume is matrix algebra including familiarity with MATLAB (or an equivalent mathematical software package). We use MATLAB-based numerical examples to provide concrete illustrations and we strongly recommend that the students set up their own computer program on a PC to reproduce the results. This hands-on experience is needed to grasp such deep and diverse concepts in so short a time.

When do photons, electrons, and atoms behave like particles and when do they behave like waves? Watch waves spread out and interfere as they pass through a double slit, then get detected on a screen as tiny dots. Use quantum detectors to explore how measurements change the waves and the patterns they produce on the screen.

This hands-on activity explores the concept of static electricity. Students attract an O-shaped piece of cereal to a charged comb and watch the cereal jump away when it touches the comb. Students also observe Styrofoam pellets pulling towards a charged comb, then leaping back to the table.

Students come to understand static electricity by learning about the nature of electric charge, and different methods for charging objects. In a hands-on activity, students induce an electrical charge on various objects, and experiment with electrical repulsion and attraction.