From:	Keith Refson <Keith.Refson at.at earth.ox.ac.uk>
Date:	Tue, 13 Oct 1998 17:09:34 +0100 (BST)
Subject:	Recommendations for textbooks and teaching software

This is slightly off-topic for CCL, but I'm guessing there might be
some people on the list who will be able to help.

I'm in the position of having to teach an elementary undergraduate
course on chemical bonding and structure of solids.  It will be a
short course (12 teaching hours) and the students will not have had
any quantum mechanics or atomic structure beyond (high-)school level.

I am having trouble finding a decent textbook at the right level (ie
very introductory) and I'd appreciate any recommendations you may
have.  I also wish to make heavy use of computer-assisted learning so
I'm also looking for recommendations of teaching software -- perhaps
for visualization of atomic orbitals and bonding.

The students will be Earth scientists, not chemists or physicists
and I don't want to take too a rigorous approach.  So though I may
display the  3D solutions of the Schroedinger equation for the H atom
I won't do the solution.  I hope to rely on computer graphics to
illustrate wavefunctions orbitals and hopefully bonding.

I'd like to cover at least some of the following topics from a
solid-state point of view using mineralogical examples.

*  the schroedinger equation and QM in 1 dimension - quantization.
*  The H atom.  Atomic structure, orbitals, the aufbau principle
   and the periodic table.
*  Ionic bonding.  Ionization energies, electronegativities.
   Ionic radii and mineral crystal structures.
*  covalent bonding, H2, sp2, sp3 bonding in molecules and solids
   using the LCAO approach.
*  Structural trends and polymorphism in the solid state.  Silicate
   structures.
*  Substitutional defects.

So if anyone knows of a textbook which covers this material at an
introductory level and/or any educational software (Windows 95 or
Linux) which could be used in support of such a course I'd like to
hear from you.  (I'd also welcome any comments from anyone who has
taught a similar course on the amount of material given the 12 hours
teaching time!)

I'll summarize if requested.

Thanks in advance.

Keith Refson
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